Interviews with Four-Day School Week Researchers
Dr Paul Thompson, Oregon State University---Four-Day Week Impact on Academics with Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith of Warren County Schools, Dr. Mike Henry of Marshfield Schools, and Dr. Jon Turner from Missouri State University. November 29, 2023. https://youtu.be/xDM3rPHuLME?si=2EjEUpdiKoZdHLPI Link to Dr. Thompson's Four-Day School Week Research Website https://health.oregonstate.edu/hallie-ford/heal/policy/four-day-school-week
Dr. Emily Morton, American Institute of Research--Four-Day Week Research Summary with Dr. Sarah Wisdom of New Bloomfield Schools, Dr. Sandy Stegall of Clinton County Schools, and Dr. Jon Turner from Missouri State University. November 2, 2023. https://youtu.be/8CgfDgPZDWc?si=-YRungjfKxOhGICx Link to Dr. Morton's Four-Day School Week Researh Website https://www.emily-morton.com/
Dr. Emily Tomayko from Montana State University--The Health Impacts of the Four-day School Week. With Dr. Allison Murphy-Pope from Hurley Schools, Dr. Dustin Storm from Miller Schools, and Dr. Jon Turner from Missouri State University. December 7, 2023. For additional information on Dr. Tomayko's research, visit her website at https://www.montana.edu/hhd/directory/2237516/emily-tomayko
Four-Day School Week Resources
Map of Missouri Four-Day School Week Districts (Link) Updated for 2024-2025 (New adoptions for 2024-2025 shown in RED) Estimated 178 Missouri public (non-charter) schools using 4-day school week for 2024-2025
DESE Historial List of Missouri Four-Day Week Schools Update for 2023-2024 (168 school districts)*
*Due to incomplete data and lack of a definition of "4 day week"--the DESE list and our list differ on the list of schools using a 4 day week calendar--consider both lists a "guestimate." Some school districts have chosen to no longer identify as 4 day week districts, although they are on 4 day weeks most weeks. In addition, some schools listed on the historic DESE list as being on the 4 day week were never on the 4 day week (like Union Star and and Gilman City). The research team at Missouri State University continues to define the 4 day week as districts that are on a 4 day school week at least 75% of the school year. To our knowledge, only two districts (Lexington in 2014 and Lutie in 2023) were on the 4 day week and returned to a traditional 5 day week. One district, Stet R-XV, that was on the 4 day week was closed when consolidated into another school district.
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Research Study "The Impact of the Four-Day School Week on Academic Achievement and Building Growth" from the January 9, 2024 state board meeting. Completed by Amanda Weissman from SAS EVAAS for DESE. PowerPoint presentation link. https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/study-impact-four-day-school-week-academic-achievement-and-building-growth-january-2024 Link to video of this research presentation made from February 6, 2024 Missouri State Board of Education Meeting---research presentation begins at time maker 1:06:18 https://vimeo.com/901199328?share=copy Executive Summary of Report found here https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/evaas-four-day-school-week-brief Full Final report document can be found here. https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/evaas-four-day-week-technical-report
"The Popularity of 4-Day School Weeks, in Charts" from EducationWeek, January 23, 2024 by Caitlynn Peetz. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/the-popularity-of-4-day-school-weeks-in-charts/2024/01
University of Oregon's HEDCO Institute Searchable Database of Four-Day School Week Studies https://hedcoinstitute.uoregon.edu/reports/four-day-school-week-research-database
Missouri Teacher Shortage Data
One of the main reasons that schools transition to a four-day school week is the teacher shortage and the inability to retain teachers (especially due to pay inequity from district to district). This website from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education allows you to track the teacher shortage, district by district, over a number of years. In 2024, around 9% of public school courses in Missouri were taught by non-certified teachers and the number of non-certied teachers is up around 2,000 compared to 2023. https://apps.dese.mo.gov/MCDS/Reports/SSRS_Print.aspx?Reportid=3d5741e3-6ef0-42e7-a358-c7ad24d6fdeb
Another report for Missouri related to the teacher shortage is from the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development meeting from March 6, 2024. This report shows that 35% of Missouri first-year teachers (2023-2024) were working with no certificate or were teaching only under a substitute teacher's certificate. The report also shows how the demand for teacher is growing as the number of graduates from teacher education programs is declining. You can find this report here : https://dhewd.mo.gov/cbhe/boardbook/documents/CBHE-&-SBE-Joint-Meeting-march2024.pdf
National Conference Presentations of Research
Oregon State University National 4 Day School Week Conference October 2023---website includes videos of sessions on a variety of topics including the impact on academic and non-academic issues. Includes videos of sessions by researchers Paul Thompson (Oregon State), Rebecca Kilburn (University of New Mexico), Emily Tomayko (Montana State University), Emily Morton (American Institute of Research), and Jon Turner (Missouri State University). It also includes numerous superintendent panels. https://sites.google.com/site/pnthompson09/4DSW-Conference
Researcher Interviews by Missouri Superintendents
Dr Paul Thompson, Oregon State University---Four-Day Week Impact on Academics with Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith of Warren County Schools, Dr. Mike Henry of Marshfield Schools, and Dr. Jon Turner from Missouri State University. November 29, 2023. https://youtu.be/xDM3rPHuLME?si=2EjEUpdiKoZdHLPI Link to Dr. Thompson's Four-Day School Week Research Website https://health.oregonstate.edu/hallie-ford/heal/policy/four-day-school-week
Dr. Emily Morton, American Institute of Research--Four-Day Week Research Summary with Dr. Sarah Wisdom of New Bloomfield Schools, Dr. Sandy Stegall of Clinton County Schools, and Dr. Jon Turner from Missouri State University. November 2, 2023. https://youtu.be/8CgfDgPZDWc?si=-YRungjfKxOhGICx
Research, News, and Resources on the Four-day Week Topic
"Impacts of Four-Day School Weeks on Teacher Recruitment and Retention and Student Attendance: Evidence from Colorado" by Emily Morton and Emma Dewil, Calder Center Working Paper, September 2024. https://caldercenter.org/sites/default/files/CALDER%20WP%20307-0924.pdf
"Less is More: The Causal Effect of Four-Day School Weeks on Employee Turnover" by Aaron Ainsworth, Emily Penner, and Yujia Liu. EdWorkingPaper No. 24-1035 Anneberg Institute-Brown University, September 2024. https://edworkingpapers.com/sites/default/files/ai24-1035.pdf
"Teacher Retention and Quality in the Four-Day School Week" by Andrew Camp. Working Paper-University of Arkansas, May, 2024. https://edre.uark.edu/_resources/pdf/wp2024-01_4dsw_teacher_turnover.pdf
August 2024 St Louis University/YouGov Poll looks at the Four-Day School Week with likely Missouri voters. https://www.slu.edu/research/research-institute/big-ideas/slu-poll/index.php
"Doing Less with Less: How a four-day school week affects student learning and the teacher workforce." by Keystone Policy Center (Colorado), July, 2024. Note: This report was sponsored by the Keystone Policy Center with support from the Walton Family Foundation, A+ Colorado and Education Reform Now which has caused some to question the findings. It's worth a read for the Colorado data alone. https://www.keystone.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/KPC-023-4-day-School-Report_fa2.pdf
"The Complicated Fight Over Four-Day School Weeks" from Education Week, May 21, 2024 by Mark Lieberman. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/the-complicated-fight-over-four-day-school-weeks/2024/05
"Impact of 4-day school week: benefits, challenges, rise in Missouri" from KRCG-TV (Jefferson City) by Christoper Rogers, March 26, 2024. https://krcgtv.com/news/local/impact-of-4-day-school-week-benefits-challenges-rise-in-missouri
"Coming to a district near you? Pennsylvania law now permits a 4-day school week," from Erie Times-News, April 16, 2024, by Valarie Myers. https://www.aol.com/coming-district-near-pennsylvania-law-082210823.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr
"Independence School District Leader Discusses Proposed Four-Day School Week Restrictions" from Missourinet, March 20, 2024 by Alisa Nelson. https://www.missourinet.com/2024/03/20/independence-school-district-leader-discusses-proposed-four-day-school-week-restrictions/
"Missouri lawmakers want voters to decide whether schools can shift to four-day weeks" from Kansas City Star, March 20, 2024 by Anna Sago and Kacen Bayless. https://www.missourinet.com/2024/03/20/independence-school-district-leader-discusses-proposed-four-day-school-week-restrictions/
"Embracing the Four-Dayt School Week" from the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) by Sarah Hall. (March 1, 2024) https://www.aasa.org/resources/resource/embracing-four-day-school-week
Fox Schools in Jefferson County Begin Dialog on Four-Day School Week-Interview with Dr. Jon Turner of Missouri State University on KMOX radio St. Louis. (February 27, 2024) https://omny.fm/shows/total-information-am/good-turnout-in-fox-c-6-district-for-community-mee
Four-day school week faces scrutiny from Missouri legislature, state board of education (January 8, 2024) from Missouri Independent by Annelise Hanshaw. https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/08/four-day-school-week-faces-scrutiny-from-missouri-legislature-state-education-board/
Texas Teachers, Employees Preferring 4-DAy Work Schedule (December 5, 2023) from El Paso Matters by Ramon Bracamontes https://www.the74million.org/article/san-elizario-teachers-employees-prefer-4-day-work-schedule-survey-shows/
Four-Day School Week Scoping Research from the University of Oregon (November 2023). https://hedcoinstitute.uoregon.edu/reports/four-day-school-week-scoping-review
The case for a 4-day school week: A Q & A with the North College Hill (Ohio) superintendent, The Cinncinatti Inquirer, November 23, 2023. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/education/2023/11/23/ohio-superintendent-says-four-day-week-improved-teacher-wellness/71171570007/
Interview with Dr. Jon Turner on KFRU-Radio "Columbia Today", October 23, 2023--general update discussion of the 4-day week in Missouri. https://omny.fm/shows/columbia-today/dr-john-turner-missouri-state-university
Why 30% of Missouri school districts have transitioned to a 4-day school week featuring Warren County Schools Superintendent Gregg Klinginsmith and Jon Turner from Missouri State University. St. Louis Public Radio show "St Louis on the Air", August 23, 2023. https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2023-08-23/why-30-of-missouri-school-districts-have-transitioned-to-a-4-day-school-week
More schools are adopting 4-day weeks. For parents, the challenge is day 5 by Heather Hollingsworth. Associated Press News, September 25, 2023. https://apnews.com/article/four-day-week-schools-classes-parents-af7686cb78a39a136c9b97d7d59c1b71
Does Four Equal Five? Implementation and Outcomes of the Four-Day School Week by Rebecca Kilburn, Andrea Phillips, Celia Gomez, Louis Mariano, Christopher Doss, Wendy Troxel, Emily Morton, and Kevin Estes. The RAND Corporation. October, 2021. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA373-1.html
The Four-Day Work Week in Education: The Important Opportunities Found in the "Fifth Day" from "The Rural Voice" podcast by the National Rural Education Association, featuring Sarah Wisdom, Reesha Adamson, and Jon Turner. March 29, 2023. https://nrea.simplecast.com/episodes/s03e02-the-four-day-work-week-in-education-from-research-to-practice-an-interview-with-dr-jon-turner-dr-reesha-adamson-and-dr-sarah-wisdom-L0I3IKIy
More U.S. school districts are shifting to a 4-day week. Here's why. CBS News, August 7, 2023 by Emily Mae Czachor. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/school-districts-4-day-week-teachers-parents/
4-Day School Weeks Attracting Educators to Rural Iowa by Grace King. The Cedar Rapids Gazette, April 10, 2023. https://www.thegazette.com/k/4-day-school-weeks-attracting-educators-to-rural-iowa/
Exploration of Motivations for Adopting a Four-Day School Week or Year Round Calendars: Evidence from Arkansas by Sarah McKenzie, Josh McGee and Kate Barnes. March 8, 2023. Office for Education Policy-University of Arkansas. https://scholarworks.uark.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1165&context=oepbrief
Ohio School District Tests Out Four Day Week To Avert Teacher Burnout from NBC Today Show by Jenna Bush Hager, April 4, 2023. https://www.today.com/video/ohio-school-district-tests-out-4-day-week-to-avert-teacher-burnout-168009797531?search=4%20day%20weekend
More American schools are switching to four-day weeks. Could Australia follow the lead? by Jade Macmillan and Cameron Schwarz. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, February 25, 2023. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-26/why-us-schools-are-switching-to-a-four-day-week/101993630
Almost 60 school districts in Texas have now made the switch to four-day weeks by Christoper Adams. KXAN-TV-Austin, March 6, 2023. https://www.kxan.com/news/education/almost-60-school-districts-in-texas-have-now-made-the-switch-to-four-day-weeks/
Nebraska schools are going to a four-day week. Teachers are pumped. Research is spotty. News Channel Nebraska, February 17, 2023. https://rivercountry.newschannelnebraska.com/story/48403470/nebraska-schools-are-going-to-a-fourday-week-teachers-are-pumped-research-is-spotty
More schools explore the 4 day school week to recruit teachers, ABC News, March 9, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/live/BWWbb4_TOws?feature=share&t=1250
Four-day school week gaining popularity nationally. Why isn't it happening in California? by Diana Lambert in EdSource (January 26, 2023). https://edsource.org/2023/four-day-school-week-gaining-popularity-nationally-why-isnt-it-happening-in-california/684696
Top Missouri Education Officials Question if Four-Day School Weeks Are "Right For Students." by Claudette Riley in Springfield News-Leader (January 12, 2023). https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2023/01/12/missouri-plans-to-study-academic-impact-of-four-day-school-week/69798726007/
Another symptom of Missouri teacher shortage: Growing number of 4-day school weeks by Annelise Hanshaw. Missouri Independent, December 19, 2022. https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/19/4-day-school-week-teacher-shortage/
Impacts of the four-day school week on early elementary achievement by Paul Thompson, Emily Tomayko, Katerine Gunter, John Schuna, and Megan McClelland. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, January, 2023. *Note data source exclusively from Oregon--it is always important to look at state specific roll out of the 4-day school week before drawing nationwide assumptions--Oregon does not require schools to maintain the same number of instructional hours on the 4 day week. Missouri, for example, has always required schools switching to the 4 day week to maintain the same number of instructional hours which might result in a different findings from this research. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0885200622001387
School districts see 'positive impact' from four-day week by Deborah Gertz Husar. The Herald-Whig (Quincy, Illinois), November 26, 2022. https://www.whig.com/education/school-districts-see-positive-impact-from-four-day-week/article_8f6cd12a-6b99-11ed-b61d-235082432adc.html
Four-Day School Week In Missouri-An Update by Dr. Jon Turner from Show-Me Education Podcast (Heart of the Ozarks RPDC-University of Missouri), November 16, 2022. https://anchor.fm/showmeedu/episodes/Ep-28--Four-Day-School-Week-e1qncjb?%24web_only=true&_branch_match_id=659174380608204139&utm_source=web&utm_campaign=web-share&utm_medium=sharing&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXLy7IL8lMq0zMS87IL9ItT03SSywo0MvJzMvWT9VPzy3xCszKyzUqTQIAg4VbZjAAAAA%3D
Moberly Schools Consider the Four-Day School Week: An Interview With Dr. Jon Turner from Missouri State University. November 10, 2022. KRES Radio (Moberly). https://soundcloud.com/user-502567008/dr-jon-turner-interview-111022
Long days, long weekends: the four-day week takes off in US schools by Susie Armitage. The Guardian, September 26, 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/sep/26/four-day-school-week-teachers-students-parents
What the research says about 4-day school weeks by Jill Barshay. KQED/MindShift & The Hechinger Report. August 29, 2022. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/59801/what-the-research-says-about-4-day-school-weeks
Missouri's top educator hesitant about the four-day school week by Emily Manley. Fox2 St. Louis (television), August 29, 2022. https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/missouris-top-educator-hesitant-about-four-day-school-week/ ***There are factual errors in this story about the four-day week, but worth listen for Dr. Vandeven's comments.
Instructional Time in U. S. Public Schools: Wide Variation, Causal Effects, and Lost Hours by Matthew Kraft and Sarah Novicoff. EdWorking Paper No. 22-653, September 2022 (Brown University). https://www.edworkingpapers.com/sites/default/files/Kraft%20Novicoff%202022%20Learning%20Time.pdf
A Multi-State, Student-Level Analysis of the Effects of the Four-Day School Week on Student Achievement and Growth by Emily Morton, Paul Thompson, and Megan Kuhfeld. EdWorkingPaper No. 22-630-Annenberg-Brown University, August 2022. https://www.edworkingpapers.com/sites/default/files/ai22-630.pdf
A close look at the four day school week and its increasing popularity in Missouri. Interview with Dr. Jon Turner, Missouri State University, September 1, 2022. MissouriNet (radio)-https://www.missourinet.com/2022/08/30/a-close-look-at-four-day-school-weeks-and-its-increasing-popularity-in-missouri/
141 Missouri and 25 Kansas districts have four-day school weeks this year. Here’s where. Kansas City Star, August 23, 2022. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article264703479.html
Another symptom of the teacher shortage: 1 in 4 Missouri school districts now have a 4-day week by Kate Grumke (interview with Dr. Jon Turner, Missouri State University). . St Louis Public Radio, August 8, 2022.. https://news.stlpublicradio.org/education/2022-08-08/another-symptom-of-the-teacher-shortage-1-in-4-missouri-school-districts-now-have-a-4-day-week
Rural Texas districts struggling to attract teachers are switching to four-day school weeks by Brian Lopez. The Texas Tribune, July 19, 2022. https://www.texastribune.org/2022/07/19/texas-schools-four-day-weeks/
The Four-Day School Week Grows in Missouri with Dr. Jon Turner from Missouri State University. Missouri State Teachers Association podcast "MSTA Presents. July 27, 2022 https://mstapresents.podbean.com/e/episode-5-four-day-school-week/
Rural explosion in four-day school week aimed at recruiting teachers by D. C. Benincasa. Columbia Missourian, June 8, 2022. https://www.columbiamissourian.com/2500below/rural-explosion-in-four-day-school-week-aimed-at-recruiting-teachers/article_b95a4fae-e218-11ec-992d-b39d2e550cfa.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share
The Latest Perk Schools Are Using to Attract Teachers: 4-Day Weeks. Education Week, June 29, 2022. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/the-latest-perk-schools-are-using-to-attract-teachers-4-day-weeks/2022/06
MSU professor discusses the four-day school week, and why some smaller Missouri school districts have already made the switch. Radio interview with Dr. Jon Turner, Missouri State University, KSMU-NPR "Making Democracy Work". June 7, 2022 https://www.ksmu.org/show/making-democracy-work/2022-06-07/msu-professor-discusses-the-four-day-school-week-and-why-some-smaller-missouri-school-districts-have-already-made-the-switch
A record 128 Missouri school districts--25 percent--switch to four-day weeks by Claudette Riley. Springfield News-Leaders, March 6, 2022. https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2022/03/06/record-128-missouri-school-districts-25-percent-switch-to-four-day-weeks/6694742001/
Keeping Up With The Joneses: District Adoption of the Four-Day School Week in Rural Missouri by J. Cameron Anglum and Aaron Park. AREA Open, March, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584211002842
Impacts of the four-day school week on high school achievement and educational engagement by Paul Thompson, Emily Tomayko, Katherine Gunter, and John Schuna. Education Economics, December 27, 2021. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09645292.2021.2006610
4-Day School Weeks: New Research Examines the Benefits and Drawbacks by Stephen Sawchuck. Education Week, October 7, 2021. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/4-day-school-weeks-new-research-examines-the-benefits-and-drawbacks/2021/10
Seneca schools have success with 4-day school week. KSN-News (Joplin, Missouri), February 28, 2022. https://www.fourstateshomepage.com/news/local-news/seneca-4-day-school-week/
Impact of a Four-Day School Week On Student Discipline and Attendance in Missouri: A Quantitative Study by Angelina Rowden. Doctorate Dissertation, Missouri Baptist University, December 2021. https://www.proquest.com/openview/7dc8f89fbd99e26669d530142d161e26/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Only a Matter of Time? The Role of Time in School on Four-Day School Week Achievement Impacts by Paul N. Thompson and Jason Ward. IZA Institute of Labor Economics Discussion Paper Series, June 2021. http://ftp.iza.org/dp14461.pdf
Keeping Up With the Joneses: District Adoption of the 4-Day School Week in Rural Missouri by J. Cameron Anglum & Aaron Park. AERA Open, January-December 2021, Vol 7, No 1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/23328584211002842
A record 105 Missouri school districts-20 percent-embrace four-day weeks by Claudette Riley in Springfield News-Leader. October 1, 2020. https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2020/10/02/growing-number-missouri-school-districts-fair-grove-four-day-weeks/3493754001/
Effects of Four-Day School Weeks on Physical Education Exposure and Childhood Obesity in Journal of Physical Activity and Health by Emily J. Tomayko, Katherine B. Gunter, John M. Schuna Jr. and Paul N. Thompson https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32805713/
Adolescent Health Behaviors in Schools with 4‐ Versus 5‐Day School Weeks in Journal of School Health, August 2020, by Whitney Israel, Christine Mulitauopele, Ming Ma MD, Arnold H. Levinson PhD, Lauren Cikara, Ashley Brooks‐Russell PhD, in the Journal of School Health, August 2020, https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12941
Urban Institute advocates for four-day school week option for urban students. "Making Education and Employment Work for High School Students: A Toolkit for Systems That Support Young People with Adult Responsibilities, with Benefits for All". (June, 2020). https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/102413/making-education-and-employment-work-for-high-school-students.pdf
The Rural Voice-Podcast of the National Rural Education Association, Interview with Dr. Jon Turner about the Four-day School Week in the United States February 2020 nrea.simplecast.com/episodes/s01e04-the-four-day
The Four-day School Week Continues to Grow in Missouri, KY3 News-Springfield, February 6, 2020 https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Its-a-trend--more-schools-going-to-four-day-weeks-567635661.html
WBUR-Boston (NPR) "On Point"-Grading the four-day school week featuring Missouri State's Dr. Jon Turner and Paul Hill of the University of Washington-Bothell (May 30, 2019) https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2019/05/30/four-day-school-week-missouri-colorado
Effects of Four-Day School Weeks on Student Achievement: Evidence from Oregon. March, 2019. Paul N. Thompson, Oregon State University and IZA. http://ftp.iza.org/dp12204.pdf
It's a trend: More schools going to four-day weeks (KY3 News-Springfield) February 6, 2020 https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Its-a-trend--more-schools-going-to-four-day-weeks-567635661.html
Colorado now has more school districts on four-day weeks than any place in the nation — with little research on the benefits --The Colorado Sun, August 27, 2019 https://coloradosun.com/2019/08/27/four-day-school-weeks-in-colorado/
Webinar recorded September 9, 2019. Missouri Four-Day Week Collaborative discussion includes topics like the impact of the later start date law on four-day week districts, new collaborative professional development sessions, and free dual enrollment classes for four-day high school students from Missouri State. https://missouristate.zoom.us/recording/share/D1X0DvsvEDDmZtTLFHYcsw8UP-x_9f08k1xbOeuax1iwIumekTziMw?startTime=1568039713000
We are often contacted by schools who are considering a switch to the four-day week. These schools often ask if we have any resources that other schools have used to explore the transition. Below you will find some resources that have been shared with us and may be helpful as examples from other school districts.
Basic Four-Day Week Handout for Meetings (Click)
Warren County (Warrenton) Missouri School Board Presentation (leading up to vote on four-day week)
Forsyth Parent Survey (prior to vote to go to four-day week)
Morgan County Schools Frequently Asked Questions (February 2023)
Forsyth School Community Presentation
Ralls County Schools Staff/Faculty Benefit Changes (specifically documents potential changes made to sick day, vacation, and personal day policies)
Many school districts utilize the "5th Day" on a four-day school week for additional professional development opportunities for their staff. A great model is "Maroon Monday" developed at the School Of The Osage. Check out their "Maroon Monday" plan (beginning on page 30) here.
The Hallsville School District ultimately decided not to adopt the four-day school week the year they created this website. The following year Hallsville made the transition to the four-day week. The website they created to document their process of consideration of the four-day week may be helpful. Visit this site here.
Independence School District Four-Day School Week Information Center-during the fall and winter of 2022-2023, Independence (with over 14,000 students) began considering a four-day school week. This website contains a wealth of information about their proposal including proposed calendars, 5th day plans, and surveys. Independence ultimate voted to adopt the four-day week starting in 2023-2024 year. https://www.isdschools.org/four-day-instructional-week-resources/
Sample of Parent Survey We Used As Part of Our Research at Missouri State