pros and cons of shorter school days pros and cons of shorter school days

Who Sang For Troy In High School Musical? Shorter Workweek: Pros and Cons for Employee Productivity One of the biggest concerns of a 4-day school week is the length of seat time that younger students must complete. The decision to implement such a schedule must therefore be handled at the local level. Although the final outcome was beneficial the origins of the extended day was not welcomed. Since students receive dedicated 1:1 teaching for all core subjects, they don't need to bother spending time on topics that aren't on their instructional level. To compare, a regular semester generally lasts 16-18 weeks. When busing and after-school activities are included in that timeframe as well, some older students may find themselves putting in 12-hour days at school every day. The pros and cons of a 4-day school week offer many challenges. In the United States, $17.5 billion each year is spent on school bus transportation. A potential decline in academic performance for vulnerable groups. Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to teach students appropriate mealtime manners? Cutting that by 20% means a savings of $4 billion, if implemented nationwide. All rights reserved. Students in a 4-day school week are packing 180 days into a condensed 145-day schedule. Thats two hours of lost time for farm chores, homework, or other responsibilities that rural families have more often than urban or suburban families. But the extra money hasn't gone into teachers' salaries, which have dropped on average from . Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Con: Not all students need one-on-one assistance, and some may even experience boredom or burnout from the extended school day. Most school districts are sticking to the 5-day schedule. Despite these difficulties, many disabled students go on to lead successful and fulfilling lives. Long summers are known to cause "summer slide," or the decline of academic skills and knowledge over the course of the extended vacation. It has been so problematic that in Colorado, some urban districts which switched to a 4-day school week have gone back to the traditional scheduling instead. four-day week across 16 school districts. Con: A lengthened school day may impede upon extracurricular activities, especially in secondary education. One issue that schools face today is what kind of school schedule there should be throughout the year. From the moment you walk into the second you walk out. Arguments For and Against Longer School Years - Poynter Pros and Cons of a Shorter Workweek. The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. Advantages Of Five Day School Week Traditional Five Day Class Week Should be Resumed Samantha, a freshman college student taking up Bachelor of Science in Nursing, values her education so much. How do longer school days affect students? The four-day week, according to the research, is far more cost-effective than the traditional five-day week. Out of a budget of $5.5 million, they saved $206,000. The only question is does it hurt students education but the statistics are showing that is clearly not the case one bit. Special correspondent Lisa Stark of Education Week reports on the pros and cons for students, families and schools. More rest then equates to dealing with less stress over the course of a school year. 10 Longer School Days Pros and Cons - Vittana.org This issue occurs at all grade levels. It was Mann who founded the first public school in the United States and is widely regarded as the Father of the Public School System. What are some arguments for ending school at 8 hours? In order to squeeze the regular five-day workload into four days, it would necessitate the closure of vital services on that additional day and the lengthening of working days on the other days. It provides a realistic way for schools to remain open and also has added benefits beyond saving money. The Pros and Cons of a Shortened School Schedule Every issue has its good and bad bits, and the same is true for districts making the switch to a shortened school week. Long school days can cause eating problems for students who don't eat at school, or who use up all their energy while learning. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. 1. Schools would also have to change their bus transportation systems which are designed to run as efficiently and inexpensively as possible. It was a kneejerk response to dwindling education budgets and the belief that schools could save a ton of money by operating Monday through Thursday, which in theory would lower their operating expenses. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days. Pros. That also makes scheduling problematic for many families. Decreased need to re-teach skills after long vacations, allowing teachers to use classroom time more efficiently. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of Americas P-20 system. Sometimes, schools are forced to travel during the school week to play some games or attend certain events. 3. Four day school weeks have been discussed by many schools, and some schools already have them. 5. This may not seem like a lot, but when you factor in homework and after-school activities, it can be a lot for a student to handle. Easier to recruit employees. How Would Later School Start Times Affect Sleep? Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. The kids groan, complain about getting out of bed, and struggle to get through the morning routine. The Agrarian calendar is rooted in the past. Having well-rested and happy employees can increase their overall work engagement and productivity. Many companies have found that when workers are able to work a schedule which suits their needs, letting them work how they like, then their workers are more productive. The major pros and cons of a 4-day school week suggest that it can save money for districts, which means taxpayers benefit. Students are tired and cranky by the end of the day. On top of that, you will likely only be taking 1-2 classes at a time instead of four or more. Obesity, anxiety and stress, as well as lower grades, can all be attributed to a lack of sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. It is critical to maintain a consistent schedule and not change it on a weekly basis in order to give students the best chance of success. Increases student attendance. Kuss Middle School in Fall River, Mass., has risen from a Level 5 to a Level 1 after implementing extended learning time. They can explore and discover various hobbies and interests, maintain their stress levels and get more sleep. Lets face it our best school memories arent from tests or pop quizzes. Four day working week: What are the pros and cons? - World Economic Forum Sacrifices Family Time. It involves increasing communication and various forms of interaction between people of different nations, ethnicities and cultures. The class periods would probably be over an hour long but longer school days is a must if you for sure have four day weeks. Children need the opportunity to rest and re-energize, and theyre often overextended with activities, homework and part-time jobs. Public school everything for schoolchildren and students. When larger school districts attempt this kind of schedule, they find few, if any, benefits coming from their actions. One school said that they have saved a teacher in diesel fuel costs (chiaramonte 2 ). This extra hour can make the day pretty long especially for younger students, which can often lead to a loss of focus later in the day. It starts too early, ends too late, and occurs far too often. Increases student attendance. Pros and Cons of a Longer School Day | GoStudent | GoStudent 10 Main Pros and Cons of 4 Day School Weeks - Green Garage The Pros and Cons to Longer School Days - Walden University In general, taking away recess as punishment may be seen as unfair or too harsh, especially for young children. Shorter class durations allow students to enroll in a variety of courses. There are approximately 300 children enrolled in California Elementary School under the age of eight. Not only would this give everyone a 3-day weekend to enjoy, it would also limit the pressure on students and teachers to have a diversified learning experience in a compressed time period. Teachers will have more leisure time to spend with their family as a result of the reduced school days. Bisbee Unified School District (AZ) saved $154,000, Duval County Public School (FL) saved $7 million, and Lake Superior School District (MN) $200,000. School districts consider shorter school days for several reasons, including saving money and providing students the ability to participate in more extracurricular activities. If so, keep reading. Teacher time will be increased when the school day is extended, allowing them to spend more time with pupils and to concentrate on problem areas and more challenging content. If the schools made 40 minute periods, the students could learn just as much as they would in a 50 minute period.One of the biggest benefits of this system is the financial savings. 19 Big Advantages and Disadvantages of the 4 Day School Week These are more reasons CHS should move to a four day school week. The school districts in New Mexico are one of the best examples of this benefit. In some situations, a single teacher may be responsible for over 100 students. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. To avoid this issue, many school districts have considered shifting to a 4-day school week. The organization 4 Day Week Global sponsored the program. The only students who actually get to benefit from the 4-day school week are those that do not have any extra-curricular activities in which they are involved. Overall, a shorter school schedule resulted in a 7% increase in math scores and a 3% gain in reading. If so, keep reading. Delaying school start times is associated with a decrease in bedtimes and an increase in sleep for every minute the school day is delayed. While some research has shown that increasing the amount of time spent in class can boost student accomplishment, these findings have been influenced by factors such as the classroom atmosphere, the quality of instruction, and students prior knowledge and abilities. The driving force behind the proposal to lengthen the school day is the assertion that more instructional time would yield greater academic gains. Moving to the 4-day schedule shifts student movement patterns, reducing the number of lost transition minutes. 2 Students Should Be Getting More Rest In addition to students having more time to focus on important activities, a shorter school day would give them more time to rest. Instead, an investment should be made in improving teaching strategies and new technology that could transform the learning process. We must ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn by improving the effectiveness of our schools and ensuring that all children have access to them. It may reduce the number of discipline referrals for students. Arlene Ackerman says she and her students don't have the strength to teach or learn near the end of the school day. That reduces the effective time they would have for homework once they actually make it home. New Haven teachers in an unprecedented move allowed their teacher unions to take over the rewriting of their contracts. Since the approach to curriculum development and pedagogical style varies by state and district, data must be disaggregated to evaluate specific impact. In the 4-day school week Better Employee Engagement A 4 day week can lead to happier and more committed employees. The final class ends 1-2 hours before the work day ends for most parents. These 300 would have to find some alternative to school on Fridays if the Moniteau County R-1 School Districts schedule changed from a five day week to a four day week. Your typical school week: Monday-Friday with the hours sometime between 7 am- 4 pm. The Pros and Cons of Year-Round School for Kids - Verywell Family If young kids are too weary to concentrate or perform well in class, they may experience weariness or fall asleep during class time. The Pros and Cons of Year-Round Schools - Scholastic Class runs Monday- Thursday with an added 40-60 minutes each day to compensate for the lost time by not having the schools run on Fridays. If a longer lunch allows high school students to leave campus, they might opt for unhealthy fast-food options; on the other hand, this extended time might allow them to seek out healthier dishes than those available in the cafeteria. They can supervise their children at the bus stop in rural districts as well. When I was a teacher, many moons ago, this was a fringe schooling schedule only practiced by rural school districts. They also said students can gain more time for fun and still receive an excellent education. Their students were more focused because they were more rested, which equated to fewer classroom disruptions. 2. You are more likely to face poverty: those who drop out of school without any plans, stare at poverty in the face without the option of getting out of it. school schedules from 5 to 4 days. Teachers are attracted by the prospect of having a shorter work week. The Cons. In many cases, it is in the best interests of students to reduce costs and have minimal impact on instruction. According to the vast majority of states, spanking your child is against the law. Parents can drop-off their kids in the morning, then pick them up in the afternoon, without worrying about work. So it is illogical to think that a four day week will help other grade levels. Some schools even require students to have the belt line exposed at all times for fear of guns concealed under clothing. Spread the loveAre you looking for ways to teach students to take care of their personal property? Here are a few: 1. Cons: The obvious reason for not shortening school days is the lack of learning time. Each community has unique needs which must be met, so there is the possibility of a 4-day week being useful to some districts, but not others. There have been several studies that reported the 4-day school week had positive effects on students math and reading scores. As a result, kids will be less worried about time management and will be less likely to fall behind on such rewarding activities. Delaying school start times will assist students in developing the skills required to reach their full potential. If a student lives an hour outside of town and have an 8am school bell to meet, then theyre on the bus at 7am. Your email address will not be published. In Colorado, 31 of the states 176 school districts are currently using a 4-day school week. The Pros and Cons of Longer vs. Shorter Trips. Anticipated savings are in transportation, food and food service workers, hourly workers and utilities. Colorado has nearly three-quarters of its school districts on a four-day schedule. Shorter School Days Are the Way. There are several advantages and disadvantages of 4-day school weeks to examine based on the results that districts are reporting from their efforts to implement this schedule. Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. If she is not receptive to your suggestions, you may want to get a doctors note stating that recess is required. How a shorter school day affects students - articledocument.com The Pros and Cons of a 4 Day Work Week - TimeCamp There are many financial benefits from a 4 day school week.With only 4 days in a week, that is one less day theschool has to pay for lunches . Research has shown that in this configuration, students who are low-income, minority, or special needs dont fare too well academically. Data is an important variable if youre considering the longer school days pros and cons list. As with any innovation, shorter workweeks have advantages and disadvantages. on those days off. 2. A change in schedule is an adjustment for school officials, students and families. Keeping schools open five days a week is not financially feasible. The article Should School Stay Earlier? Some research indicates there may be slight academic benefits to extending the school day. Alexander Alvarez, Reporter November 16, 2021. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that attendance improves; parents and teachers can schedule doctor's appointments and other weekday commitments for Fridays rather than during school days. If so, keep reading. Companies have been experimenting with shorter work days for at least a decade and, despite announcements that the 40-hour week is dead, there have been mixed results from the experiments. Additional costs savings from a shorter day include less . Recently Michael Gove raised the issue of the length of school holidays and the school day - the former are apparently too long, the latter too short. Would a later school schedule be beneficial? Just 11 of the districts had enrollments of more than 1,000 students. The Pros and Cons of the Four-Day School Week - LINQ The school day could be shortened to give children and teenagers more time for movement, brain breaks, and other activities that have been shown to increase learning outcomes. It is possible to have a negative impact on some laboratory classes by reducing the number of minutes in class each day. Pros and cons of dropping out of school - Pros an Cons There have been several studies that reported the 4-day school week had positive effects on student's math and reading scores. In Peetz Colorado a debate is going on four a four day school week. Pros and Cons of Longer School Days | GCU Blog Longer school days may lead to attention deficit and fatigue, making the extra class time ineffective. In addition, they are given a week off for major holidays and 2 weeks of summer vacation at their parents discretion. A 4-day school week is misleading. In this article, we will examine this question in depth. Teachers in Seattle are deciding how to use an additional 20 minutes on top of the usual school day. Schools can save up to 20% on some budget-line expenses with a 4-day week. Students that sit in lecture classrooms retain 10% or less of the information that is presented to them. There are positive outcomes that may occur, but there are negative outcomes that must also be managed. So what are the pros and cons of 4-day school weeks? Many recommend that teens get at least eight hours of sleep to feel well rested and . With the long break of summer, many people prefer the short breaks of year round schools. Pros And Cons Of A Four-Day School Week - The Odyssey Online Reasons Why the School Day Should Be Shorter - Synonym Spread the loveGlobalization is the growing interconnectedness of countries around the world. Childrens schooldays should be around 8 hours long, and they should be school-aged all year. When teachers are more effective and efficient, student performance follows a similar pattern. Good for working parents: This would lead to less wraparound care for working . They need a shorter school day so they can have more time to relax and play. Staff recruitment is easier with the 4-day school week for school districts. Though some people say that four days in a school week will help students in certain classes especially in math, this test only worked on 4th and 5th graders. That also means some families, with children who are old enough, can eliminate daycare expenses completely with this type of scheduling option. Many school districts keep their administrative staff on school grounds all week long, though some allow half to take a Monday off, while the other half takes Friday off. Spread the loveThe International Baccalaureate Program is a very intensive pre-college program in which when students get involved, they get college credit. However, these basics vary, depending on a company's policy. On the other hand, there have been studies that found no significant difference in overall academic achievement between four-day districts and five-day districts. Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention. Webster County, Kentucky moved their school district to a 4-day week in 2003. One is that it would likely mean that teachers would have to teach more classes, which could lead to burnout. Some are facing the debate about whether to keep standardized tests or not. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. The Melstone School District in Montana also shifted to a 4-day school week. Longer school days may have some positive impact on student achievement, but research on their effects is lacking. Dr. Kelly S. Meier - Updated May 03, 2019, Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article, NavajoCode: Unbiased Longer School Days Pros and Cons. Other concerns with early school start times and the resulting insufficient sleep include: Increased likelihood for participating in risk-taking behaviors, such as bullying and fighting. In the United States, only five states require recess in elementary schools, with Texas not one of them. Shorter school days should be utilized in the U.S. education system as it comes with many benefits. There are some drawbacks to shorter school days, as well. The benefits of going to a 4-day week for schooling is that it offers teachers and students an additional day for rest every week. This added Another is that shorter days could lead to shorter attention spans in classrooms. Students will have extra time outside of school to devote to other essential elements of their life as a result of this change. The list just gets longer. NEA Today: A 9 to 5 School Day: Are Longer Hours Better for Students and Educators? In comparison to 2007, the number of public schools that offer year-round programs has increased by 26%. A local news reporter says thevve also saved substitute teacher costs because teachers don't have to take a day off for appointments (Chiaramonte 2 ). Du Bois Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting Volvo Essay Topics to Write about, is a phenomenon that has been sweeping across the U.S. All of these consequences just because nobody wants to shorten the school day. His conclusion was that the best way to solve poverty was to educate the children in public schools. There is no one answer to this question as it can depend on individual circumstances. Employment opportunities with a 3-day weekend are increasing. When Friday rolls around each week during the school year, many parents face the same situation. School Days Should Be Shorter: Persuasive Essay A small portion of the districts cash is saved, but not as much as intangibles. An eight-hour day is pretty undesirable for elementary-aged kids. The challenges of implementing such a schedule for parents, administrators, and even some teachers have caused some Colorado school districts to return to the traditional schedule instead of the alternative 4-day schedule. For non year-round schools the dropout rate is 5%, which is more than all year-round schools.