- More than half of public school staff surveyed reported feeling understaffed in the new school year.
- As of 2020, approximately 550 school districts nationwide have adopted the four-day system.
- A short week can be a short-term fix, but experts say long-term systematic changes are needed.
- This article is part of our “Innovation at Work” series exploring trends and barriers to workplace transformation.
A national teacher shortage continues to plague educators. 53% of public schools According to a study by the Institute for Educational Sciences, employees report feeling understaffed from 2022-23.
But school districts desperate for class talent are testing new tactics. It’s a four day work week.
Flexible working options are nothing new. Especially in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemicBut as school districts struggle to recruit and retain teachers, the idea of introducing a four-day work week is gaining momentum. That means a teacher can either go to school without her one day a week, or take a full day off to plan ahead and catch up on work.
“Educators across the country are exhausted and tired right now,” said Gabe Danenbling, a popular middle school science teacher. tick tocker, told an insider. “It’s so emotionally draining. We wear so many hats.”
The switch to a four-day workweek in education has sparked controversy among professionals and organizations such as: Federation of American Teachers and the National Education Association say shortened weeks can increase systemic inequalities. It says it hasn’t addressed some of the deeper issues behind leaving the scene.
Some school district officials interviewed by Insider say offering benefits like four days a week can help fill the teacher shortage.
“Schools want to pay more, but they don’t always have the resources, so it’s less stressful and more non-monetary,” says Paul Thompson, an associate professor of economics at Oregon State University. Trying to offer something else to provide a benefit.
His research includes He delves deeper into how a four-day schedule affects student success and considers future research on how this schedule change can help reduce educator burnout. doing.
4-day school can support teachers and help burnout
Four-day schools aren’t new, but they go back a few years. Adopt a schedule initially to reduce costs — Many school districts are looking for ways to retain teachers and attract new applicants. As of 2020, approx. 550 districts nationwide It adopted a four-day schedule, according to the State Legislative Assembly.
Superintendent Dale Haar independent school district He told Insider that applications for teaching jobs in Missouri have increased since the school board decided to implement a four-day work week for the 2023-24 school year. With -12 students enrolled in the district, it will be the largest four-day week in the state.
Herl said community reaction has been largely positive, adding that members of his staff are excited to try out the schedule. Giving students Fridays off also gave teachers more flexibility to plan lessons, grade papers, and meet with colleagues on the day, allowing them to enjoy the weekend without compensating for work. he wants to be “Teaching is difficult,” he said. “And a lot of time is spent grading, answering emails and meeting parents outside of normal contract hours.”
Heather Luke Drozlek teaches at a small private school in Indiana. This school has four days a week. She told her Insider that it’s the first year of her altered schedule, that she has lower stress levels, and never brings work home on the weekends.
“I love it,” she said. “It’s so free.”
Chris Fiedler, the superintendent of Colorado’s 27J school district, told Insider that the four-day workweek his district implemented in 2018 will help him attract staff until there’s a budget to pay more teachers. He said that it also helps him to maintain
With over 22,000 students, Fiedler’s fast-growing school district just outside of Denver has one of the largest four-day schedules in the United States. He said the turnover rate had leveled off and he could hire the teachers he needed.
“That was a recruiting advantage for us,” he said. “Without it, we don’t know where we would be.”
Disadvantages of the four-day work week
Thompson told Insider that the four-day week is a genuine concern and could affect students. There are also potential risks to childcare and food security. Public schools can provide free lunches to students and provide after-school supervision for students whose parents are working.
“I see the benefits, but I also see that it can cause systemic problems.” Tell WilliamsPreschool teacher and social media influencer.
Laura Funk, a high school biology teacher in Colorado, said her children attend school in a four-day school district, and her current school district has a four-and-a-half day system. I’m here. She likes the extra half-day for her students to plan and prepare, but she wants four days a week to help the profession repair itself and get more people to sign up to be teachers. I don’t know if you need
“It’s a Band-Aid fix,” she said. “Our education system is built on a flawed model. there is. In the world It works and produces well-performing students. ”
Coping with a bigger crisis
in the meantime Federation of American TeachersIt is a labor union representing 1.7 million people.
“The problem was not working five days a week. It was what happened in between, the overwhelming lack of support and respect,” Weingarten wrote. Without adequate compensation for educators, the length of the workweek will become irrelevant, compromising children’s ability to recover and grow.”
The National Education Association, which also declined to be interviewed, said in a statement to Insider that although the organization has no official stance on the four-day week, last year’s paper It says we need a comprehensive strategy with higher wages, student loan forgiveness, greater autonomy and a general respect for the profession.
Danenbling said a four-day work week could be a short-term solution to problems such as lack of preparation time and increased teacher burnout, but the profession does not offer long-term systematic training. We recognize that change is necessary.
“Teachers want to be valued and rewarded,” Danenbling says.