Today’s Washington Post reports that school jurisdictions around the country are running into so many funding problems that some have chosen to go to the 4 day school week to cut back on expenses:
North Branch, Minn. — Pressed for dollars, a growing number of public schools are doing what many educators once considered unimaginable: eliminating an entire school day each week.
At least 292 school districts nationwide have a four-day week, according to a Washington Post survey, more than double the 120 estimated two years ago.
That’s still a small fraction of the nation’s 15,000 school districts, but it’s one signal that this is shaping up to be a “cliff year” in American education as the evaporation of federal stimulus funds and other fiscal troubles force many schools to make dramatic cuts.
In this community just north of the Twin Cities, they already cut the drama club. And cheerleading, ski club and marching band. So many teachers have been laid off that some classrooms have 40 students and one high school guidance counselor juggles 550 students. When school officials couldn’t figure out what else to squeeze, they lopped off a day.
One such experiment in Virginia came about not because of funding issues but because of the earthquake in late August. Louisa County High School was condemned because it suffered extensive damage during the 5.9 earthquake. School officials had to make do with what they had so the high school kids now go to school at the middle school Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. The middle school goes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The teachers and kids apparently love the new arrangement. School takes in from 8 – 5 pm. The parents supposedly hate it. The Louisa County kids probably are not getting the full state mandated times in. However, it cannot be helped at this point.
What are the advantages of a 4 day week? 1 day fewer bus runs, 1 less day to crank up climate control, 1 less day to pay hourly workers like cafeteria servers to name a few places to save. Certainly readers will think of more savings.
Can American schools afford to cut out a day of learning? Extending the school day by 2 hours times 4 really gives the same amount of instructional time. Classes can be longer without the wasted time in the hall. There is one less daily lunch period. NCLB is being phased out so less time to do the NCLB dance. Perhaps without all the hoops teachers can teach and students can learn. Sadly, the things kids really like will go and the music, arts and PE electives probably suffer during these times.
Will the compressed school week catch on? Will it come to a large metro area where education receives top billing? It’s too soon to tell. My first instincts say no. However, this plan might be a God-send to cash strapped communities. Additionally, the old adage of teach less better might catch on.
Long range, I think it is horrible and a final blow to American education that is finally on the brink of being able to crawl out from under the yoke of of NCLB.
Ladies and gentlemen, your thoughts please.
Entire Washington Post article:
This is what happens when wealthy individuals and corporations do not pay their fair share in taxes. Revenues dry up and our schoolchildren suffer the consequences. I fear for the future of our country.
Saves on crossing guards too.
It might actually save some school systems if used on short term. Cutting down to 4 days beats trying to instruct with 40 kids in a classroom. However, it shouldn’t be a forever type thing.
Kids don’t need to be spending that much time out of school. They will grow to like it too much. It will be difficult getting back into a routine for Louisa County Schools.
Actually, I’ve always been in favor of year-round school, with staggered breaks instead of one big summer thing. We’re not all farmers anymore. You could even cut the school week to 3 days.
Prince William tried that many years ago. It didn’t work out real well but I think more so because of implementation than much of anything else.
@Emma
If we could get the Republican Congress to pass Obama’s job plan, we wouldn’t have to discuss lowering standards for schools.
I don’t think parents would like the added day-care expenses for a child for a whole day added to their bill. School should be open 5days a week. The typical work week is 5 days. What a rude awakening 5 days of working would be after years of a 4 day “work week” during their school career. Not a big fan of the idea, it’s a big savings for the gov’t and adding a burden to the parents.
I kind of like the idea of a 4 day school week, provided the days better reflected typical working hours (so like 9 – 5:30 or 8:30 – 5). We’d have to adjust lunch schedules and would have to factor in time for a mid afternoon snack, but it seems like it would be easier from a child care standpoint as you might only need full time care one day a week instead of before and after care.
I think it is akin to eating your seed corn.
@Lafayette
Laf is right. Regardless of any other merits the idea might have, a four-day week would be very difficult for families where mom and dad both work. The extra child care expense would be high, even it were available. I don’t know that day care centers would find it economically feasible to hire extra staff for just one day each week.
The only way this might work would be to have more flexible work schedules, and that’s not likely in many cases (I know some people have good work environments, but most don’t). The authoritarians who manage most offices in the public and private sectors care more about having people under their thumbs than whether or not work gets done. They would be very resistant to any change that gives more freedom to employees, even if it increases productivity.
Just my two cents on that last one. I changed careers to have more independence largely because of so often working for imbeciles who cared more about where I was sitting at any given moment than what I was accomplishing. I couldn’t be happier now. Mrs. NTK and I would have some flexibility to deal with a four-day school week, but most families would not.
Good analysis of many work places, NTK.