RESEARCH AND FACTS

Mrs. Meyer, USD Board member, visited each building during the lunch hour allowing teachers to provide feedback in November.  Overall the teachers felt it was worth exploring and felt positive about the possibility.

The district has been gathering factual information related to this topic and will continue to gather data before making a decision.  If approved, the earliest implementation date would be the 2024-25 school year.

Overview of Current Research:

• Mixed academic impact:  Studies on the academic impact of a four-day week have produced mixed results.  Some suggest no significant difference, while others report a decline in standardized test scores.  The district has completed a study where they compared districts in Kansas that moved to a 4-day week to see how state assessment scores were impacted.  Click on the above data link button to view the state assessment analysis.

• Local variability:  The effectiveness of a 4-day week can vary based on the local context, school district, and how the additional day off is structured.  In interviewing districts that have moved to a 4-day week, those who had a focused curriculum (aligned to the state) and provided additional opportunities for teacher in-service and planning were less likely to see any decline in academic impact.  The teacher-only days were provided for teachers to discuss data and better focus instruction on specific skills to impact student learning along with time to plan for the strategic learning.

• Community response:  Public opinion on a 4-day week can vary widely.  Some communities embrace the change, while others may resist.

• Long-term effects:  Long-term effects on student learning and development are still areas of ongoing research.