Four-day school week may not be best for students, review finds

(Press-News.org) A new University of Oregon review of 11 studies found little evidence that the four-day school week benefits student academic performance, attendance, behavior or graduation rates.

The HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice at the UO conducted the systematic review, a rigorous analysis of the highest-quality research available on the four-day school week in the United States.

“Districts often turn to four-day school weeks to address budget and staffing pressures, but the evidence suggests this change may come at a cost to students,” said Elizabeth Day, a research assistant professor at the HEDCO Institute and part of the team that produced the report. “There’s no consistent evidence that moving to a four-day schedule improves learning outcomes — and in some cases, it may do the opposite.”

The four-day school week schedule is a growing trend in U.S. education, with adoption by 2,100 schools in more than 850 school districts. The schedule is more common in rural areas, but an increasing number of suburban and urban districts are considering it.

The HEDCO Institute review findings paint a complex picture, one that differs based on school location (rural vs. non-rural), grade level and student outcome.  

Key Findings: 

No statistically large positive effects were found for any student outcome in the highest-quality studies.

Rural districts have been studied more rigorously than non-rural districts and no studies included just city schools.

In rural districts, evidence was mixed and suggested a four-day school week:

Decreases math and reading achievement for K-8 students   Increases math scores, increases on-time and 5-year graduation rates for high-school students  Decreases on-time progression, and increases chronic absences for high school students  In non-rural districts:

Little to no effect on K-8 student achievement  Decreases math scores, decreases on-time and 5-year graduation rates, and increases absences for high school students   

For studies combining rural and non-rural districts, most findings were negative:  

Decreases math and reading achievement, increases absences and chronic absences, and decreases 5-year graduation rates across grades K-12 The HEDCO Institute review highlighted two critical unanswered questions: 

How much instructional time is lost or preserved?

Maintaining instructional hours is important for minimizing negative impacts on student achievement. Loss of learning time risks a loss of learning.

What do students do on the fifth day?

Without school, home or community-supported programs, students may lack access to safe, age-appropriate activities — putting their development and well-being at risk. Maintaining activities that foster healthy youth development on the fifth day is important for minimizing other negative impacts. 

 The review focused exclusively on student outcomes, including:  

Academic achievement: math and reading test scores, proficiency and gains  Academic attainment: graduation rates, dropout rates and on-time progression  Attendance: average daily attendance, fraction of students absent, chronic absenteeism Criminal activity: frequency of crime at school and of crime not at school, property crime, violent crime and drug violations Disciplinary incidents: days missed for discipline, and frequency of substance use, vandalism, bullying, fighting, weapons, truancy, and school bus disciplinary instances  — By Joe Golfen, HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice, College of Education, University of Oregon 

About the HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice at the University of Oregon
Part of the University of Oregon’s College of Education, the HEDCO Institute conducts rigorous syntheses of education research to inform real-world decision-making. This systematic review is part of the Institute’s mission to connect policymakers and practitioners with trustworthy evidence. 

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