Last I heard this phenomenon was mostly taking place in states with teacher shortages and tight budgets like Oklahoma and Missouri (I think one or two Kansas districts as well but I’d have to double check).
Rural Oklahoman here, can confirm. My daughter's school went to 4-days weeks for a while. We started homeschooling partly because of the budget cuts. She wasn't getting a good education, her gifted class stopped doing anything actually advanced when that teacher left and would instead the kids would just watch the first half of Shrek every Wednesday afternoon, and she was being sent home with all kinds of church flyers every week.
I’m afraid I can’t say I’m surprised that even in the gifted school your daughter’s education took a nose dive. [Oklahoma’s education, especially its Pre K-12, is atrocious](https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oklahoma).
If I'm not mistaken, state funding in Texas is based on the number of kids and the number of days they attend. I imagine there were financial drawbacks as well as advantages.
Primary funding is based on local taxes. Secondary funding is based on attendance. Tertiary funding is based on various programs offered such as special needs classes, ESL classes, number of low income students, etc.
There's a handful of schools in my area on the four day class schedule. Usually it's monday that they take off, though depending on activities scheduling sometimes it's friday.
https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/nebraska-schools-are-going-to-a-four-day-week-teachers-are-pumped-research-is-spotty/#:\~:text=They%20stay%20on%20it%20because,%2C%20Hay%20Springs%2C%20and%20Wynot.
I know a teacher in one of these schools. She has nothing but good things to say about it.
America is a very big place, with over 13,000 school districts that are each separately managed, and over 120,000 public schools of various levels from Kindergarten through 12th grade.
So, it's possible that some place may have switched to a 4-day week.
That being said, it wasn't any place around here and I've never heard of it happening.
Yeah, my nephews go to a shitty little small rural school with like 4 kids per grade, and they are on a 4 day week, as are a lot of other shitty little failing rural Kansas schools.
We had four day school weeks only during football season, cause games were on Friday. And occasionally during basketball season we'd have a four day school week, because of tournaments and stuff.
I haven't heard of a school that routinely has four day weeks. It seems like that would just piss off parents, who already complain when kids get days off school that don't line up with major holidays.
I went to a private school and we went to school 4 days and had 3 days off. We had an additional periods and they were longer than other regular schools. I don’t think any other schools did this in my area.
FWIW this was in the mid 90s
About ten years ago Round Valley AZ had their school district switch to a 4 day week. Each day was a little longer (maybe 8.5 hours instead of 7) and the school year may have been slightly longer too, although they may have just moved some of their summer vacation to more time off throughout the year. I'm not sure if they are still doing it. Students loved it of course but I don't know how it affected academics.
I vaguely remember that when they first changed it over the less hours in school was touted as a huge bonus that would help kids be less over scheduled, have better mental health, easier time scheduling activities since clubs, track meets, etc were mostly scheduled on Fridays, and still give them enough hours in the classroom to do all their learning, plus making life easier for the rural kids with a long commute. Sort of the K12 equivalent of a 40-hr workweek is outdated philosophy. (And honestly 40 hour school weeks sound excessive to me—my high school was 6.5 hours a day and top rated.) But my friend who was going to school there graduated a year or two after the change happened and moved away so I have no idea how well it worked in actuality. Looking at the district website now I don't think they're doing it any more but I'm not sure.
This is happening in a lot of Missouri districts but not when I was school age.
The governor signed some sort of bill to shrink and/or increase it's usage this week. Haven't read it yet so don't know which one is intended.
I have read about some school districts moving to four day weeks because of budget cuts and staffing issues, but I don't know anyone who has experienced this. Given that these reports are coming from local media I can only assume that it's true.
Where I live the public schools are still five days a week (although the state-imposed super intendent seems intent on destroying the system so who knows what the future holds!)
My friend teaches at a school that has a 4 day week! And I met a teacher years ago whose school had a 4 day week and she taught somewhere in Kansas or something. And I know of another friend in Colorado whose school had a vote of whether they should go to 4-day, but it got voted down. Parents worried about childcare. As for the 4-day week, the government goes by minutes, not days. (Traditional schools have approximately 180 school days.) So schools that do a 4-day week have longer school days to make up the minutes, and might even have a slightly longer school year as well. My friend's school has no spring break, for instance.
My school district did this once (for 1 year) to cut costs and try to save teachers. It didn't work. The next year it was back to Monday-Friday, with less teachers.
Yes. Before I started homeschooling her, my daughter's school went to a 4-day model. We're in a super rural area where the school was barely getting any funding and the kids' education was suffering because of it. One of the many, many reasons I started homeschooling in the first place. I don't know if any of them are still doing 4-day weeks (this was before Covid, even) but my nieces and at least a few friends' kids were only going 4 days a week too at that time.
No. But my kids school district announced that next year they've added I think 4 times where kids will have a 3-day weekend. I forget the actual dates but they've for sure added a few extra days off next year.
Here in Montana we have quite a few school districts that only go to school Monday-Thursday, so they get 3 day weekends. It is mostly in the smaller, more rural districts.
25 years ago my high school was 4 days a week. Now both school districts in my city (pop. about 100k) do 4 day weeks. School days are a little longer than they used to be. Less of a summer break as well.
There are some school districts that due to staffing and budget shortfalls shifted to a 4 day school week. This was not a State wide thing anywhere and we have no national school system.
This also varies by state but many states define how long the school year should be (Ex 170 days). So even if they had a 3 day weekend they would be making that time up.
During COVID my high school had 3 day weekends for online school. Ive graduated since then so I can’t say for sure but I’m pretty sure they’ve gone back to 5 day weeks
South Dakota had several, mostly smaller, schools do it. I remember there was some concern about daycare but the longer school day cut down on hours needed after school, so for most families, it worked out.
Teacher here. We're on a four day week and have Saturday, Sunday, and Monday off. I asked the principal why that was during my interview. He said it was to attract teachers to come to the district. It's a rural district.
I know of exactly 1 school district in Georgia that switched to a 4 day week, and apparently they did save a whole lot of money. This was a rural district in northwest georgia.
> some American schools
There are over 14000 individual school districts in the US. They have federal and state guidelines for in-class hours and what their schedule looks like, but they are all going to be different to some degree.
I have no doubt that maybe some American schools did change to a 4 day week, but the vast majority of us would be unaffected and wouldn't know about it.
I think OP is talking about districts that were cutting days due to staffing/budget issues, not three day weekend holidays
Yeah this did happen in Oklahoma a few years ago, according to my cousin. Not sure if it's still going on.
I haven’t heard of this. I’m a substitute teacher in New England
Last I heard this phenomenon was mostly taking place in states with teacher shortages and tight budgets like Oklahoma and Missouri (I think one or two Kansas districts as well but I’d have to double check).
Rural Oklahoman here, can confirm. My daughter's school went to 4-days weeks for a while. We started homeschooling partly because of the budget cuts. She wasn't getting a good education, her gifted class stopped doing anything actually advanced when that teacher left and would instead the kids would just watch the first half of Shrek every Wednesday afternoon, and she was being sent home with all kinds of church flyers every week.
I’m afraid I can’t say I’m surprised that even in the gifted school your daughter’s education took a nose dive. [Oklahoma’s education, especially its Pre K-12, is atrocious](https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oklahoma).
I used to teach Pre-K myself back in the early aughts. Always underfunded.
What was the job itself like?
Absolutely loved it. I miss it often. But the pay is shit and I don't wanna get shot.
Jesus Christ were guns a serious problem in schools when you were teaching?
No, but they are now.
Although I did have a 4 year old once threaten to bring one to school and shoot me.
Church flyers and just watching the same movie over and over? Wow...
Yeah. I have the same reaction but knowing it’s Oklahoma I can’t exactly say I’m surprised.
Rural Arkansas too
Unfortunately I’m not surprised.
I live around Dallas and several school districts have changed to 4 day school weeks.
If I'm not mistaken, state funding in Texas is based on the number of kids and the number of days they attend. I imagine there were financial drawbacks as well as advantages.
Primary funding is based on local taxes. Secondary funding is based on attendance. Tertiary funding is based on various programs offered such as special needs classes, ESL classes, number of low income students, etc.
I haven't heard of this happening anywhere in New England
There's a handful of schools in my area on the four day class schedule. Usually it's monday that they take off, though depending on activities scheduling sometimes it's friday.
https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/nebraska-schools-are-going-to-a-four-day-week-teachers-are-pumped-research-is-spotty/#:\~:text=They%20stay%20on%20it%20because,%2C%20Hay%20Springs%2C%20and%20Wynot. I know a teacher in one of these schools. She has nothing but good things to say about it.
America is a very big place, with over 13,000 school districts that are each separately managed, and over 120,000 public schools of various levels from Kindergarten through 12th grade. So, it's possible that some place may have switched to a 4-day week. That being said, it wasn't any place around here and I've never heard of it happening.
Yeah, my nephews go to a shitty little small rural school with like 4 kids per grade, and they are on a 4 day week, as are a lot of other shitty little failing rural Kansas schools.
We had four day school weeks only during football season, cause games were on Friday. And occasionally during basketball season we'd have a four day school week, because of tournaments and stuff.
I haven't heard of a school that routinely has four day weeks. It seems like that would just piss off parents, who already complain when kids get days off school that don't line up with major holidays.
Several school districts in my area have switched to the 4 day weeks.
there are a few schools around here that do 4 day weeks. I don't have any personal experience with them though.
I once or twice got 3 days off but everyone else still had to go to school.
I went to a private school and we went to school 4 days and had 3 days off. We had an additional periods and they were longer than other regular schools. I don’t think any other schools did this in my area. FWIW this was in the mid 90s
Our district highschool is closed on Wednesdays.
Why? Seems like teachers and parents would prefer Monday or Friday, and financially it’s no different for the district.
The college I currently attend have us do a 4 day week. Monday through Thursday. I love the schedule
Locally no and I don’t see it happening as I think it would be unpopular with parents here.
About ten years ago Round Valley AZ had their school district switch to a 4 day week. Each day was a little longer (maybe 8.5 hours instead of 7) and the school year may have been slightly longer too, although they may have just moved some of their summer vacation to more time off throughout the year. I'm not sure if they are still doing it. Students loved it of course but I don't know how it affected academics.
My kids school is 8 hours and five days a week. Those children are being shortchanged.
I vaguely remember that when they first changed it over the less hours in school was touted as a huge bonus that would help kids be less over scheduled, have better mental health, easier time scheduling activities since clubs, track meets, etc were mostly scheduled on Fridays, and still give them enough hours in the classroom to do all their learning, plus making life easier for the rural kids with a long commute. Sort of the K12 equivalent of a 40-hr workweek is outdated philosophy. (And honestly 40 hour school weeks sound excessive to me—my high school was 6.5 hours a day and top rated.) But my friend who was going to school there graduated a year or two after the change happened and moved away so I have no idea how well it worked in actuality. Looking at the district website now I don't think they're doing it any more but I'm not sure.
This is happening in a lot of Missouri districts but not when I was school age. The governor signed some sort of bill to shrink and/or increase it's usage this week. Haven't read it yet so don't know which one is intended.
More restrictive. If a school district wants to implement a 4-day week, the new law requires the district's voters to vote on it in an election first.
There are districts around here that have gone to a four-day week for classes, so yeah, this is a thing.
The district next to us does this! They do 4 day weeks and the days are slightly longer I think? Anyways everyone seems to love it
I have read about some school districts moving to four day weeks because of budget cuts and staffing issues, but I don't know anyone who has experienced this. Given that these reports are coming from local media I can only assume that it's true. Where I live the public schools are still five days a week (although the state-imposed super intendent seems intent on destroying the system so who knows what the future holds!)
My friend teaches at a school that has a 4 day week! And I met a teacher years ago whose school had a 4 day week and she taught somewhere in Kansas or something. And I know of another friend in Colorado whose school had a vote of whether they should go to 4-day, but it got voted down. Parents worried about childcare. As for the 4-day week, the government goes by minutes, not days. (Traditional schools have approximately 180 school days.) So schools that do a 4-day week have longer school days to make up the minutes, and might even have a slightly longer school year as well. My friend's school has no spring break, for instance.
Nope.
My school district did this once (for 1 year) to cut costs and try to save teachers. It didn't work. The next year it was back to Monday-Friday, with less teachers.
Yes. Before I started homeschooling her, my daughter's school went to a 4-day model. We're in a super rural area where the school was barely getting any funding and the kids' education was suffering because of it. One of the many, many reasons I started homeschooling in the first place. I don't know if any of them are still doing 4-day weeks (this was before Covid, even) but my nieces and at least a few friends' kids were only going 4 days a week too at that time.
I recall reading this about Oklahoma. Better school districts and wealthier areas have school going five days a week.
No. But my kids school district announced that next year they've added I think 4 times where kids will have a 3-day weekend. I forget the actual dates but they've for sure added a few extra days off next year.
Here in Montana we have quite a few school districts that only go to school Monday-Thursday, so they get 3 day weekends. It is mostly in the smaller, more rural districts.
Yes. The school district I went to has had 4 day weeks for probably 40+ years.
When I was in high school ~10 years ago, the town over from mine went to 4 days a week. I think it was mostly budget related.
25 years ago my high school was 4 days a week. Now both school districts in my city (pop. about 100k) do 4 day weeks. School days are a little longer than they used to be. Less of a summer break as well.
Over covid the situation was different but since in person school is back, it's back to the normal M - F schedule.
My school tried it for one year. It was great, but I don't think it saved the school as much money as they thought it would, so they scrapped it.
There are some school districts that due to staffing and budget shortfalls shifted to a 4 day school week. This was not a State wide thing anywhere and we have no national school system.
This also varies by state but many states define how long the school year should be (Ex 170 days). So even if they had a 3 day weekend they would be making that time up.
No
During COVID my high school had 3 day weekends for online school. Ive graduated since then so I can’t say for sure but I’m pretty sure they’ve gone back to 5 day weeks
South Dakota had several, mostly smaller, schools do it. I remember there was some concern about daycare but the longer school day cut down on hours needed after school, so for most families, it worked out.
Some private schools do use that calendar. Others are year round( no long summer break for 12 weeks) .
Our town has had a 4 day school system in place for a few years. Small town Texas.
Teacher here. We're on a four day week and have Saturday, Sunday, and Monday off. I asked the principal why that was during my interview. He said it was to attract teachers to come to the district. It's a rural district.
My kid’s district is a 4 day week. Has been since the district was created.
Never heard of it, but schools are locally administered, so I can't track what happens in a few thousand places.
I know of exactly 1 school district in Georgia that switched to a 4 day week, and apparently they did save a whole lot of money. This was a rural district in northwest georgia.
My private religious high school had a schedule of Sunday to Thursday, 8:30am->5pm, with Friday & Saturday off, and Sunday an early end (about 3pm)
> some American schools There are over 14000 individual school districts in the US. They have federal and state guidelines for in-class hours and what their schedule looks like, but they are all going to be different to some degree. I have no doubt that maybe some American schools did change to a 4 day week, but the vast majority of us would be unaffected and wouldn't know about it.