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If you've ever had trouble getting your teen up in the morning or you've seen teens fall asleep during the school day, you're not alone. Many adolescents struggle to wake up early for school. It's sparked a discussion about the pros and cons of starting school at a later time.

While some people may think that teens are just lazy for not getting up early, doctors say that's not actually the case. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has urged school districts to consider later start times so that adolescents can get adequate sleep. Still, many districts have said that changing the time school starts just isn't feasible.

What Physicians Say

The AAP's Adolescent Sleep Working Group reviewed studies involving inadequate sleep in teens. Researchers analyzed the harmful effects sleep deprivation-anything less than 8.5 to 9 hours of sleep on school nights-can have on young people.

They concluded that poor sleep is linked to increased reliance on caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol. They also discovered a link between sleep deprivation and poor academic performance. Sleep deprivation has also been linked to an increased risk of car accidents in teens.

It may seem as though the solution would be for teens to simply go to sleep earlier. But researchers say that it isn't likely to work. Teens experience hormonal shifts that make falling asleep earlier difficult, if not impossible. Their biological clocks simply won't allow them to fall asleep before 11 p.m., even when they're tired.

Studies show that simply delaying school by 30 minutes can have a dramatic impact on teens' health and performance. So most researchers recommend school start times be delayed until at least 8:30 a.m. for teenagers. Benefits of delayed school start times include:

More sleep: Teens may be more likely to get the recommended amount of sleep.

Better sleep: Delayed start time could help teens sleep during their natural sleep/wake cycles.

Less caffeine: Teens may be less likely to depend on caffeine to stay awake during the day.

Better grades: Adequate sleep could help teens be more alert during the school day, which could boost their academic performance.

Better health: Sleeping longer could reduce health-related issues that accompany sleep deprivation.

Better choices: Getting home later in the afternoon (if school is shifted forward) may reduce the amount of time some teens are home alone, and could decrease the likelihood they will engage in unhealthy activities.

What School Districts Say

Despite the recommendation from the AAP, the majority of school districts aren't planning to change their start times. School officials often cite logistical concerns about starting the school day later.

Delaying high school start times could pose problems with bus schedules, after-school activities, and sporting events for the entire district. Changing the high school start time could have a domino effect on all the schools that could pose a logistical nightmare.﻿﻿

Critics also note that a later dismissal time for teens would pose problems for those who must provide childcare to younger siblings. Students who participate in sports and extra-curricular activities would get home later in the evenings. And teens might stay up even later if they don't have to wake for school at an earlier time.

What Parents Can Do

No matter what time your teen's school starts, it's important to support your teen by making sure they're getting enough high-quality sleep. Teach your teen about appropriate sleep hygiene and talk about the benefits of sleep.

While you can't force your teen to fall asleep at a certain time, you can establish a "lights out rule." Take away electronics at least 60 minutes before bedtime and encourage your teen to read quietly in their room to help them get ready for bed.

Most teens like to sleep late on the weekends or during school vacations. However, sleeping in can throw off your teen's natural sleep/wake cycle. Keep your teen on a consistent schedule even on weekends and school vacations.

If you feel strongly that your child's health and academic life are being disrupted by a lack of sleep, be an advocate for your child. Share your concerns with school officials. Attend school board meetings and discuss this issue with other parents. You may be able to gain enough support to create change.

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Should High Schools Start Later so Teens Can Get More Sleep?

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The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends delaying school start times, but most school districts are not planning to start school later.

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Public schools across the country are cutting their budgets in creative ways that challenge community stakeholders. One example is moving to a four-day school week. The four-day schedule has a nearly 50-year history in the United States, and of the 15,000 school districts in the country, over 560 have moved to a four-day schedule.

A four-day schedule can free up professional development time for teachers and save school districts a modest amount of money, but the change involves challenges for school stakeholders. Schools considering this move need to weigh the pros and cons carefully.

The Benefits of Moving to a Four-Day School Week
Financial
By altering the traditional school schedule, the idea is that districts can save money. Each school day involves expenses like utilities and water consumption, as well as meals and cafeteria expenses. Many school staff members earn hourly wages, so labor savings can add up on the days when they do not work.

Educational
During a four-day school week, teachers use the fifth day for professional development and in service. Proponents of this type of school scheduling suggest students can use this time for special tutoring or enrichment activities. Further, many schools that switch to a four-day week extend existing school days, so students benefit from longer class periods involving more hands-on learning.
Athletic
Athletics tend to take up a lot of school time. Many schools that opt for a four-day school week also change their athletic schedules to include practices and meets on the fifth day so that athletics do not interfere with academics.
Attendance
Many students and staff miss days due to appointments and other engagements. Having one unscheduled day a week allows them to schedule those appointments outside of school hours. This can prevent students from falling behind and keep teachers from taking unneeded personal days.
Supervision
The longer school days of the four-day schedule means students get home around the time their parents return from work. This means afterschool programs may not be necessary, which will save parents money and ensure that kids are not coming home to empty houses.

The Challenges of Moving to a Four-Day School Week
Financial
Changing school scheduling means parents will need to secure childcare for the days children are not in school. The cost of safe and effective childcare, as well as additional expenses for meals at home that are normally provided in school, makes out of school costs increase for parents. For families on a budget, this expense can be burdensome to the point of being unfeasible.
Extracurricular
While schools can move athletic practices and meets to the unscheduled fifth day of the week, the four-day schedule will not leave time for additional practices throughout the week. Furthermore, some families may not be able to accommodate the athletic schedules of the fifth day, which means students may not get to participate in extracurricular activities.
Personal
For some children, school is the safest environment. At school, they get regular meals, supervised recreation, and meaningful adult attention. For these children, a five-day school week is usually the better option.
Physical
Longer days mean wearier children. The younger the child, the more difficult an eight-hour school day can be. For older children, a longer day means even longer nights doing homework. This leaves little time for play, relaxation and exercise.

Should Schools Drop a Day of the Week?

Like everything else in the educational system, every decision affecting such a large group of stakeholders requires a great deal of thought. When districts consider a four-day school week, they should take a full year to conduct research and discuss the challenges with all stakeholders prior to implementing a plan.
Learn more about Lamar University's online M.Ed. in Administration program National Conference of State Legislatures: Four-Day School Week Overview The Journalist's Resource: The Four-Day School Week: Research Behind the Trend .
Sources:

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The Pros and Cons of a Four-Day School Week - Lamar University Online

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A four-day schedule can free up professional development time for teachers and save school districts a modest amount of money but involves challenges for school stakeholders.

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What are the Pros and Cons of 4-Day School Weeks? - The Edvocate

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Spread the loveThe four-day school is a phenomenon that has been sweeping across the U.S. When I was a teacher, many moons ago, this was a fringe schooling schedule only practiced by rural school districts. Why did they switch to 4-day school weeks? It was a kneejerk response to dwindling education…

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#1 Study links later middle, high school start times to better student achievement

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#1 Study links later middle, high school start times to better student achievement

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Dive Brief:

Changes in school start times have a "significant effect" on the amount of sleep and reported grade point averages of students, according to a working paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. The researchers examined eight districts in Minnesota, four of which transitioned to later start times between 2016 and 2019, affecting 38,019 students in grades 5, 8, 9 and 11.

Findings suggest districts that moved to later start times saw students' GPAs increase by an average of 0.14 points overall, while predicted GPA increases ranged from 0.10 to 0.17 points. Although the effect on GPAs was "small," said coauthor Rik Lamm, a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota, "it is still meaningful for every student whose grades were helped by only the policy decisions of district leaders."

In addition, the odds of meeting recommended hours of sleep for students - nine or more hours for students in grades 5 and 8, and eight or more hours for students in grades 9 and 11 - in districts with later start times increased by 16%.

Dive Insight:

"At a time when school budgets are tight, this is an inexpensive option to increase academic outcomes, as well as the physical and mental health of students, that's fairly easy to implement," said Julio Caesar, research scientist in the evaluation and assessment department at Bloomington Public Schools in Minnesota and a coauthor of the paper.

While there have been numerous studies on the physical and mental health improvements associated with delayed school start times, spurring a nationwide movement for the change, studies linking academic outcomes with later start times have been more scarce, the researchers said.

Studies that have investigated the latter point out later start times are linked to better behavior and outcomes for low-income and minority high school students. Later start times have also been shown to benefit middle-schoolers.

Despite pushes for later start times from parents, educators, public health experts and advocates, researchers have found school start times have not changed much over the years. According to 2014 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 93% of high schools and 83% of middle schools in the U.S. started before 8:30 a.m.

While the start time recommended by the American Pediatrics Association for middle and high schools is after 8:30 a.m., the majority of schools (76%) in the 2011-12 school year had a start time between 7:30 a.m. and 8:29 a.m. Only 18% of schools started after the recommended time.

Data from the 2017-18 school year shows, overall, school start times did not change in the following years. Rather, there were a smaller percentage of schools with a start time at or after 8:30 a.m.

However, with the COVID-19 pandemic pushing education leaders to rethink how, where and when learning takes place, now may also be a prime time to consider changes to the school day.

Utah's Salt Lake City School Board, for example, voted unanimously to delay its high school start times. Others, like West Virginia's Ohio County Board of Education, Massachusetts' Worcester Public Schools, and Minnesota's District 624 have also recently proposed changes as late as 9:15 a.m.

There are, however, logistical changes and expenses associated with later start times to consider, like altered bus routes. And some districts that have changed to later start times haven't seen the academic improvements boasted by studies.

Still, researchers wrote in the working paper that the findings should provide school districts with more data to guide potential school start time changes.

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Study links later middle, high school start times to better student achievement

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Changes in school start times have a "significant effect" on the amount of sleep and reported grade point averages of students, according to a working paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association.

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Shortening the school week to four days has become an increasingly common trend over the last decade.

Reasons for implementing the shorter week vary, but most school districts implement a shorter week seeking to cut costs due to budget constraints. Research shows that the maximum possible cost savings for districts on a four-day week is 5.43 percent, but average savings range from 0.4 to 2.5 percent. The vast majority of four-day week schools are in small, rural districts; however, in recent years some larger, more urban districts have begun to consider the option of a shorter week.

Most four-day week schools operate Monday through Thursday, with a few opting for Tuesday through Friday. School days are lengthened to deliver the same amount of instructional time over fewer days, as required by state law. Some schools may offer optional enrichment activities, tutoring, or schedule time for teacher development during the fifth day.

Best available research indicates that approximately 560 districts in 25 states have one or more schools on a four-day schedule. More than half of these districts are located in four states-Colorado, Montana, Oklahoma and Oregon-where a significant portion of districts have opted into the four-day week.

While the number of districts in these states is significant, the overall share of the student population on the four-day week is relatively small. For example, Colorado has the largest proportion of public school districts with one or more schools on a four-day week at 98. This number represents more than half of the total school districts in the state, but only about 13 percent of the student population.

Source: Heyward, Georgia. What Do We Actually Know about the Four-Day School Week? Seattle: Center on Reinventing Public Education, 2018.

How States Implement the Four-Day Week

School calendars are dictated by states' minimum instructional time requirements, which are in turn tied to funding formulas. Schools not meeting the minimum instructional time requirements will receive less funding from the state. Therefore, it is likely only schools operating in states where a four-day week does not violate these requirements would seek to do so.

Most states allow districts to opt into a four-day week, either through flexible requirements, explicit administrative rules, or a waiver approval process. The level of legislative involvement in this process varies. Most statutory guidelines do not specifically list four-day school weeks as an allowable schedule, but may allow calendar flexibility by expressing that the minimum instructional day requirement can also be counted in the hour or minute equivalent.

Some states establish additional guidelines school districts must follow to transition to a four-day week, but do not monitor the process directly or track the number of districts opting into such a schedule. Other states require districts to submit their four-day plans to the state education commissioner or superintendent for approval. In California, districts can only be granted permission to adopt a four-day week if specific legislation is passed. California also enacted legislation in 2014 stipulating that any school not meeting its academic performance targets would have its authority to operate on a four-day schedule revoked.

Pros and Cons of the Four-Day Week

Proponents of four-day school weeks say that even though cost savings are minimal, they are achieved. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that attendance improves; parents and teachers can schedule doctor's appointments and other weekday commitments for Fridays rather than during school days. District administrators also claim that the appeal of a four-day work week helps recruit teachers in areas where it is consistently difficult to attract new staff.

Opponents argue that longer school days are difficult for students, particularly those in elementary grades. Four-day school weeks can also pose a challenge to families who are unable to find affordable, enriching care arrangements on the fifth weekday. Further, students who are food insecure may not have access to sufficient meals during the off day. If optional activities are offered by schools on the fifth day, lack of transportation could limit access.

What the Research Says

Education researchers have pointed out that little is known about the effects of a four-day week on student outcomes. While large-scale research studies have yet to be performed, some state-specific studies have been published. The results are mixed; one study of students in Colorado showed a statistically significant improvement in math scores among students on a four-day schedule, while a similar study found no significant differences in student performance.

An report from Oregon State University showed a temporary decline in academic performance among students who switched to a four-day schedule, particularly among minority, low-income, and special needs students. Four years after the transition, student performance in four-day schools was not significantly different from that of five-day schools. These results make it difficult to draw conclusions about the effects on student outcomes.

A recent study in Colorado revealed another potential negative consequence of four-day weeks: increased juvenile crime. The authors estimate that shifting to a four-day schedule increases juvenile arrests for property crime-especially larceny- by 73 percent, but there was no change in drug-related or violent crimes. The increase in property crime was observed on all days of the week, not just spiking on the day when school is not in session.

Future of the Four-Day Week

There is not yet a complete picture of how four-day school weeks impact students and their families, but it is clear that more districts are adopting the schedule each year. While these districts are primarily smaller and rural, a few notable exceptions have raised questions about the possibility of more urban districts moving toward a four-day week.

Colorado School District 27J, located in the Denver metro area, announced that it would move to a four-day week starting in the 2018-19 school year. With an enrollment of more than 17,000, it is by far the largest district in the state to adopt the four-day schedule. For a fee, the district provides full-day child care on Mondays for students age 5 to 12, but the district is still evaluating needs and capacity for these programs. The local Boys & Girls Club also expanded its services on Mondays.

Additional Resources

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national conference of state legislatures

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Shortening the school week to four days has become an increasingly common trend over the last decade. Reasons for implementing the shorter week vary, but most school districts implement a shorter week seeking to cut costs due to budget constraints.

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#3 Do later school start times help sleep-starved teens in Seattle?

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#3 Do later school start times help sleep-starved teens in Seattle?

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Newsela | Does the early bird always catch the worm? Seattle high schools say no

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Most middle schools and all high schools in Seattle have adopted later start times in an effort to help students get a bit more shut-eye.

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#4 Seattle schools change start time for teens to allow them more sleep

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#4 Seattle schools change start time for teens to allow them more sleep

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Newsela | Sleepy in Seattle: Schools move start time to manage teens' need for zzz's

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#5 Despite benefits, half of parents against later school start times

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#5 Despite benefits, half of parents against later school start times

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Leading pediatrics and sleep associations agree: Teens shouldn't start school so early.

Yet University of Michigan research finds parents are split almost down the middle on whether they support delays in school start times that might permit their 13- to 17-year-olds to sleep later on school days.

The results come from a nationally representative survey through the U-M C.S. Mott Children's Hospital Poll on Children's Health. In it, 554 parents whose teens all start school before 8:30 a.m. shared opinions on how much sleep their children need and whether later school start times are a good idea. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the journal of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

"We found that parents underestimated how much sleep their children needed, and only about half agreed with existing recommendations that school start times should be later," says lead researcher Galit Dunietz, Ph.D., MPH, a postdoctoral research fellow in neurology at Michigan Medicine.

School start time recommendations issued by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics take into account teens' natural circadian rhythms. Teens often have a daily inner clock that runs longer than 24 hours.

This makes it difficult for them to go to sleep when the rest of the family does. And they often find it challenging to get up early and be on time for a school day that starts before 8:30 a.m.

"Many teens would do fine if they could go to bed late and sleep late in the morning," says senior study author and neurologist Ronald Chervin, M.D., M.S., director of the U-M Sleep Disorders Center. "But they can be late to school or become chronically sleep-deprived when classes start early every weekday."
How much sleep teens need
Although surveyed parents thought their middle and high schoolers could function properly on seven hours or less of sleep, teens need much more.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends teens ages 13 to 18 sleep eight to 10 hours every night. The National Sleep Foundation also recommends eight to 10 hours for most 14- to 17-year-olds.

"If their bodies don't tell them they're tired until 11 p.m. or later and then they have to be at school before 7:30 a.m., many of these teens experience a chronic sleep debt," says Dunietz, also with the U-M Sleep Disorders Center.

And the effects of chronic sleep debt reach far beyond feeling tired in the classroom (though that's also a problem).

A lack of zzz's can result in decreased brainpower -- a major issue for high schoolers driving early in the morning -- as well as an increased chance of mood disorders (such as depression), obesity and risky behaviors, Dunietz says.
A 50-50 split
In the study, 51 percent of parents supported later school start times.

Among those opposing the shift, Dunietz says, many had logistical concerns with later school starts. Respondents cited transportation issues, as well as worries about fitting in after-school activities and adjusting meal times.

But schools that have pushed back start times report negligible -- if any -- negative effects, she says.

Parents who thought more sleep would benefit their children's health or academic performance were more likely to support the switch.
Real results
To find support for school start times of 8:30 a.m. or later, Dunietz says to look no further than schools that have made the change. It hasn't happened in a majority of districts, but teens who do have later school start times are sleeping longer and are more alert during the day. Later school start times are reported to have had a positive effect on athletic performance, even when practice times are shorter to accommodate the later end of the school day.

"There's evidence that it's a win-win for everyone," she says. "We cannot change teens' biology to have them sleep earlier, so we should push the school start times back, in line with recommendations from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics."

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sleep disorder research; insomnia research; children's health; staying healthy; sleep disorders; insomnia; k-12 education; child psychology

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Despite benefits, half of parents against later school start times

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Leading pediatrics and sleep associations agree: Teens shouldn't start school so early. Yet recent research finds parents are split almost down the middle on whether they support delays in school start times that might permit their 13- to 17-year-olds to sleep later on school days.

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#7 Pros and Cons of Starting School Late

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#7 Pros and Cons of Starting School Late

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Most parents find that their children aren't able to wake up early thinking them to be lazy. But that isn't always true since countless studies have shown that teens require at least about 9 hours of sleep each day for boosting their metabolism and maintaining their good health.

Teens with the early school are forced to wake up before they complete their recommended sleep cycle resulting in sleep depletion. Thus, teenagers undergo countless changes because of their sleep depletion and also might degrade their academic performance

Starting School Late. Is it a Need?

School activities aren't only limited within the school and students are also required to do their homework and or some projects after school for which they need enough energy. Without enough sleep, students can't go through the day and develop a habit of caffeine dependency.

Such a habit, if allowed to grow, might eventually turn into tobacco or alcohol dependency. Students can be saved from these negative impacts if they are allowed to complete their required sleep time, which as some might feel can't be possible only by trying to sleep early.

With the delay of at least 1 hour of starting the school, students might just get enough time to complete their sleep and stay fresh throughout the day. But, that being said, late school timings aren't always desirable and or possible due to some complications, and administrators must carefully consider the following pros and cons before making any change to the school timing.

Pros of Starting Schools Late

Shifting the start time of the school back can result in students receiving the following benefits:

1. Limits Caffeine Addiction

Delayed school start times allow students to complete their needed sleep cycle and remain active and fresh throughout the day allowing them to perform all the necessary school and household activities easily without any aid of caffeine products like coffee, thus reducing the chance of students getting addicted.

2. Decreases the Chance of Health Problems

As mentioned above, if students are able to complete their sleep cycle, the chance of being sleep depleted drops to minimal which then causes the decrement of any health problem due to sleep depletion such as irritability, clumsiness, etc. in those teenagers. It also reduces the likelihood of sleeping pills usage.

3. Enhances Academic Enactment

Academic enactment is greatly influenced by one's ability to focus on the issues and concentrate during the class, which isn't possible until unless they have completed their 8 to 9 hours of sleep. Late school periods grant students that opportunity.

4. Low Risk of Accidents

Vehicle crashes among teenagers occur due to several factors whereas, drowsiness can be considered as one of the major influences in such crashes as teenagers with sleep depletion tend to have difficulty in focusing on the road, and have delayed reaction time. Thus, with the late start of the school, students might just get enough time necessary to complete their sleep.

5. Shortens Mood Fluctuation

It is often believed that teens with moody attitudes are suffering from depression or some sort of emotional disability, which isn't always true as several studies have proven that lack of sleep also results in the symptoms of such emotional disability such as mood fluctuation, anxiety, etc. That sleepiness can be solved in students by adjusting their school start times. It can give more time to start with a calming meditation in the morning before going to school.

Cons of Starting Schools Late

Regardless of the pros, consideration of delaying the school start times should only be taken seriously after understanding the below-described demerits brought forth by them:

1. Interrupts Parent's Work Schedule

Houses where parents usually work 9 to 5 will have to experience disruptions in their schedules if the school start times of their children shift to later. Parents won't be able to see off their children and in case of students with no bus service, the mismatch of the timing can cause some trouble getting to and from the school.

2. Limits Tutoring Prospects

Many parents aren't equipped with enough time after their office hours to help their children with their studies and want to put their children in some tuition classes. But with a delay in the start of school hours, the end will also eventually shift backwards, thus limiting the time for students to conduct theirs after school activities along with tuition classes.

3. Develops Habit of Staying up Late

Some students might think of the delay in the school starting time to be an excuse for staying up late at night either watching television or studying, which might eventually lead to the development of a habit in those students to stay up late at night.

4. Disrupts After School Activities

As mentioned above, with the shifting of the school start hours, the end hours too gets shifted and thus might just result in limited time after school before dawn. Thus, students involved in extra-curricular activities or sports find the timing to be very inconvenient.

5. Transport Problems

Most elementary schools adjust their start time to be around 9 am to facilitate the young ones completing their sleep before school as well as to limit traffic jams in the area. But with the shifting start times at many high schools, there will be a marked increase in traffic congestion within that area.

Conclusion

Summarizing, a late start to school can result in advantageous outcomes considering the health benefits it grants teens and the potential for a more effective approach to education. With a delay in the start time, students can eat properly before they attend school, which will give them enough strength to go through the day. Coupled with a healthy diet and lifestyle, we can contribute to healthier future generations.

However, starting school late can result in disrupting the schedule and lessening the time it takes for students to undergo any after school activities such as sports. The delayed start time might also hamper the studies of some students, as they aren't equipped with enough time to study at their homes after completing their homework.

Thus, when considering what to accept and what to cast off, the decision to delay the school start hours could well have been simplified for you after understanding the pros and cons of the decision to delay the start of school hours.
References
(Last Updated On: March 10, 2021)

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Most parents find that their children aren't able to wake up early thinking them to be lazy. But that isn't always true since countless studies have shown that teens require at least about 9 hours of sleep each day for boosting their metabolism and maintaining their good health.

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#6 25 States Are Testing 4-Day School Weeks—Will Yours Be Next?

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#6 25 States Are Testing 4-Day School Weeks—Will Yours Be Next?

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Making the switch to a four-day school week is a growing trend in districts across the country. Once a practice reserved for rural districts, the idea is catching on in suburban and urban areas as well. Research by The National Conference of State Legislatures estimates 560 school districts in 25 states have at least one school with a four-day schedule. Leading the charge are Colorado (55%), New Mexico (43%), Idaho (38%), and Oregon (32%).

SOURCE: Center on Reinventing Public Education

While the majority of districts cite financial reasons as the major reason for making the change, the concept has issues on both sides, from academic achievement and equity issues to life-work balance and teacher retention.

Pros to a Four-Day School Week

Financial Benefits

Most school districts cite budget constraints as the top reason for making the change. Cutting back services to four days a week helps districts reduce overhead costs, particularly in the categories of building operations and maintenance, transportation and food service. Although a report from the Education Commission of the States declares the overall savings small (an average savings of between 0.4% and 2.5%) the difference can lead to big savings. In Duval County School District in Jacksonville, Florida, moving to a four-day week produced only a paltry-sounding 0.7 percent savings. But that figure translated to a budget reduction of $7 million.

More Teachers

Proponents claim a four-day work week helps attract and retain quality teachers. After Colorado's District 27J switched to four-day school weeks, their recruiting prospects jumped from a handful of applicants to over 100 per opening. This includes what superintendent Chris Fiedler calls "harder vacancies," such as special ed and secondary math positions. In addition, the pool included more highly qualified applicants with master's degrees and special certifications. Most impressive, the district's teacher turnover rate dropped from over 21 percent to just 13 percent this year.

Improved Quality of Life

Compacting school into just four days a week leaves more time for kids to spend with family, friends and outside interests. Older students can spend time engaging in resumé-building public service or paid work. Teachers have more time to prepare lessons and collaborate during the day.

In addition, having an extra day each week to schedule appointments and family trips results in improved attendance. After all, when each day counts as 25% of the learning, students are less likely to miss a day. Looking forward to a three-day weekend each week leads to greater work-life balance for teachers, which leads to improved staff morale and a positive impact on what is taught in classrooms.

Cons to a Four-Day School Week

It's inequitable.

Opponents of the four-day school week point out the difficulties for lower income families. Finding childcare for just one day a week is often difficult and costly. And since most adults work five days a week, chances are that many children will simply find themselves in non-school "school" settings, like daycares, on the remaining day. It's not exactly the idyllic three-day weekend that proponents of the adjusted schedule put forth.

Not to mention, many students rely on school food services for the majority of their meals. For these children, adding an extra day to the weekend comes at a real cost.

Longer days are tough on the youngest learners.

School days are long enough for preschoolers, kindergarteners and primary students. Switching to a four-day school week extends the school day by an hour to an hour and a half. With limited capacity for learning and retention, these long days may have negatively affect achievement and students' attitudes.

Extracurriculars are adversely affected.

Students who wish to participate in after school sports and clubs may have fewer opportunities, especially if other schools in their district operate on different hours. In addition, transportation may not be available because of late start and finish times.

Kids need structure.

Some opponents worry about the unstructured, unsupervised free time that goes with a shorter school week. One study of schools in Colorado showed a direct correlation between a four day schedule and juvenile crime. Juvenile arrests for property crimes, especially larceny, increased by 73%, although no change was reported in drug related or violent crimes.

When it comes to academic outcomes, the jury is still out.

Opinions differ when it comes to measuring student achievement in the context of the four-day school week. One study, reported in Education Finance and Policy, reports a positive relationship between the four-day week and student performance in reading and math, using standardized test results. Another study, cited in Rural Educator, found no significant difference in the mean levels of overall academic achievement between four-day districts and five-day districts. However, an unpublished Oregon study found a temporary decline in academic performance among minority, low-income and special needs students, in particular. Time and more research are needed to determine whether the change leads to positive or negative results.
Has your district made the move to a four-day week? If so, come share your experience in our WeAreTeacher HELPLINE group on Facebook. Plus, what teachers need if the U.S. ever wants to see another globally-competitive generation.

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25 States Are Testing 4-Day School Weeks-Will Yours Be Next?

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Making the switch to a four-day school week is a growing trend in districts across the country. Once a practice reserved for rural districts, the idea is catching on in suburban and urban areas as well. Research by The National Conference of State Legislatures estimates 560 school districts in 25 states have at least one school with a four-day schedule.

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#9 What this school district learned from a 4-day week

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#9 What this school district learned from a 4-day week

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What this school district learned from a 4-day week

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#8 How Would Later School Start Times Affect Sleep?

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#8 How Would Later School Start Times Affect Sleep?

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In the United States, the average This time varies, though, depending on the state. Except for eight outlying states, each state's average start time is between 7:45 a.m. and 8:15 a.m.

Other start time factors include the location of the school district and the school type. For example, 54% of high schools in the suburbs start before 8:00 a.m. By contrast, over half of charter high schools start after 8:00 a.m., and high schools with fewer than 200 students begin around 8:15 a.m on average. (This study did not include data on private schools.)

Data on average middle school start times is less recent and does not include public charter or private schools. When assessed by the CDC for the 2011-2012 school year, the average start time at This is slightly later than high schools. The middle school start times varied widely, too, depending on the state. This study also noted the start time for combined middle and high schools; the average was 8:08 a.m.

Both the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that both middle and high schools begin Both organizations want to ensure students get adequate sleep so that they are alert and prepared to learn at school.

Biology plays a large factor in the sleep cycles of children and adolescents. Around the beginning of puberty, most adolescents experience later sleep onset and wake times, also called "phase delay". This phase delay can shift the body's internal clock back by up to two hours. As a result, the average teenager cannot fall asleep until 11:00 p.m. and would do best waking up at 8:00 a.m. or even later.

A later school start time helps accommodate this biological need. Overall care for sleep hygiene, such as having a good night's sleep and following back-to-school sleep tips, can also help adolescents regulate their sleep.

Other factors that affect student sleep are . American middle and high school students often take on various extracurricular activities - such as sports, clubs, and jobs - which often extend into the evening hours. High school students also have more homework, late-night technology use, and fewer parent-set bedtimes, all of which may cause students to stay up later than is appropriate for getting adequate sleep.

Countless studies have shown that early school start times are associated with students getting less sleep, which negatively affects student academic performance. Students with less sleep have difficulty paying attention in class and are likely to have lower grades. They may also experience irritability and fatigue.

Other concerns with early school start times and the resulting insufficient sleep include:

Increased likelihood for participating in risk-taking behaviors, such as bullying and fighting.

Greater chance of unhealthy behaviors including alcohol and drug use and tobacco smoking.

National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. Higher risk of athletic injury View Source .

An increase of depressive symptoms including suicidal ideation.

Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.

A lack of sleep also has long-term physical and mental health consequences. Poor quantity and quality of sleep can lead to health concerns such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.

Later school start times support the biological needs of adolescents; they increase the amount of sleep adolescents get. Other benefits of later start times include:

Improved attendance at school.

Decreased tardiness.

American Psychological Association (APA) APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 121,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students as its members. Better student grades View Source .

Fewer occurrences of falling asleep in class.

Reduced irritability and depressive symptoms.

Fewer disciplinary issues.

16.5% decrease in the teenage crash rate National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. A decline of motor vehicle crashes. One study showed a View Source after the school start time was pushed back one hour.

Disadvantages of Later School Start Times

While there are numerous benefits of later school start times, there are a few possible negative outcomes:

Scheduling conflicts. These may arise for athletic and academic competitions against schools with earlier start times and therefore an earlier dismissal.

Transportation challenges. Later start times will likely mean more busses on the road later in the day; this could create more traffic and increase travel delays.

Childcare. Some families rely on older students to care for younger siblings after school; this may be more difficult if high schools dismiss later than elementary or middle schools.

However, these problems can likely be solved with flexibility and thoughtful planning.

If you are concerned about a too-early start time for your child's school, consider contacting your school board or other educational leaders to discuss delaying school start time.

Learn more about our Editorial Team

References

1. Consensus Conference Panel, Watson, N. F., Badr, M. S., Belenky, G., Bliwise, D. L., Buxton, O. M., Buysse, D., Dinges, D. F., Gangwisch, J., Grandner, M. A., Kushida, C., Malhotra, R. K., Martin, J. L., Patel, S. R., Quan, S. F., Tasali, E., Non-Participating Observers, Twery, M., Croft, J. B., Maher, E., ... Heald, J. L. (2015). Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: A joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 11(6), 591-592.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25979105/

2. Wheaton, A. G., Jones, S. E., Cooper, A. C., Croft, J. B. (2018). Short sleep duration among middle school and high school students - United States, 2015. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 67, 85-90.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6703a1.htm?s_cid=mm6703a1_w

3. Sawyer, H., Taie, S., & Westat. (2020, February). Start Time for U.S. Public High Schools. The Institute of Education Sciences.
https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020006/index.asp

4. Wheaton AG, Ferro GA, Croft JB. School Start Times for Middle School and High School Students - United States, 2011-12 School Year. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2015;64(30);809-813.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6430a1.htm

5. Adolescent Sleep Working Group; Committee on Adolescence; Council on School Health. School start times for adolescents. Pediatrics. 2014 Sep;134(3):642-9.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25156998/

6. Wheaton AG, Chapman DP, Croft JB. School Start Times, Sleep, Behavioral, Health, and Academic Outcomes: A Review of the Literature. J Sch Health. 2016 May;86(5):363-81.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27040474/

7. Watson NF, Martin JL, Wise MS, Carden KA, Kirsch DB, Kristo DA, Malhotra RK, Olson EJ, Ramar K, Rosen IM, Rowley JA, Weaver TE, Chervin RD; American Academy of Sleep Medicine Board of Directors. Delaying Middle School and High School Start Times Promotes Student Health and Performance: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Position Statement. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017 Apr 15;13(4):623-625.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28416043/

8. The American Psychological Association. (2014). Later School Start Times Promote Adolescent Well-Being., Retrieved January 26, 2021 from
https://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/school-start-times.pdf

9. Danner F, Phillips B. Adolescent sleep, school start times, and teen motor vehicle crashes. J Clin Sleep Med. 2008 Dec 15;4(6):533-5.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19110880/

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How Would Later School Start Times Affect Sleep? | Sleep Foundation

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Experts recommend middle and high schools begin no sooner than 8:30 a.m. Later school start times will increase adolescent sleep and improve their performance.

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#10 Why Schools Should Start Later – Video Podcast

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#10 Why Schools Should Start Later – Video Podcast

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Why Schools Should Start Later – Video Podcast

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#12 The four-day school week: Research shows benefits and consequences

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#12 The four-day school week: Research shows benefits and consequences

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To save money and help with teacher recruitment, a growing number of public schools are taking Fridays off. We've gathered research on the benefits and consequences of four-day school weeks.

We have updated this post, originally published on June 5, 2018, to include new figures, research and other information.
To save money and help with teacher recruitment, numerous school districts in the United States have decided to give students and employees Fridays off. An estimated 560 districts in 25 states have allowed at least one of their schools to adopt a four-day school week, with most moving to a Monday-to-Thursday schedule, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. Generally, schools make up for the lost day by adding extra time to the remaining four days.

Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico and South Dakota are among the states leading the trend, which is especially popular in rural areas in the Midwest. In Colorado alone, 111 out of the state's 178 school districts are using a compressed schedule, The Colorado Sun reports. Meanwhile, four-day scheduling started spreading so quickly across New Mexico that lawmakers have placed a moratorium on the practice until state leaders can study its impact on student performance and working-class families.

Just days ago, school board members in Norfolk, Arkansas voted unanimously to move to a four-day week for their district beginning next school year - the second district in the state to do so. News reports show that education officials in Alaska, Missouri, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming are currently debating the option.

Critics point out the change can be tough on lower-income parents, who may have trouble paying for childcare on the day their kids no longer have class. Also, low-income students rely on public schools for almost half their meals - breakfasts and lunches during the week. Paul T. Hill, a research professor at the University of Washington Bothell who founded the Center on Reinventing Public Education, has argued that while some adults like the new schedule, this "troubling development" could end up hurting rural students.

"The idea has proved contagious because adults like it: Teachers have more free time, and stay-at-home parents like the convenience of taking kids to doctors and doing errands on Friday," Hill co-wrote in a piece published on the Brown Center Chalkboard blog in 2017. "If local leaders are lucky, graduates of these schools won't be any less well educated than their siblings who went to school all week. But, in an environment where young rural adults already suffer from isolation and low economic opportunity, the shorter school week could exacerbate their problems."

It appears that while a truncated schedule does cut costs, the savings is small. A 2011 report from the Education Commission of the States examined six school districts and found that switching to a four-day schedule helped them shave their budgets by 0.4 percent to 2.5 percent. "In the Duval [County, Florida] school district, moving to a four-day week produced only a 0.7 percent savings, yet that resulted in a budget reduction of $7 million. That $7 million could be used to retain up to 70 teaching positions," the report states.

Scholars have conducted little peer-reviewed research on the topic in recent years. To help journalists cover this issue, we've pulled together some of the newest academic journal articles and government reports. Below, we also provide links to other resources, including a 50-state comparison of local laws outlining student instructional time requirements.

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"Three Midwest Rural School Districts' First Year Transition to the Four Day School Week"
Turner, Jon; Finch, Kim; Uribe-Zarain, Ximena. The Rural Educator, 2019. DOI: 10.35608/ruraled.v40i1.529.

Abstract: "The four-day school week is a concept that has been utilized in rural schools for decades to respond to budgetary shortfalls. There has been little peer-reviewed research on the four-day school week that has focused on the perception of parents who live in school districts that have recently switched to the four-day model. This study collects data from 584 parents in three rural Missouri school districts that have transitioned to the four-day school week within the last year. Quantitative statistical analysis identifies significant differences in the perceptions of parents classified by the age of children, special education identification, and free and reduced lunch status. Strong parental support for the four-day school week was identified in all demographic areas investigated; however, families with only elementary aged children and families with students receiving special education services were less supportive than other groups."

Abstract: "We leverage the adoption of a four-day school week across schools within the jurisdiction of rural law enforcement agencies in Colorado to examine the causal link between school attendance and youth crime. Those affected by the policy attend school for the same number of hours each week as students on a typical five-day week; however, treated students do not attend school on Friday. This policy allows us to learn about two aspects of the school-crime relationship that have previously been unstudied: one, the effects of a frequent and permanent schedule change on short-term crime, and two, the impact that school attendance has on youth crime in rural areas. Our difference-in-difference estimates show that following policy adoption, agencies containing students on a four-day week experience about a 20 percent increase in juvenile criminal offenses, where the strongest effect is observed for property crime."

Abstract: "The four-day school week is a concept that has been utilized in rural schools for decades to respond to budgetary shortfalls. There has been little peer-reviewed research on the four-day school week that has focused on the perception of staff that work in school districts that have recently switched to the four-day model. This study collects data from 136 faculty and staff members in three rural Missouri school districts that have transitioned to the four-day school week within the last year. Quantitative statistical analysis identifies strong support of the four-day school week model from both certified educational staff and classified support staff perspectives. All staff responded that the calendar change had improved staff morale, and certified staff responded that the four-day week had a positive impact on what is taught in classrooms and had increased academic quality. Qualitative analysis identifies staff suggestions for schools implementing the four-day school week including the importance of community outreach prior to implementation. No significant differences were identified between certified and classified staff perspectives. Strong staff support for the four-day school week was identified in all demographic areas investigated. Findings support conclusions made in research in business and government sectors that identify strong employee support of a compressed workweek across all work categories."

Abstract: "The four-day school week is a concept that has been utilized in rural schools in the United States for decades and the number of schools moving to the four-day school week is growing. In many rural communities, the school district is the largest regional employer which provides a region with permanent, high paying jobs that support the local economy. This study collects data from 71 community and business leaders in three rural school districts that have transitioned to the four-day school week within the last year. Quantitative statistical analysis is used to investigate the perceptions of community and business leaders related to the economic impact upon their businesses and the community and the impact the four-day school week has had upon perception of quality of the school district. Significant differences were identified between community/business leaders that currently have no children in school as compared to community/business leaders with children currently enrolled in four-day school week schools. Overall, community/business leaders were evenly divided concerning the economic impact on their businesses and the community. Community/business leaders' perceptions of the impact the four-day school week was also evenly divided concerning the impact on the quality of the school district. Slightly more negative opinions were identified related to the economic impact on the profitability of their personal businesses which may impact considerations by school leaders. Overall, community/business leaders were evenly divided when asked if they would prefer their school district return to the traditional five-day week school calendar."

"Impact of a 4-Day School Week on Student Academic Performance, Food Insecurity, and Youth Crime"
Report from the Oklahoma State Department of Health's Office of Partner Engagement, 2017.

Summary: "A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) utilizes a variety of data sources and analytic methods to evaluate the consequences of proposed or implemented policy on health. A rapid (HIA) was chosen to research the impact of the four-day school week on youth. The shift to a four-day school week was a strategy employed by many school districts in Oklahoma to address an $878 million budget shortfall, subsequent budget cuts, and teacher shortages. The HIA aimed to assess the impact of the four-day school week on student academic performance, food insecurity, and juvenile crime ... An extensive review of literature and stakeholder engagement on these topic areas was mostly inconclusive or did not reveal any clear-cut evidence to identify effects of the four-day school week on student outcomes - academic performance, food insecurity or juvenile crime. Moreover, there are many published articles about the pros and cons of the four-day school week, but a lack of comprehensive research is available on the practice."

Abstract: "School districts use a variety of policies to close budget gaps and stave off teacher layoffs and furloughs. More schools are implementing four-day school weeks to reduce overhead and transportation costs. The four-day week requires substantial schedule changes as schools must increase the length of their school day to meet minimum instructional hour requirements. Although some schools have indicated this policy eases financial pressures, it is unknown whether there is an impact on student outcomes. We use school-level data from Colorado to investigate the relationship between the four-day week and academic performance among elementary school students. Our results generally indicate a positive relationship between the four-day week and performance in reading and mathematics. These findings suggest there is little evidence that moving to a four-day week compromises student academic achievement. This research has policy relevance to the current U.S. education system, where many school districts must cut costs."
Other resources Looking for more research on public schools? Check out our other collections of research on student lunches, school uniforms, teacher salaries and teacher misconduct.
Teacher salaries impact the types of educators working in schools

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The four-day school week: Research behind the trend

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To save money and help with teacher recruitment, a growing number of public schools are taking Fridays off. We've gathered research on the benefits and consequences of four-day school weeks. We have updated this post, originally published on June 5, 2018, to include new figures, research and other information.

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#11 WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF 4-DAY SCHOOL WEEKS?

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#11 WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF 4-DAY SCHOOL WEEKS?

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What are the Pros and Cons of 4-Day School Weeks? - The Edvocate

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Spread the loveThe four-day school is a phenomenon that has been sweeping across the U.S. When I was a teacher, many moons ago, this was a fringe schooling schedule only practiced by rural school districts. Why did they switch to 4-day school weeks? It was a kneejerk response to dwindling education…

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#13 Teens show improved grades, attendance with later school start time, researchers find

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#13 Teens show improved grades, attendance with later school start time, researchers find

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Teens show improved grades, attendance with later school start time, researchers find

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#14 Small, rural schools going to a four-day week of classes

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#14 Small, rural schools going to a four-day week of classes

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Newsela | Small, rural schools going to a four-day week of classes

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With their students off on Mondays, the schools have teachers come in for staff development sessions and technology training. Advocates say this means better-prepared teachers.