Can Less Mean More? Exploring 4-Day School Weeks

In an effort to encourage work-life balance and increase the morale of their employees, many companies now offer the benefit of shortened work weeks. Many of these companies also believe that having the option of a 4-day work week actually increases the productivity of employees, as they tend to spend more time focused on reaching key outcomes in the days they do come to work. But is this an approach that can be effective in K-12 public schools as well? Prior to the massive school closures caused by the COVID 19 pandemic, many people could not even imagine 4-day school weeks (4dsw) as a viable option, but now, the tide may be turning.& Although 4dsw were initially considered by rural districts looking to solve unique challenges with teacher recruitment and transportation issues, by 2023 the trend was growing like wild fire. According to the Associated Press, of the 13,000 school districts across the country, 900 were functioning with a truncated schedule, up from 662 in 2019. In the state of Texas, 86 school districts are running a 4dsw to the tune of 103,000 students, with 15 other districts offering a hybrid schedule.& Public Perception& While many opponents of 4dsw believe...