The Rise of the 4-Day School Week in the U.S.

A growing number of school districts in the United States are adopting a four-day school week, with hundreds of districts across the country making the switch in recent years. While smaller, rural districts have been more likely to favor this schedule, larger districts are now shortening their school weeks in an effort to recruit and retain teachers amidst a national teacher shortage. However, there is currently limited evidence on the academic impact of the four-day school week. Some parents have expressed concerns about the impact of a shorter week, but proponents hope that this shift will lead to a broader conversation about supporting the teaching profession.