We all wish school days were shorter: students, teachers, administrators, the list goes on. It’s tiring to have to go to school for five days in a row and then have to do work at home as well. What if school wasn’t five days long but four?

Many states, such as Arizona, Colorado, and Texas, have implemented new school times. According to Word In Black, in 2023, 60 percent of schools in Colorado have opted for the four-day school week. This school year, as counted by Education Week, 900 school districts in the United States have chosen to use the four-day school week schedule. There are many private and public schools alike using the shorter school week. Yet, Illinois isn’t on the list of states that predominantly use four-day school weeks. Why is that?

Four-day school weeks have so many benefits, and could help students, teachers, and parents alike. While there are some cons, they are easily fixed with a few creative solutions. I believe that a four-day school week would be highly beneficial towards students, teachers, parents, etc. Let’s take a look at a few examples of the pros and cons.

One of the benefits of a four-day school week is saving money. Schools cost a lot, especially for example, private schools that the government does not fund. These schools likely need that money to continue operating, and an extra day off can cover expenses like electricity, food delivery, and transportation.

Additionally, many schools have seen that student attendance has gone up in the four-day school week. Students can get exhausted and stressed with classes, and giving them the extra day off can help them rest and recharge before going back to school again.

Another pro is that it can give teachers more time to prepare for their lessons. In many schools, teachers can feel rushed by their work and need more time for grading, lesson planning, and more. With the extra day, teachers can have more time to feel confident in their lessons or have a bit more personal time with their families and friends.

There are a lot of benefits; however, there are also quite a few cons. Why don’t we take a look at a few?

It’s understandable that some may believe that it will be difficult for students to adjust to the new school schedule, especially for younger, elementary grades. This is because younger kids need the time to work on simpler tasks like refining motor skills and improving vocabulary. Without the extra day, they don’t have the time to capitalize on these finer skills. Many schools have decided to change their school hours to compensate for the lost day. However, another solution to this problem is to change the break schedule; for example, shorter lunch breaks and study halls in exchange for longer class times.

Something to consider as well is food. There are many children that rely on school lunches if they don’t have access to food at home. A solution to this problem would be having kids come to school on the extra off day and get some food for the day.

There is one more main concern as well: childcare. Especially for the elementary grades, parents that work during the week won’t be able to watch their kids on the off day, and may not be able to afford or find a nanny or babysitter. However, if high schoolers also take the day off, they can watch their younger sibling while they are home. If the younger child doesn’t have an older sibling, there are schools offering a bit of money to parents who can’t afford a babysitter. Additionally, high school students could be hired to babysit younger kids on the off day.

There are many pros and cons to the four-day school week. Some individuals may be on the pro side, while others may be on the con side. As a student, I believe we should have a four-day school week. An extra day of rest would make things much easier and relieve a lot of stress. However, to change Fremd’s school week, it would likely be necessary to change the entire district. Whether you’re for or against a shorter school week, we all just want what’s best for us: parents, students, teachers, and more. We all deserve the best learning opportunities, so let’s all just hope for the best to come our way.