While the impact of a four-day week on academic outcomes is still a matter of debate, it is clear that more districts are adopting the schedule each year. Although this may seem like a simple, closed-answer question, there are several pros and cons of having longer school days. One of the biggest drawbacks to an extended school day is unhappiness and discontent. Skip on main content Teachers already work an average of 58 hours a week during the school year, according to Steven Ashby, professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois, and research assistant Frank Manzo at the University of Chicago. I am glad to see that education is being taken seriously. The Disadvantages of Longer School Days - Seattle PI They discuss and debate how to use data to inform their initial redesign plan for expanded time and then how to modify their approaches based on subsequent data. The big debate: should school holidays be shortened? - Pearson If we didnt have the evidence, we wouldnt be making them. The results are mixed;one studyof students in Coloradoshowed a statistically significant improvement in math scores among students on a four-day schedule, whilea similar studyfound no significant differences in student performance. over the years. Principals dont have to choose between math and social studies, between reading practice and science, or between core academics and arts, music, drama, or sports. Pros & Cons of Longer School Days - Parent Involvement Matters Districts can count these shortened days toward attendance requirements.. The students who might benefit most are the students who have special needs or need remediation, two researchers found. NEA News A 9 to 5 School Day: Are Longer Hours Better for Students and Educators? They work to balance added time for students with added time for teachers to work and plan together and to benefit from professional development. Some states establish additional guidelines school districts must follow to transition to a four-day week, but do not monitor the process directly or track the number of districts opting into such a schedule. Longer School Days - 948 Words | Internet Public Library The Power of Asking-Instead of Telling, Jody McVittie, M.D. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If hes convicted, they say, itll be up to the people to decide if he should be president. We have inclusion math class, Mrs. Cohen of Jose de Diego Middle School in Miamis Zone told us, special ed and regular kids together, doing math together. Naturally, standards of teaching and learning in reading, math and science must be improved. As a strategy to attract teachers in rural districts, Missouri recently experienced a surge in the use of a four-day school week, withapproximately 25%of schools adopting this schedule for the 2022-23 academic year. For instance, a school week may consist of only four days, commonly Monday through Thursday, but students will attend from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Look at the information in the chart from this report by Edu in Review. states have at least one school district using a four-day school week schedule, s school districts use a four-day schedule, 2023 by National Conference of State Legislatures, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, A report from Oregon State University and NEWA, Some Holidays Make Shopping a Little Less Taxing, What Borrowers Should Know as Student Loan Payments Restart. In math they narrowed the gap modestly, by just 2.4 percent. The Pros and Cons to Longer School Days Requiring students to be in school longer has its advantages and its drawbacks. The Pros And Cons Of Later School Start Times 880 Words | 4 Pages. Most four-day-a-week schools are in small, rural districts; however, in recent years, some larger, more urban districts have begun to consider the option of a shorter week. Gabrieli was co-founder and co-chairman of the National Center on Time & Learning, a nonprofit organzation dedicated to expanding and improving learning time in school to improve student achievement. High School Twin Enrollments . In one school that had begun the expanded schedule, the district had a funding crunch and reverted to the old schedule. 10 Main Pros and Cons of 4 Day School Weeks - Green Garage Lengthening the school day may have a significant effect on a school system's budget in at least two ways. (Reference 2). The pros and cons of longer days and shorter breaks. | K-12 By Marie Anderson Most children attend school for six to seven hours a day. The driving force behind the proposal to lengthen the school day is the assertion that more instructional time would yield greater academic gains. However that might be, it does mean increasing the amount of learning time beyond the present 180 days per year schedule. A four-day schedule involves reducing the number of school days to four, usually from Monday to Thursday, while increasing the length of each school day. Al Tompkins is one of America's most requested broadcast journalism and multimedia teachers and coaches. It matches the class schedule to a parent's work schedule. In effective new day schools, teachers and principals talk constantly about how to make best use of time. Shorter class durations allow students to enroll in a variety of courses. The results are not consistent. What are the pros and cons of longer school days? The Pros of a Longer School Day Matches Parents Schedules Currently, most K-12 schools dismiss their students in the mid-afternoon. Josh Green said he was looking for ways for the state to buy land in Lahaina to preserve it for local residents. On the one hand, it could allow for more time to cover important topics and reduce the amount of homework given. Many districts that do year-round . I am the copy editor for the yearbook and an author/reporter for the TroJournal. Pros in favour of a longer school day Cons against a longer school day Where do we go from here? Recently Michael Gove raised the issue of the length of school holidays and the school day - the former are . Lessons arent as cramped and there is more time for comprehension and depth to each subject something the teachers appreciate as it sets students up for greater success. Too Early to Tell Schools are able to switch to a four-day week by simply increasing the length of their school day. Side Effects of School Being Too Long - Synonym Haven't actually heard of this yet. Nearly four-fifths of students who complete KIPPs eighth grade (the network consists mostly of middle schools) have entered college; nationally, the proportion for low-income students is less than one in five. When timing was added up, districts in the sample using the four-day schedule had longer days by about 50 minutes, but over the course of the year averaged 58 fewer hours of school. While Illinois requires 176 days of actual pupil attendance already fewer than most states the vast majority of public school districts dip below that by one or two days and sometimes more, a Tribune analysis has found. Overall, the question of how long a school day should be is not a simple answer. Researchers found that Oklahoma high schools saw less fighting and bullying among students after switching from a five-day-a-week schedule to a four-day schedule. Special ed kids work better with other kids, sort of see them as role models and learn from them.. A longer school day would allow schools to spend more time on art, music, social studies, science and physical education. The ability to express oneself via electives can make children happier and more cooperative in the classroom. A significant portion of instructional time in the school year is already taken away for standardized testing. Consistency and regularity are important for childrens development, and we feel that coming to school five days a week gives the best opportunity for this to happen at such a young and formative age. More sleep: Teens may be more likely to get the recommended amount of sleep. Extracurricular activities start later, forcing middle school and high school students to get a later start on homework, chores and nighttime routines. Some educators think more time will be the answer, but just as many are sure it's a mistake. New York seems to be doing lots of experiments in the best ways to educate. Four-day school weeks can also pose a challenge to families who are unable to find affordable, enriching care arrangements on the fifth weekday. Shorter school days should be used in the United States education system since they have several advantages. Since the end of World War II, most American children have attended school for approximately six and a half hours per day. (Correct answer), How To Prepare For Crna School? What Happens in the Book "Loser" When Zinkoff Is in the Fifth Grade? In many US school districts, the first class begins 1-2 hours after most parents need to be at work. Most states allow districts to opt into a four-day week, either through flexible requirements, explicit administrative rules or a waiver approval process. With a longer weekend, students have more time to rest and engage in extracurricular activities, which can lead to better attendance during the week. Such breaks increase their productivity and provide them with opportunities to develop creativity and social skills. You also have to ask what they are doing while they are in class. Children have greater space in the day for extracurriculars and outdoors time between focused academic sessions. March 9, 2018 Shutterstock.com/Rawpixel.com Regular breaks throughout the school dayfrom short brain breaks in the classroom to the longer break of recessare not simply downtime for students. With all the advances in technology and psychology, we are still maintaining what is essentially an 18th century system. A studyin the journal of Educational Research and Policy Analysis showed that shortened schedules can lead to calmer and safer schools. Depression and suicide are problems due to the system's rigor. My name is Ali Richardson. She writes nationally for newspapers, magazines and websites on topics including careers, education, women, marketing, advertising and more. We urge you to help make family engagement a priority in education reform. The standard requirement for schools is 180 days or an average range of 990-1080 hours. The final class ends 1-2 hours before the work day ends for most parents. Your comments are encouraged. The more time kids spend in school, the less time they'll have outside of school. Reasons Why School Days Should Be Longer? (Solution found) Learn more about which pros and cons on extended school hours hier. Kids are getting more opportunities and more choices for enrichment than ever before. You can follow her onTwitteror find her onFacebook. More hours in the school day could possibly increase stress and pressure on the students due to increased workload and lack of time outside of class to complete work. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days. For parents who enjoy picking their children up and planning activities as a family, this schedule provides one less hour of pre-dinner play time and may mean that homework time creeps a little later into the evening. One of the biggest pros of longer school days would be that more hours would allow students extra time for instruction in core subjects or classes where the students need more direction. But even if it cant, its far too early to say so. Longer periods enable teachers to divide the class into groups, and to make room for individual and small-group tutoringand more students stay more engaged, rather than drifting off into inattention and eventual disciplinary problems and failure. For children enrolled in non-school-based extracurricular activities, having mandatory classes until 4:30 can interfere with scheduled commitments. School days are lengthened to deliver the same amount of instructional time over fewer days, as required by state law. More hours dedicated to the classroom would also decrease the free time that students need for homework and other activities. Twenty-four states have at least one school district using a four-day school week schedule, an increase of over 600% since 1999. The start of another school year brings to the forefront the old arguments about whether or not a longer school day and year would be helpful to students and would help the United States to compete against other nations in academic achievement. By Joe Mazza You may have heard the news that 5 states have approved adding 300 hours to school days in an effort to close achievement gaps and re-imagine the school day. How Do You Know if You're Really Open to Partnership, PTA--Gateway to Engagement, Advocacy, and Access, Additional Information about our Bloggers, This Week's #PTChat: Pros & Cons of Longer School Days, This Week's #PTChat: Parents' Guide to the Common Core, More time for enrichment activities and instruction. Whats that you say, parents? They point out that athletic competition holds first place in the U.S. For example, many families place great energy and emphasis on playing basketball and football in High School so that their kids can get athletic scholarships. Children have the opportunity to develop their self-esteem in a school setting from an early age. This week, Melissa Taylor (@MelissaWrites) from Parenting Magazine (@Parenting) will join us to dig deeper on this topic. In areas where children tend to struggle academically, having additional time in a supportive and structured environment with mentors and role models has produced notable improvements like in Washington, D.C.s public schools, which started implementing longer school days in 2013 and saw significant improvements in math and reading. What are your opinions about this controversial issue? More time on task really makes a difference for our students, says Dr. Jean Teal, principal of Miami Edison High School. A school day that's too long often leads to frustration, tiredness and disappointment for everyone involved. In Massachusetts, after just one year of the Expanded Learning Time Initiative, which added 30 percent (about two hours) to a redesigned school day in ten urban elementary and middle schools, the ELT schools not only improved their own performance; they improved faster than the rest of the state. Some people stress that disciplines like music and art must be included and upgraded in an extended school year. The disadvantage is . Further, students who are food insecure may not have access to sufficient meals during the off day. Nothing considered by itself is enough to turn schools around not the most gifted teachers, most inspiring principals, newest buildings, or most up-to-date equipment. Improved morale among teachers and students The four-day arrangement gives opportunity for students to work an extra day at an after-school job, participate in volunteer activities, or pursue further educational goals by taking advantage of the extra day. There are those school districts whose students academic performance has improved while there are others where it has made no difference. Many native-born Americans complain that too many of our newest immigrants dont bother to learn English. The research team examined student achievement, student health outcomes (sleep and physical activity), cost savings and more. This is often several hours before parents are finished working for the day. Because the school day isnt so rushed, theyre having fewer disciplinary problems and seeing fewer special education referrals. Even. Our core idea is so simple and obvious we made it the title of this book: children need enough time to learn to build the skills and develop the knowledge and well-roundedness required to work and thrive in the twenty-first century. In addition to having a good influence on educational performance, increasing the duration of school days would have significant spillover impacts on family and community life as well. Some politicians suggested reducing the summer break to help learner catch up on lost learning, but other educational experts argued that both learners and teachers need a long summer break to recharge their batteries. We look forward to engaging your unique and important parent and/or educator perspective. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a regular, nonextended school day averaged 6.64 hours in 2007-2008. Students will spend time in a basic physical education class instead of dance, karate or listening to music. 2023 Kentucky Public Charter Schools Association A similar waiver allows a suburban district to shave eight days off its calendar so teachers can work on improving student achievement when students arent there. Are remains much debate over whether or no longer school period are favorable. He writes a blog aimed to share innovative family engagement ideas for schools called eFACE Today, Additional Information about our Bloggers The Cons of Longer School Days 1. There are those educators who argue that the problem is not the amount of time American kids spend in school but the value that is placed on education. Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Blend Images/Getty Images, Huffington Post: Longer School Days In Store for Some in 5 States, University of Illinois: News Bureau -- Research: Chicago Public School Teachers Log Long Hours, U.S. Department of Education: National Center for Education Statistics: Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). The pros and cons of longer days and shorter breaks - SecEd Some school districts opt for four-day school weeks to attract and retain teachers. Research-Tested Benefits of Breaks | Edutopia PolitiFact found no evidence that Willis said she would get Trump as she fundraised for reelection. Yes and no. Should Celebrities Be Using Diabetes Medicine for Weight Loss? Therefore, it is likely only schools operating in states where a four-day week does not violate these requirements would seek to do so. Were going to be here for the long haul, so we have a huge task in front of us.. Research showsthat the maximum possible cost savings for districts on a four-day week is 5.43%, but average savings range from 0.4% to 2.5%. The local Boys & Girls Club also expanded its services on Mondays. Proponents of a four-day school week argue that it offers several benefits, including cost savings, improved student attendance and increased teacher morale. So kids do better. It should be clarified that a longer school year does not mean extending into July and August. How Long is a School Day in America? - stepofweb.com From Miami to Boston, Houston to Newport News, principals and teachers talked to us about the importance of teachers getting more (and more targeted) professional development training to be more effective as well as much more grade-level and subject-level planning time. If the hours were extended, there would be greater expense associated with heating and cooling the buildings. In light of the minimal number of hours that must be spent in school each year, it is vital for kids to devote at least those hours to learning and studying while at school. How to Revitalize Your School-Parent Compact, Marilyn Price-Mitchell, Ph.D. How Do You Know if You're Really Open to Partnership, Anne Henderson & Karen Mapp. This information is one example of many studies that illustrate that long school days have a great positive impact on school performance. Meet your favorite book creators, launch an author study, browse our themed booklists, get tips on how to choose and use kids books, find guidance on building a more diverse bookshelf, celebrate annual literacy events with us, and more! . Young individuals gain confidence as a result of their education. Statutory guidelines generally do not allow four-day school weeks but may allow calendar flexibility by expressing that the minimum instructional day requirement can also be counted in the hour or minute equivalent. Colorado School District 27J, located in the Denver metro area,movedto a four-day week in the 2018-19 school year. 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. But a report by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and Massachusetts 2020 had good things to say about longer school years. Policy experts on both ends of the political spectrum tend to agree that sales tax holidays are not the best way to offer impactful tax relief, but consumers like them. By reducing the pressure on the system to cram math and reading and science into too few hours, the new school day opens up the schedule for subjects that students enjoy and teachers like to teach. But it also indicates when there was no difference in quantitative data, including in the areas of sleep, fatigue and student achievement. Promoting collaboration between classroom teachers and after-school educators, teaching artists and trained volunteers becomes a win-win for all parties involved.
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