TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The new school year is upon us. While many schools are sticking with the traditional five-day school week, others have implemented a four-day school week.
There are many reasons why school districts might switch to a four-day system. Teacher recruitment was the primary reason the Kimberly School District considered a change.
However, due to numerous disadvantages, such as students spending less time in school, Kimberly rejected the idea.
“Ultimately, the decision was made to stick with the five-day week,” said Luke Schroeder, superintendent of the Kimberly School District. “Primarily because it was believed that the five-day week was better for the students.”
The district has allocated fewer work days to teachers during the school year, but student instruction time has remained the same.
However, the Cassia County School District switched to the four-day system four years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was originally used as a mitigating factor to make cleaning easier, but the many positive effects it had led them to stick with it after the pandemic.
“Many parents say that on the fifth day off, their children can rest a little more and maybe catch up on school work,” said Sandra Miller, superintendent of the Cassia County School District. “It just means a little less stress for the students.”
Although there has been a reduction in stress, this has not yet been reflected in academic performance, which is mainly due to the fewer number of school days, especially among primary school students.
“Early literacy is hugely important,” said Cassia Assistant Superintendent Chester Bradshaw. “It sets the tone for the kids’ entire academic career, all the way up to college. I think you can argue for 5 days in elementary school.”
Initially, the Cassia district reported that parents were struggling to find child care while working. However, families have adapted. A new problem the district has noticed is that less instructional time leads to slower progress in reading, writing and speaking.
Since there are advantages and disadvantages on both sides, the question of whether there should be more or fewer days will continue to be debated.
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