Four Days is not Enough

School districts are feeling steep economic downturn through falling property values and slumping tax receipts. 20% of schools have laid off staff at an attempt to cut costs and about 100 school districts in 17 states have gone as far as shifting school to a four day week to try to cut the fuel costs of buses. As more schools are adopting the four day school week to save money it is a troubling alternative, with less time for students to be at school it is only going to decrease the amount of education they receive. U.S. students spend too little time in school, compared to the 39 other developed countries the U.S. ranks near the bottom on average weekly instruction time which over a 12 year span adds up to about a 1 year difference of in class instruction time. Evidence that more instruction time pays off is found from 10 schools in Massachusetts which recently increased class time by 25% and scores in math, science, and English went up in all grades. With gas prices now tumbling toward $2 a gallon, it’s time for the four-day districts to reconsider their previous decision. (USA Today: Four is not enough)