About 900 school districts in 26 states are making the switch to a four-day school week as a strategy to combat the shortage of teachers. While this flexible schedule has primarily been seen in rural regions, it’s now becoming more widespread.
The Changes in Missouri
Dr. Dale Herl, the superintendent of the Independence School District in Missouri, emphasized that their approach was not driven by budget savings. Instead, it aimed to attract and retain high-quality staff members. In the Independence School District, students will experience a more adaptable schedule. Most academic weeks will start on Tuesdays but, occasionally, there will be five-day school weeks.
They’re Not Losing Any Teaching Time
Concerns have arisen that a four-day week might lead to a reduction in instructional time but Herl asserted this is not the case. He said: “We are not losing any instructional minutes. We are adding 35 minutes. People hear about a four-day week and they think we are losing 20% but that’s really not the case.”
Teachers Are Underpaid
Herl pointed out that a significant issue is the inadequate compensation for teachers and staff members. He emphasized the need to improve payment for educators, bus drivers, nutrition service staff, custodians, and other essential roles. Public education faces a critical challenge in balancing parents’ expectations with the costs of meeting those demands.
The Childcare Problem
Some parents have understandably expressed concerns about childcare arrangements on Mondays. To address this, the district has come up with various solutions, including a $30-a-day child care program and educational offerings for students requiring extra support.
More Opportunities for Students
Additionally, high school students now have the opportunity to collaborate with nearby colleges and earn dual credits upon graduation. Herl stated that they carefully considered parental feedback when designing these options, aiming to accommodate both the structure of the school day and the cost of services.
A Surge in Applications
The Independence School District is now witnessing a surge in teacher applications. Herl shared that the number of applications for the current school year has quadrupled compared to the previous year, indicating that the move has been – and will continue to be – successful in its endeavor.
Online Commenters Were Divided
The story was shared across social media and people were divided in opinion. One person wrote: “This is logical. Schools cost too much – $30,000 to ‘educate’ a pupil per year in Chicago. None of them care to read or write when they graduate. That’s a perfect example of the failure of government.”
Parents From the Area Shared Their Thoughts
Some parents from the district in question shared their thoughts online. One wrote: “As a parent in this district, they sent out surveys to parents, teachers and students 8th grade and up. They also researched it and talked to several districts that were already doing this. They are not losing classroom time. They have added time to each day and adjusted the calendar to keep the same number of hours per year.”
The Pros of Four-Day Work Weeks
Some online commenters praised the move and discussed the pros of four-day work weeks. One person wrote: “To be honest, this is very innovative. A four-day week will almost definitely attract more teachers and improve staff retention. It could also help the students learn better because they’ll be more focused because four-day work weeks have been shown to do that.”
Give Teachers a Raise
A fair few commenters suggested simply paying teachers more. “Or we could just pay teachers more?” one person suggested. “Sure, let’s just keep slapping a bandaid on the problem. Pay teachers better,” another echoed. A third wrote: “They really are going to great lengths to avoid paying teachers what they deserve, aren’t they?
Right-Wing Parents and Knowledge
Some commenters suggested that right-wing parents who think they know better than teachers could be to blame for the staff shortage. One person wrote: “I’d expect that teacher shortage to extend across all red states over the next couple of years. Why teach when their MAGA parents think they’re smarter than them, better than them, more pious than them? Nope, get that teaching degree and go where you’ll be appreciated. Avoid the south.”
The Potential Message
Some commenters expressed concerns about the message a four-day school week would send to students. “Okay, so I get that they’re trying to fix the whole teacher shortage thing – but a four-day school week? I’m not sure how I feel about that. It might just teach kids to be lazy and to expect three days off a week in the real world,” one person wrote.
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