An eight-hour day is pretty undesirable for elementary-aged kids. In Lexington, Oregon, Morrow County was able to save about $250,000 their first year, but out of a budget of $14 million. In 2006, a study by Yarbrough and Gilman found that teachers working in a 5-day school schedule reported that they have a lot of wasted time. But recently, there has been a move towards shorter weeks across the United States. The pros and cons of a 4-day school week offer many challenges. . In general, taking away recess as punishment may be seen as unfair or too harsh, especially for young children. The most popular is a 32-hour work week, which means people work 8 hours per day, 4 hours in a week. Staff recruitment is easier with the 4-day school week for school districts. STP every day allows students to do their schoolwork, resulting in reduced overall stress. There is no one answer to this question as it can depend on individual circumstances. Many schools are, in fact, offering year-round services now to accommodate the changing needs of their communities. This issue occurs at all grade levels. Approximately 1,800 schools in the U.S. have extended learning hours, but there are many pros and cons of extended school days. The only students who actually get to benefit from the 4-day school week are those that do not have any extra-curricular activities in which they are involved. How does it impact your success? The basic assumption of a 4 day work week is fulfilling the duties in a shorter amount of time, instead of the usual five-day workweek and receiving the same pay. In many US school districts, the first class begins 1-2 hours after most parents need to be at work. 4-day school weeks add Your typical school week: Monday-Friday with the hours sometime between 7 am- 4 pm. It starts too early, ends too late, and occurs far too often. The idea of having a four-day school has been around for several decades, and has been considered at least since the 1930s, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The standard requirement for schools is 180 days or an average range of 990-1080 hours. Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, rendering the additional class time unproductive. the fifth day, but they forget, they will still be open and running activities What Are the Pros of a Longer School Day? The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. Easier to recruit employees. 1. 2. The kids groan, complain about getting out of bed, and struggle to get through the morning routine. After physical activity, children with or without ADHD appear to perform better at attention, memory, and mood. Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to help students who cannot fasten their own clothes? 5. The move toward a shorter workweek is gaining momentum. Other concerns with early school start times and the resulting insufficient sleep include: Increased likelihood for participating in risk-taking behaviors, such as bullying and fighting. A longer school day would involve substantial funding for teacher salaries and facility maintenance. The schedule change also shifted how teachers assigned homework, making it more efficient and focused. To be competitive in a global market, students need to be exposed to a wide variety of subject matter. It is critical to maintain a consistent schedule and not change it on a weekly basis in order to give students the best chance of success. That means half of parents will enjoy the alternative school schedule and half will hate it. Other pros and cons exist in the school lunch debate. Delaying school start times will assist students in developing the skills required to reach their full potential. The Melstone School District in Montana also shifted to a 4-day school week. I say this because we would have to start. 5. That means one of the biggest expenses for the district is immediately cut by 20%. Potential for juvenile crime to increase. Also, there have been studies that found that special populations do not thrive under this configuration. There are a few potential drawbacks to shorter school days. A 4-day school week is misleading. When Friday rolls around each week during the school year, many parents face the same situation. Changing the system could result in many more. Their child is at home while they are at work, which is problematic for parents of younger children. 4. Overall, a shorter school schedule resulted in a 7% increase in math scores and a 3% gain in reading. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, students are less active when they are not allowed to recess during the school day due to bad classroom behavior. What are the pros and cons of shorter school week? Year-round schooling has been proposed as a better option for students than a traditional 9-month schedule. These are more reasons CHS should move to a four day school week. Five-day schools still have the edge in many districts Despite the fact that many districts have seen their test scores make a substantial leap, there are some five-day schools that are still outpacing them academically. Who Sang For Troy In High School Musical? Many of these districts are small and rural, such as Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Wyoming. Money is saved on that day because they don't have to run lights, heater or AC. The school days are spread more evenly over the year, with more frequent short breaks and the absence of a 10-12 week summer break. Over the course of a 2-year period on this alternative schedule, they reported up to a 20% increase in student attendance. 1. Spread the loveThis program assesses 15-year-old students schooling in countries that form part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Rural school districts find the greatest benefit in this area. 2023 The Black Well Firm. Find out about families that swap a shorter summer break for learning time that's more continuous. If a student lives an hour outside of town and have an 8am school bell to meet, then theyre on the bus at 7am. Cons of a Longer School Day Does Not Ensure Higher Achievement Some studies have been done that show that longer instruction time can improve achievement, but those results depend on things like classroom environment, quality of instruction, student prior knowledge and ability. Very Costly. Black Boys in Crisis: Why Arent They Reading? According to Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers Association, there is no guarantee that popularity will be replicated in other schools. The class periods would probably be over an hour long but longer school days is a must if you for sure have four day weeks. Dr. Kelly S. Meier - Updated May 03, 2019, Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article, NavajoCode: Unbiased Longer School Days Pros and Cons. If you ask the average kid what they think about school, youll get a very honest answer: Its boring. From K-12, it can be difficult for students to stay engaged in the classroom during a 5-day school week. Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our countrys educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. Administrative staff are required to be on-site, sports Kuss Middle School in Fall River, Mass., has risen from a Level 5 to a Level 1 after implementing extended learning time. Adds flexibility to teacher's schedules. Con: A lengthened school day may impede upon extracurricular activities, especially in secondary education. Some educators believe that extending the school day until 5:00 p.m. is the answer. They can explore and discover various hobbies and interests, maintain their stress levels and get more sleep. In some situations, a single teacher may be responsible for over 100 students. For the parents of younger students, an additional full day of daycare may need to be scheduled every week instead of a partial day. This is one reason school districts use to implement dress codes. Spread the loveAre you looking for ways to teach students appropriate mealtime manners? Each community has unique needs which must be met, so there is the possibility of a 4-day week being useful to some districts, but not others. Shorter Classes: Depending on your school's summer schedule, you can complete a semester's worth of work in eight, five, or even three weeks. In 1995, 84 school districts were studied that had already implemented a 4-day school week. Opportunity to relax and really immerse yourself in the experience. The program not only saves districts money, but it also allows students to spend more time with their families. On top of that, you will likely only be taking 1-2 classes at a time instead of four or more. According to him, providing education to all would be beneficial to society. Some school districts shifted to a 4-day week not because of financial needs, but others did so to make it easier to schedule sporting events or after-school activities. Underperforming schools and the lagging performance of U.S. students in comparison to other countries is a concern. Sports schedules are easier to manage. In 1095or in 1905, depending on your sourcesRoberto Nevelis of Venice, Italy, is often credited with inventing the concept of homework. Finally, teachers and students would have better relationships as they spend more time together instead of being rushed. Schools across the country offer extended learning hours. Dr. Kelly Meier earned her doctorate from Minnesota State Mankato in Educational Leadership. If so, keep reading. 6. Instead, an investment should be made in improving teaching strategies and new technology that could transform the learning process. If so, keep reading. Many school districts keep their administrative staff on school grounds all week long, though some allow half to take a Monday off, while the other half takes Friday off. 3. Longer school days would provide students with more time to focus on core subjects or classes where they need more instruction, which would be a huge benefit. One is that it would likely mean that teachers would have to teach more classes, which could lead to burnout. In addition, they are given a week off for major holidays and 2 weeks of summer vacation at their parents discretion. Extending the school days even longer would further cut into valuable time to bond with family. Savings on school buses and long-term building wear and tear have also been reported. Florida's inflation-adjusted education spending per student has roughly doubled in the last 30 years -- to $7,473 in 2000-01. This leads to added costs that some families, living paycheck to paycheck, may not be able to afford. She is the author and co-author of 12 books and serves as a consultant in K-12 and higher education. There are a variety of health issues that can be caused by a lack of sleep. The evaluated skills include science, math, and reading. They saved 1.4%, or $45,000, instead. Some schools even require students to have the belt line exposed at all times for fear of guns concealed under clothing. The Rochester City Council established the Extended Learning Time initiative as part of Rochesters ongoing commitment to education. The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation. Shortening the school day can give kids and teens more time for movement, brain breaks, and other activities that have been shown to improve learning outcomes, among other benefits.. With more room to move and less worry about following the rules in class, kids can be better equipped to focus when needed. Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. not just on the weekdays when students were out of school. You have a lifespan that is nine years less than people who graduate: Statistically, you may have a shorter lifespan than people who have gone to school and have been empowered. Pros and cons of shorter work weeks. Saving on utilities school buses, and long term building wear and tear. Most students, especially younger ones, find that the traditional school schedule is already too long. One is that students might not have enough time to receive all the instruction they need in a particular subject. They can supervise their children at the bus stop in rural districts as well. School districts save money. recess is not only ineffective but also harmful to students who may feel that the punishment is excessive. The ability to offer a 3-day weekend, every weekend, is a powerful motivator for school districts that are recruiting for quality employees. Here are some additional key points to think about when looking at the pros and cons of a 4-day school week. The National School Board Association estimates that approximately 135,000 guns are brought to America's 85,000 public schools each day.
Olympia Cart Wheel Replacement, Haas Family Foundation, Articles P