Trends in US Education: 4-day school week

The four-day school week is a growing trend during this recession. This controversial format is something to keep an eye on.

Hawaii is one of the most recent states to change to a four-day school week due to budget woes.  Children are now off every Friday. Hawaii is already at the bottom when it comes to state test scores, according to an ABC news report.  At least 17 other states have districts that have 4-day school weeks, according to an MSNBC report.

Proponents of this format site the ability to salvage more extra curricular and academic programs, avoiding teacher and staff layoffs, and the ability to save on transportation and energy bills.

However, many parents face challenges with this new format including concerns about maintaining academic excellence, additional child care costs, adjusting work schedules, and paying for Friday meals that might have otherwise been covered under free or reduced lunch programs.

It will be interesting to see how this affects the children long-term and how many other cash-strapped states will follow suit.  It will also be interesting to see how this affects parents with special needs children who will have a harder time finding adequate child care for one-day a week. 

Another related trend to keep an eye out for is the 4-day government work week. Utah, Iowa, Hawaii and many other states have been toying with this concept.  How will the four-day government work week affect the welfare of children? The workers in the state departments of education, health and human services, children and families, etc., will have to get everything done with 20 percent less time to do it in. Source: http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=446862

Comprehensive studies needs to be done.  If you aware of any such study, please inform the Parentspotlight blog.

What do you think? Feel free to post a comment to this blog posting.

sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/hawaii-day-school-week-ease-recession-woes/story?id=8894574
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29664981/
http://www.ncsl.org/IssuesResearch/Education/SchoolCalendarExtendedDayYearFourDaySchoo/tabid/12934/Default.aspx
http://www.radioiowa.com/2009/12/25/a-four-day-work-week-for-state-government/
http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=446862