Across much of the United States, the idea of a four-day school week (4DSW) still feels unconventional. Yet in many rural communities—particularly in states west of the Mississippi River—the 4DSW has become both popular and increasingly common. As of the 2024–25 school year, over 2,100 public schools across 26 states operate at least one school on a four-day schedule, a sharp increase from the prior count of 1,600 schools across 24 states just six years ago.
As adoption grows, so does the body of research examining four-day schedules’ impacts on students and schools. Recent research helps clarify where the policy appears to fall short, how outcomes vary by implementation, and what these findings mean for districts and states navigating decisions about four-day school weeks.
Understanding the four-day school week
Most 4DSW districts close schools on Fridays, though some opt for Mondays. Instructional time is redistributed across the remaining four days, typically by starting earlier and ending later. On average, districts add about 50 minutes to each school day.
In theory, this can preserve core instructional minutes. For example, 50 extra minutes could equate to adding 10 minutes to five different classes each day, making up for losing five 40-minute periods on the day off. But students may also benefit from non-core academic time at school each day, such as morning meetings, recess, passing time between classes, advisory periods, and lunch. And they get less of that time on a 4DSW because they have fewer days of school on average (148 days) than five-day week schools (179 days).
Where are four-day school weeks most common and why?
About 90% of 4DSW districts are rural. Leaders often cite teacher recruitment and retention, cost savings, and student attendance among motivating factors. Childcare concerns, frequently raised by critics, tend to be less salient in these communities, where schools are major employers, work schedules are more flexible, or extended family networks provide care.
Still, state responses vary. Oklahoma, for example, now requires districts to apply for waivers and meet accountability benchmarks to operate on a four-day week. Missouri recently introduced legislation considering incentives for districts to return to five-day schedules.
Weighing four-day school week pros and cons: Examining the evidence
The sections that follow examine the pros and cons of a four-day school week more closely, drawing on recent research to show where perceptions align with evidence—and where they do not.
Should districts worry about impacts on student learning?
Research suggests the answer depends on how the four-day week is implemented, but there are real risks. On average, studies find small to moderate negative impacts on student achievement—students attending districts with a 4DSW grow the equivalent of two to seven weeks less per year than students at similar five-day districts.
But these effects are not uniform. One important factor is time. Recent evidence shows that districts operating fewer than 30 hours per week drive most of the negative achievement effects, while districts offering 32 hours or more per week show no statistically significant differences in achievement. This suggests that protecting (or increasing) instructional time is a critical, though not foolproof, strategy for mitigating academic risk.
Should districts expect benefits to teacher recruitment and retention?
This is where new evidence meaningfully updates the conversation. While many districts hope a 4DSW will make them more competitive employers, recent studies suggest the benefits for teacher recruitment and retention are limited.
Across Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Oregon, and Oklahoma, four-day schedules are associated with no change or very small changes in retention rates, ranging from slight increases to slight decreases of at most one to three percentage points. These shifts are modest relative to typical turnover rates of 12–17% and fall well short of the gains associated with other retention strategies. There is also little evidence that 4DSW consistently improve recruitment by increasing applicant pools or reducing vacancies.
In short, while teachers may prefer a four-day schedule, that preference does not appear strong enough on average to outweigh other factors that drive employment decisions, such as salary, leadership quality, workload, and career opportunities.
Do four-day school weeks cut costs or improve student attendance?
Cost savings from four-day schedules average about two percent of district budgets, largely from reduced transportation, food service, and operations spending. Some district leaders maintain that these modest savings, equivalent to about $300 per pupil on average, are meaningful in their district. Others acknowledge that the schedule saves them less than they originally anticipated, but they continue to use a four-day week schedule for other reasons.
Proponents claim 4DSWs improve student attendance by enabling students to travel for distant appointments and extracurricular activities on their day off. But the research consistently finds little to no effect of four-day weeks on attendance rates.
Do four-day school weeks have other benefits or drawbacks?
Proponents of the schedule claim that it improves school climate and student behavior, but the evidence is mixed. In support of the claim, research shows the four-day week significantly reduces high school bullying and fighting incident rates and increases the amount of sleep elementary students get. However, surveys show no differences in reported school climate, and other research points to increased delinquency outside of school on days off. Health concerns include increased food insecurity and drug use.
More research is needed to investigate the impacts of the schedule on other important outcomes, such as efficiency of class time, student safety and mental health, and family income and resources.
Should community satisfaction outweigh the academic risks?
Community support for 4DSWs is undeniably strong. Survey data show roughly 84% of families and 95% of students in four-day week districts would choose to keep the schedule. Families often cite reduced stress, more family time, and scheduling flexibility.
The tradeoff for policymakers is balancing these preferences against evidence of negative academic effects and limited staffing or cost savings benefits. Popularity alone does not guarantee positive outcomes, especially for students who rely most on schools for academic support, meals, and safe environments.
Policy considerations for districts and states considering a four-day school week
For districts considering a four-day week or deciding whether to continue one, the details matter. Research points to several key considerations:
- Instructional time. Districts should closely audit total instructional hours and how time is used within longer days. Maintaining or increasing academic learning time is critical for minimizing achievement losses.
- Curriculum and pacing. If adopting the 4DSW results in longer class periods, districts will need to intentionally redesign curriculum and pacing. Without adequate planning and support, teachers may struggle to cover required content effectively.
- Student supports on the day off. Districts should weigh whether and how to provide meals, enrichment, or supervision for students who may be vulnerable at home.
- Monitoring and evaluation. Comparing outcomes before and after adoption, and to the changes in nearby or similar five-day districts, can help leaders identify unintended consequences early.
States may also consider guardrails, such as increasing minimum instructional hour requirements or establishing waiver processes, for districts to get approved for the four-day week.
The bottom line
Four-day school weeks are popular, particularly in rural communities, and they can offer real scheduling benefits for families and educators. But recent research reinforces a consistent theme: the policy rarely delivers on its intended goals and carries academic risks if instructional time is not carefully protected.
For communities facing staffing shortages and tight budgets, four-day weeks represent a tradeoff, not a silver bullet. Addressing those challenges will likely require a broader or different set of strategies beyond the 4DSW. As interest in four-day schedules continues to grow, grounding decisions in evidence and revisiting them over time will be essential.
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This article was first published on Teach. Learn. Grow. in 2023.
