Author Spotlight
David Allegri
Who doesn’t love a three-day weekend? They’re the pinnacle of high school as you experience the best two days of the week — plus one more.
As an AP student constantly consumed by schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and three jobs, I’m deeply grateful for any break that allows me to slow down and catch up with my workload.
But a three-day weekend every week? That’s too much.
The four-day school week has recently become popular in US schools, according to data analytics. The schedule started to gain popularity in 2006 with Minnesota and Colorado’s districts incorporating shorter weeks. After 2020, due to the COVID-19 shut down. Now 6% of US school districts have adopted the schedule, according to Ballotpedia.
The reasoning behind the sudden switch is due to the financial benefits the schedule offers. Post-COVID, many districts were in need of some sort of financial support as the shutdown posed a great struggle.
Some of the benefits are lowering operating costs by 1-2%, a better work environment for staff, and increased teacher applications. In the case of the Independence School District, applications increased by 456% upon the shift to a four-day week compared to the year prior, according to the district’s superintendent Dale Herl.
People like four-day weeks and the data shows high approval ratings from students and parents — but it doesn’t sit right with me.
The four-day schedule, though appealing, isn’t practical. Students not only need the extra instructional time but also the five-day schedule better prepares them for their future as most post-secondary schools and jobs are oriented around a five-day schedule.
I sustain five days of what seems to be a bottomless pit of homework, just for a brief two-day break while other students get three.
Though having days off school is amazing, it would appear that myself and the rest of my five-day counterparts have a significant advantage: we’re learning 20% more.
In the current practices of the four-day school week, the districts are losing on average 36 instructional days, resulting in four-day students having lower test scores compared to the regular five-day students, according to the NWEA standardized test results.
Though many states are adopting the four-day schedule, Kansas is considering the opposite.
Kansas wants to not only keep the five-day schedule, but the state is also trying to tack on more days to the school year.
As stated in HB-2224, Kansas is considering increasing the minimum number of school days for each school year. As mentioned in the bill, the legislation — if enacted by the State of Kansas — would increase the minimum school day requirement from 186 days to 195 days.
Despite the small change, that would push our last day to June 3. The sound of having to go to school until June makes my skin crawl.
The thought of having to go to school past May is not only nightmarish but after I complete my AP tests in the beginning of May, there is nothing to do. AP administers their tests on the same day regardless of location, so that would just mean nine more days that my mom would have to call me out for.
The bill stemmed from the idea that an increase in school days would lead students to become more educated members of society and help students be more successful, according to State Representative Bill Rhiley in his overview of the bill.
The whole premise of this bill is based on anecdotal evidence from Rep. Rhiley when he was in school, and there is no data nor any sort of research that has provided evidence of his claim.
Students are imprisoned by the school calendar for three out of four seasons. Summer break is imperative to provide an academic hiatus for students’ minds, and to provide time with family and the flexibility to travel.
School is important, but how much of an effect would nine days provide? Less to none.
Whether it’s taking a day out of the week, or adding nine days to the year, neither of these changes will have a substantial benefit to our district.
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