State legislators and local school boards are giving administrators greater flexibility to set their academic calendars, making the four-day slate possible. But education experts say little research exists to show the impact of shortened weeks on learning. The missed hours are typically made up by lengthening remaining school days.
Of the nearly 15,000-plus districts nationwide, more than 100 in at least 17 states currently use the four-day system, according to data culled from the Education Commission of the States. Dozens of other districts are contemplating making the change in the next year—a shift that is apt to create new challenges for working parents as well as thousands of school employees.
The heightened interest in an abbreviated school week comes as the Obama administration prepares to plow $4.35 billion in extra federal funds into underperforming schools. The administration has been advocating for a stronger school system in a bid to make the U.S. more academically competitive on a global basis.
A new law in Georgia allows schools a choice between a 180-day school year "or the equivalent." Hawaii officials last October introduced 17 mandatory "Furlough Fridays" for state public schools. In Minnesota and Iowa, districts are drafting proposals for their state boards of education in hopes of implementing four-day schedules next school year.
In the rural Peach County, Ga., district, a four-day week this school year helped school officials save more than $200,000 last semester, trimming costs for custodial and cafeteria workers and bus drivers as well as transportation expenses and utilities, said system spokeswoman Sara Mason.
The district is on track to save 39 teaching positions and $400,000 by the end of the school year, helping to narrow a $1 million shortfall in the district's $30 million annual budget.
"The savings so far have been phenomenal," said Ms. Mason, adding that she has fielded calls from officials at a dozen other Georgia schools considering making the switch.
10 comments:
This will lessen their power over our children's minds.
A good thing.
who's gonna watch my hoodlums for that extra day, you mean I ein't goin be able to sit home stuff my face and watch my stories in peace and quiet?
This is a great idea. On the fifth day, have the kids actually go outside and run around, play, build forts, play hopscotch, climb trees, play softball, and get fresh air. This will teach them athletic, engineering, spatial and perception skills. Heaven forbid we step out of the robot box, we just might create a few independent thinkers.
The question is, will the teacher's get the same salaries?
All the parents using schools as free daycare will now have to pay someone to deal with their little darlings. And yes, teachers will still get the same salary - did you miss the part where the school day is longer?
Why wouldn't they get the same salaries? It doesn't make any sense at all to imply that children can get the same education in fewer, longer days but that the job of the teachers is somehow "lessened" so that they should earn less. If a contractor worked longer days to "complete the job" in less time should they get paid less? I'm a teacher and I am tired of the underlying assumption that good students learn in spite of their teachers and poor students fail because of them. Most teachers do a good job and work hard, many more "hours" than what's in the workday.
By the way, the plural of "teacher" is "teachers", not "teacher's". The apostrophe is for possessives, as in "the teacher's salary" or "the teachers' salaries".
9:18
I would hope you as their parent have developed a positive enough relationship to counter any "mind-control" those terrible teachers carry out during the school day.
Now, take off your tin-foil hat, sign off the computer, and go talk to your kids...or better yet, volunteer in their classroom. Then you'll be qualified to talk about what goes on there.
4:45 Why get so defensive? I was asking a question.
By the way, most contractors get paid by the hour. It all depends on how you draw up the contract.
I did not say teachers are bad. I said that it is important the children get skills that will help them with basic survival. You know, like what is needed about now in this economy and world.
Not how to pass a test, but how to run from an attacker, how to stay warm, and how to hunt to eat.
I'm not sure how much the smaller ones would learn tired and hungry at the end of the extra 2 hours. Would these longer days be "age appropriate" for them?
A Mom-Mom
8:58 - shouldn't these skills be taught by the parents? Maybe we should just make the public schools boarding schools so that the parents don't have to do ANYTHING on a regular basis!
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