A Primer on the Four-Day School Week

» What motivates a move to four-day schooling?
School districts that adopt the schedule are first attracted to it for financial reasons. Up until now, this scheduling option has cycled in popularity along with periods of economic crisis.

The four-day week appeared in the 1930s in South Dakota, then reappeared in New Mexico in the 1970s. Until the mid-2000s, the concept persisted but was not widespread. Then, in reaction to the 2008 recession, the four-day schedule saw a resurgence of popularity, but unlike other periods, it has not abated.

» Does a four-day week save money?
In a four-day school week, districts meet annual state requirements for hours of schooling by adding instruction time to every school day. Localities adopting the four-day school week hope to save money on student transportation and school heating costs by closing school one day a week. Because teachers and most professional staff receive the same annual pay for the four longer days, any cost savings must come from transportation, utility bills and the wages of classified staff, such as custodians and food service workers.

But school districts have found little money is saved by cutting a day of school. Newcastle, Okla., for example, eliminated one school day, resulting in cost savings that amounted to 0.9 percent of its budget. Extending the school day also raises some costs, es-pecially if a district opts to offer specialized programming on the closed school day. Parents also can end up absorbing costs related to transportation, child care and meals on the fifth day.

» What are other rationales for the growth of the four-day option?
Some school districts use the schedule for other benefits: teacher training on the use of new state assessments or focused intervention for struggling students or extracurricular activities. Some high schools offer dual-enrollment college courses. Others schedule sports travel and games on the fifth day.

Some superintendents told us the four-day week made the locality more attractive to teacher candidates. Some expected rural districts holding to the five-day week will have difficulty hiring and keeping teachers.

The idea has proved contagious because adults in the community like it. Teachers and students travel less and the additional day gives everyone time to run errands and attend to doctor appointments.

» Are school districts prepared to go back?
Only one of the 20 districts we studied with a four-day week had a provision in place to return to a five-day schedule. Most communities adopt the schedule as a permanent arrangement, not a trial to be evaluated and reconsidered in light of evidence.