To address budget issues, more than 100 school districts in 17 states have switched to a four-day week with other financially strapped districts considering the shift. Students and teachers make up the missed hours with a lengthened school day.

While there is little research to determine the potential impact of this change, The Principals’ Partnership claims a four-day school week does not positively or negatively affect student achievement and offers the following pros and cons:

Pros:

• Student drop-out rates and disciplinary referrals decline
• Student and teacher attendance improves
• Longer classes with fewer transitions increase efficiency of instruction at all grade levels
• More time for extracurricular activities and personal business, such as doctor appointments
• School saves on utility bills, substitute teacher pay, buses, and building maintenance

Cons:

• Child care issues for working parents
• Concern about how younger students will hold-up during long school day

According to the Wall Street Journal’s, Schools’ New Math: The Four-Day Week, “Teachers who still work the same number of hours over four days, instead of five, generally don’t see a reduction in salary. But staff who can’t make up the lost time, such as bus drivers and cafeteria workers, are often hard-hit, losing as much as 20% of their pay.”