A Four-Day School Week Might Be the Answer to the National Teacher Shortage

What’s going on:     

An increasing number of schools across the United States are adopting four-day school week schedules, according to CBS News. It’s reported that one school in Independence, Missouri, has introduced this change for its 14,000 students, becoming the largest district in the state to do so. To ensure the school district still meets state requirements for instructional time, the district is extending each school day by 35 minutes. The number of U.S. school districts with a four-day academic schedule has grown significantly, from 650 in 2020 to 876 in 2023, according to CBS News.  

Due to the national teacher shortage, larger school districts are also pushing for these scheduling updates in a strong effort to attract and retain talented educators. 

Why it matters:   

This trend reflects a concentrated response to a national teacher shortage and is a major development in traditional academic scheduling. The change might not only affect students’ academic performance and daily routines, but also has broader societal implications, especially for parents who may need to arrange childcare for the extra day off.  

How it’ll impact the future:    

The move to a four-day school week has implications beyond education. If the four-day school week gains widespread adoption across the country, it could also impact the working patterns of parents. This trend could potentially lead to a demand for more flexible work schedules or increase the needs for childcare services.  

If this trend continues and becomes the norm, future generations may carry this expectation of a shortened workweek into their professional lives — potentially reshaping the traditional five-day work week. The heightened focus on teacher retention and the strategies to address the shortage can lead to broader conversations about employee retention in other fields.