5. School Evaluation For Special Education What Parents Need to Know, Effectively Educating Diverse Student Populations: Strategies That Work - Applead Hofu, The Importance Of Sight Words In Early Reading GoGreenva.org, Online Education in Chennai - Birla Brainiacs, Advancing Technology Education in Rural High Schools Across - The Tech Edvocate - VSAY .IN. The Pros of Longer School Days More Time for Instruction The number one reason for lengthening the school day is to provide teachers with more time for instruction. The four-day school is a phenomenon that has been sweeping across the U.S. How does it impact your success? This has been a hot topic especially the states that dont have as large of an economy. Research has shown that in this configuration, students who are low-income, minority, or special needs dont fare too well academically. Many school districts still operate Monday-Friday, even on a 4-day week. Shorter school days that start later in the day could alleviate this problem, promoting healthy habits and the many benefits that go with a solid sleep routine. An understandable concern for parents, teachers, and students about the 4-day school week is the extended time required to be at school during the day. Some are facing the debate about whether to keep standardized tests or not. What they discovered was unexpected. Some districts have seen their disciplinary issues decline by more than 70% in the first two years of implementing a 4-day schedule. In the Article by Lisa Lewis, it also talks about how delaying school by 1 hour produces the same benefit as shrinking class size by one-third or replacing a teacher in the 50th percentile of effectiveness with one in the 84th percentile.(Lewis). After-school activities begin at that point, which means some students dont make it back home until 8pm that night. And the school districts in the state have stable student achievement levels on their standardized tests. Shifting to this schedule does have certain disadvantages, especially for working parents. The school day was originally created to meet the needs of farmers. Other pros and cons exist in the school lunch debate. From the moment you walk into the second you walk out. Also, there have been studies that found that special populations do not thrive under this configuration. If the school days are shortened, then students will not be able to learn enough because of the short school day. If a student lives an hour outside of town and have an 8am school bell to meet, then theyre on the bus at 7am. 5. 1. Special correspondent Lisa Stark of Education Week reports on the pros and cons for students, families and schools. The Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time Initiative has already benefited 19 schools and over 10,000 students. The Rochester City Council established the Extended Learning Time initiative as part of Rochesters ongoing commitment to education. 1. There are a few potential drawbacks to shorter school days. 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. Employment opportunities with a 3-day weekend are increasing. The Pros and Cons to Longer School Days - Walden University 18 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of the Payback Period, 20 Advantages and Disadvantages of Leasing a Car, 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Debt Financing, 24 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of a C Corporation, 16 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Mediation, 18 Advantages and Disadvantages of a Gated Community, 17 Big Advantages and Disadvantages of Focus Groups, 17 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Bonds, 19 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of Annuities, 17 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Advertising. Pros and cons of dropping out of school - Pros an Cons The kids groan, complain about getting out of bed, and struggle to get through the morning routine. Taking only one class is practically a . Would a later school schedule be beneficial? Year-round education (YRE) is being considered or adopted by some districts. Students that sit in lecture classrooms retain 10% or less of the information that is presented to them. Pros & Cons of Longer School Lunches | livestrong recess has numerous benefits, including assisting students in reducing aggression and improving learning. Dr. Kelly Meier earned her doctorate from Minnesota State Mankato in Educational Leadership. Students will have extra time outside of school to devote to other essential elements of their life as a result of this change. They question the value of a continuous . At the same time, the constant back-and-forth for students limits the amount of fun they can have. Second, it would allow students to get more sleep, which is important for their health and well-being. 1. 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. The Pros and Cons of Year-Round School for Kids - Verywell Family School districts save money. 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. Going to the 4-day schedule can create scheduling conflicts with other districts, particularly with sporting events, performances, and groups like 4-H. That means the students in those districts have better opportunities to learn. According to the majority of the researchers, the inconclusive results do not imply that decisions to change schedules should be made based on test scores. The move toward a shorter workweek is gaining momentum. Find out about families that swap a shorter summer break for learning time that's more continuous. According to the vast majority of states, spanking your child is against the law. First and foremost, an extended school day would provide students with extra learning time. In Alabama, the school year lasts 180 days and the school day lasts 7.03 hours. In Peetz Colorado a debate is going on four a four day school week. Custer School District, in rural South Dakota, believed they could save $70,000 with a 4-day school week. Many schools are adding thirty minutes to both the beginning and end of the school day. 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. Adds flexibility to teacher's schedules. 12 Pros and Cons of a 4 Day School Week (2023) Public school everything for schoolchildren and students. Copyright (c) 2023 Matthew Lynch. Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, making the additional class time inefficient. Good for working parents: This would lead to less wraparound care for working . Many say that the four day school week is good for students. If so, keep reading. The idea of having a four-day school has been around for several decades, and has been considered at least since the 1930s, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Accidents, absences, and absences all fall on the decline, and students academic performance rises. Children would get up early and help with chores, go to school and then help out on the farm until sundown. 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. Some districts take just one week off at Christmas instead of two weeks because of these conflicts. There are potential reductions in the financial costs of running a school district. You wont have to run the electricity or pay for buses. Over the course of a 2-year period on this alternative schedule, they reported up to a 20% increase in student attendance. Thats two hours of lost time for farm chores, homework, or other responsibilities that rural families have more often than urban or suburban families. Pro: In 2004, the school day was lengthened for a Massachusetts school to address the issue of underperforming students. If so, keep reading. Shortening the school day can give kids and teens more time for movement, brain breaks, and other activities that have been shown to improve learning outcomes, among other benefits.. With more room to move and less worry about following the rules in class, kids can be better equipped to focus when needed. Teachers report Con: Not all students need one-on-one assistance, and some may even experience boredom or burnout from the extended school day. The schedule forces teachers to spend small blocks of time on specific topics without really being able to dig into in-depth issues. 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of 4 Day School Weeks The Trump Administrations Vindictive Attack On Federal Workers: The Shutdown Of The Office Of Special Counsel, Michigan State University College Of Law: A Top Law School, Why Union Safe Company Is The Best Choice For Protecting Your Home Or Business, The Life Of John Laurens: A Patriot Lawyer And Army Officer. Does this sound exciting and rich with possibilities? There is a variety of emotional and behavioral problems, depression, alcohol use, and impaired cognitive function that can contribute to this. Students are tired and cranky by the end of the day. It was suggested that a combination of four-week summer holidays and a school day finishing at 4:30pm would lead to improvements in pupil attainment. Extending the school year may help make teaching a full-time, more lucrative profession for educators if year-round schools can cut costs through . There is no one answer to this question as it can depend on individual circumstances. Rural families experience the greatest impacts from the 4-day school week. When larger school districts attempt this kind of schedule, they find few, if any, benefits coming from their actions. When properly implemented, extended learning time programs have the potential to increase students academic progress as well as their social and emotional development. Out of a budget of $5.5 million, they saved $206,000. Florida's inflation-adjusted education spending per student has roughly doubled in the last 30 years -- to $7,473 in 2000-01. This schedule works much better for parents, who often have that working schedule themselves. Teachers are frequently overworked and required to perform tasks that are outside their job description. Year-Round Or Traditional Schedule? - Public School Review Eleven states set the minimum number of instructional days between 160 and 179 days, and two states set the minimum above 180 days (Kansas and Ohio). 1. During recess, limit the number of games or activities that students can participate in. There are various school days in the United States. Data is an important variable if youre considering the longer school days pros and cons list. Those against extended lunches might argue . The Cons of Longer School Days. 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. Pros of the 4-day School Week. Longer school days make no sense when there is so much else we could be doing with our time. These school districts are typically in isolated regions, are rural, and have a student body that is fewer than 500 students. . For the parents of younger students, an additional full day of daycare may need to be scheduled every week instead of a partial day. So it is illogical to think that a four day week will help other grade levels. In 2006, a study by Yarbrough and Gilman found that teachers working in a 5-day school schedule reported that they have a lot of wasted time. All of these consequences just because nobody wants to shorten the school day. One is that students might not have enough time to receive all the instruction they need in a particular subject. By 2013, a dramatic improvement in scores was credited to the extended learning time. Most students, especially younger ones, find that the traditional school schedule is already too long. Because school buses are only running 4 days per week instead of 5 days, there is the potential of reducing transportation costs by up to 20% by shifting the schedule. In Colorado, 31 of the states 176 school districts are currently using a 4-day school week. Read the Full Transcript Judy Woodruff: For many American students and. Working a couple of hours after school gains experience and disposable income. Pros And Cons Of A Four-Day School Week - The Odyssey Online Over the last century, humans have acquired a staggering amount of knowledge and understanding. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. Other Debates. It is also possible for schools to extend the school day in more districts across the country. Teachers will have more leisure time to spend with their family as a result of the reduced school days. This creates challenges for families that range from transportation to daycare and could make it difficult for parents to be fully involved with their childs education. They can explore and discover various hobbies and interests, maintain their stress levels and get more sleep. Cons of a Longer School Day Does Not Ensure Higher Achievement Some studies have been done that show that longer instruction time can improve achievement, but those results depend on things like classroom environment, quality of instruction, student prior knowledge and ability. Games occur in the evening, often on the weekend. Because of this, school districts dont have a hard They found out that seven school districts saved money under the new However, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with shortening the school day that should be considered before sweeping action is taken to alter the traditional school day. That means half of parents will enjoy the alternative school schedule and half will hate it. 15 Major Pros and Cons of Early School Start Times What Grades Is Elementary School? There can be no one answer to this question because it is a matter of case by case. Changing the system could result in many more. Long school days, on the other hand, can present some challenges and, at the very least, unsatisfactory outcomes. Spread the loveGlobalization is the growing interconnectedness of countries around the world. The driving force behind the proposal to lengthen the school day is the assertion that more instructional time would yield greater academic gains. There is the possibility of making up for lost time, especially those who are at a disadvantage due to the digital divide. There are some drawbacks to shorter school days, as well. Some families find that aligning the school day with typical parent work schedules is a family-friendly approach. I say this because we would have to start. In some situations, a single teacher may be responsible for over 100 students. Well, at least initially. 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. remediating them begin to take a bite out of the budget. In the United States, about 50% of all companies are either offering or thinking about offering a 4-day workweek for their workers. Increases student attendance. A longer school day would involve substantial funding for teacher salaries and facility maintenance. The Pros and Cons of Longer vs. Shorter Trips. Some schools even require students to have the belt line exposed at all times for fear of guns concealed under clothing. Most parents have employment which requires them to be present for 8 hours per day, 5 days per week. districts think they will save tons of money by cutting operational costs on This is one reason school districts use to implement dress codes. (Lewis) In Bonneville, Idaho the school started later in the day which resulted in absences dropping 15%. You still have to go to practice, and dont forget the piles of homework that need done. In addition, they are given a week off for major holidays and 2 weeks of summer vacation at their parents discretion. In the United States, only five states require recess in elementary schools, with Texas not one of them. Additional learning time as well as improved schedule alignment would make the lives of families noticeably more pleasant. One school said that they have saved a teacher in diesel fuel costs (chiaramonte 2 ). The 180-day calendar is shorter than that of other industrialized countries, and some schools even find ways to shave days even further. Home Pros and Cons 20 Major Pros and Cons of a 4 Day School Week. Extended School Year Pros & Cons | GEDDES - raymondgeddes.com Students are still getting the same amount of instruction in terms of minutes, just in a shorter number of days. 2. 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. 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. 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 ). Pro: An extended school day provides more flexibility for parents, eliminating the need for after-school care. teams may need to practice, professional development sessions may convene, etc. The basic assumption of a 4 day work week is fulfilling the duties in a shorter amount of time, instead of the usual five-day workweek and receiving the same pay. What are the Pros and Cons of 4-Day School Weeks? According to Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers Association, there is no guarantee that popularity will be replicated in other schools. Very Costly. Children need the opportunity to rest and re-energize, and theyre often overextended with activities, homework and part-time jobs. If something goes wrong . Pro: Education is a priority, and funding should not hold back efforts to provide more effective academic preparation for students. Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, rendering the additional class time unproductive. It may improve overall student attendance. Pros and cons of school dress code | University News Parents can drop-off their kids in the morning, then pick them up in the afternoon, without worrying about work. Opportunity to relax and really immerse yourself in the experience. If so, keep reading. The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation. Along with giving kids more time to concentrate on critical activities, a shortened school day would also provide pupils with more opportunity to relax. According to new research, the four-day week is a popular way for parents and students to spend quality time together. Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards, 21 Ways to Teach Students to Use Learning Materials Appropriately, Classical Idealism: Everything You Need to Know, Good Research Topics about Womens Movement, Most Interesting Wine Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting Walmart Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting W.E.B. Spread the loveUsually, people are under the wrong impression that geography does not offer many job opportunities, and there are no jobs for a geographer. Younger people shouldn't have to work as long as some adults do. configuration, but nine districts were actually spending more. The Chattooga County School District in Georgia shifted to a 4-day school week. For school districts following the 4-day school week, the Thanksgiving holiday usually receives a full week off instead of the final two days of the week. Finally, some parents worry that shorter days could mean that their children would have less . That may mean reducing Spring Break to 2 days instead of having the entire week off. Here are a few: 1. Required fields are marked *, on Why School Days Should Be Shorter? There are potential savings to food programs and other important areas of infrastructure because the school district is closed 1 additional day each week. "I get really tired throughout the day and I would love shorter school hours." They just dont have time to get everything done. The Melstone School District in Montana also shifted to a 4-day school week. Although families benefit from the 3-day weekend and those scheduling benefits, the non-traditional time off given to students can offset some of that savings. Bisbee Unified School District (AZ) saved $154,000, Duval County Public School (FL) saved $7 million, and Lake Superior School District (MN) $200,000. The shorter the school day, the better? The school day is too long. over 1 million dollars on utilities, busing, and labor costs. Next, parents would not have to get day care except on Fridays instead of the whole summer. Their students were more focused because they were more rested, which equated to fewer classroom disruptions. 6-7. 2. Sometimes, schools are forced to travel during the school week to play some games or attend certain events. Disadvantage: Less time for extracurricular activities. To compare, a regular semester generally lasts 16-18 weeks. Pro: An extended school day provides more time for students to learn and the possibility of providing individualized attention for students in need. Some schools do not allow recess to be used as punishment, while others may do so on a case-by-case basis. Shorter work weeks can improve employment productivity and provide families with more meaningful time together. Even the cost savings of a total shift to a 4-day schedule may be minimal. The Pros And Cons Of Shortening School Days - 676 Words | Bartleby Most students in the four-day districts80 percent of high school students and 90 percent of elementary studentsspent their "off day" at home. Every community has their own unique requirements that must be addressed by school scheduling. How a shorter school day affects students - articledocument.com However, these basics vary, depending on a company's policy. 4 Day School Week? What to Know | 2023 4 Test Prep - Teacher Certification The majority of these are found in the western United States, including Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Oklahoma, Thompson said. This schedule cycles consistently throughout the year while making minor adjustments for major holidays and teacher workdays. 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. It would also be beneficial to reduce the week in order to promote activity participation. Many of these schools are already operating on an alternative schedule because that is what works best for their community. Practices for sports are still held on the fifth day, as are teacher conferences, staff development opportunities, and required janitorial work. At the same time, teacher attendance rates also rose, which is a trend still seen in these districts, 20+ years later. More time to focus on mental health In the typical K-12 schooling model, mental health education is too often shunted aside. Shortening the School Day | Education - Seattle PI There have been several studies that reported the 4-day school week had positive effects on students math and reading scores. The final class ends 1-2 hours before the work day ends for most parents. Well, for some rural schools across the nation, this has become a reality. Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. His conclusion was that the best way to solve poverty was to educate the children in public schools. 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. The 4-day schedule eliminates one full driving day for the transportation department. The Benefits of Shorter School Days | Case Study Template This solution has many mixed opinions from parents, teachers and.