Revolution in schools: Could the 4-day school week reach the whole country?
School districts in half of all U.S. states have moved to a four-day week as schools struggle to attract and keep teachers. Is this the future of education?
The four-day workweek is a dream for many, but in some professions, the logistics are harder to manage. Education is one of those fields.
However, more and more school districts are experimenting with ways to implement a four-day workweek. In February 2024, Newsweek reported that more than 900 districts across 25 states had adopted a four-day school week.
Professional burnout and the struggle school districts face to attract teachers
In evaluating this movement it is important to consider the shift within the context of the ongoing national teacher shortage. The U.S. is facing a teacher recruitment crisis. The debt many must take on to become a teacher, combined with low pay that makes escaping that burden difficult, reduces the appeal of the profession for those who might otherwise be interested.
Various outlets have been ringing the alarm about dissatisfaction in the education sector for years, and now, districts are struggling to attract teachers. A 2022 Gallup Poll found that 44% of all workers in K-12 schools—including teachers, administrators, and other staff—reported feeling “burned out” either “always” or “very often.” Of all industries evaluated, Gallup noted that these workers experienced the highest levels of burnout.
Between 2018 and 2024, there was not a single month in which the number of people working in education exceeded the number of jobs available, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In other words, hiring is a challenge, with gaps being created or remaining, even as thousands of professionals are brought into the sector.
Additionally, the dissatisfaction educators are experiencing is also reflected in the number within the sector that have quit their jobs in recent years.
In 2019, around 92,000 public school workers quit their jobs. During the pandemic, that number surged to 105,000 in 2022. However, as inflation and other economic conditions have made workers feel less secure about their job prospects, the average dropped to 93,000. Nevertheless, the quit rate remains significantly higher than a decade ago; in 2014, the average number of quits per month did not exceed 64,000. While the increase is notable, it should also be considered within the context of economic recovery after the Great Recession, when, much like today, fewer workers were willing to quit over concerns about finding a better job.
Enter the four-day workweek
More than 50 school districts in Texas alone have transitioned to a four-day workweek. Many district officials cite the need to attract and retain motivated, qualified teachers as a key reason for the shift.
The Floresville Independent School District School Board in Texas recently approved next year’s academic calendar, which will feature a four-day workweek, in part due to the district’s challenges in attracting teachers.
How do districts ensure the switch does not reduce instructional time?
“The primary reasons are to provide quality instruction for students and retain and attract quality teachers and staff, boost student well-being, and maintain strong student attendance,” district officials stated in response to questions about the motivation for the change. They believe the new schedule “will be a major inducement to retain and recruit quality teachers and staff and allow for more staff development time to prepare for educating our students.”
However, parents of teenagers may struggle with the new schedule, as they will need to keep them engaged in their studies but may not be able to supervise them as the school does.
Does the district plan to offer childcare to working parents?
To support parents whose workplaces have yet to adopt a shorter workweek, childcare is expected to be provided, with the district intending “to supplement the cost as much as possible” for families with students in preschool through 5th grade. For parents concerned that a shorter school week will lead to less instructional time, district officials have stated that the proposed schedules would exceed the instructional minutes required under Texas law.
As more districts experiment with the new model, they will need to assess its impact on student performance and well-being, as well as its potential benefits for teacher retention.
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