Opinion piece by Jessica Szilagyi
More school districts in Georgia should consider switching to a 4-day school week.
It’s a movement that’s gaining momentum around the country and for good reason.
Studies show 4-day school weeks have a positive impact on student and teacher morale.
That’s no surprise.
But the move has tangible benefits, too: Attendance increases almost 20 percent.
Test scores go up, discipline problems drop, and districts see significant cost savings -- regardless of the size of the district.
Other labor studies have come to the same conclusion: sometimes less is more.
And it’s especially true for rural areas and districts that are short on cash.
They save money on utilities at the schools – and on transportation costs, including fuel, bus maintenance and driver salaries.
This schedule is already working in counties across our state.
Chattooga County in Northwest Georgia has been on a 4-day school week for 8 years.
Its superintendent reports the district has seen a 73% drop in discipline referrals since the switch.
And in Peach County in middle Georgia, schools have seen a rise in their graduation rates. This trend is also gaining traction around the county. Currently, 25 states have at least 1 school district with a 4-day week.
Opponents of a 4-day school week say it would cut into classroom instruction time, but just the opposite is true.
An additional 30-45 minutes tacked onto those 4 days makes up for the fifth – and actually results in more instruction time overall, when you consider how much time each day is spent on homeroom, lunch, and moving between classes.
Teachers might be concerned about their pay.
But Open Georgia confirms that teachers who work 4-days a week don’t earn less than their counterparts who work five.
Parents have their own considerations, especially those who work full time.
While our state has a duty to educate our children, not to serve as a childcare provider, we’ve seen time and time again that the market will adjust.
In districts like Chattooga County in Northwest Georgia, nonprofit organizations have partnered to provide care for younger kids on that fifth day, in some instances at no cost to parents.
Students on the free lunch program can even get their resources through these third parties, too. All it takes is a little planning.
And, finally, don’t you think we should let kids spend more time being kids?
If you agree, contact our state school Superintendent, Richard Woods, and encourage him to provide information to local school districts on the benefits of this type of schedule.
Here is his phone number and email address.
Phone: 404-657-1175
state.superintendent@doe.k12.ga.us
It sounds a little scary at first, mostly because it isn’t something most people are used to and 5-day weeks are ‘how it’s always been done,’ but if education is about educating and we can do it in a more cost effective manner that yields better results with happier students and teachers, why wouldn’t we?
