Should Schools Adopt a Four-Day Week?

1. Set Focus
Frame the inquiry with these essential questions: Why is school important? What services beyond education do schools provide to students and their families?

2. Read and Discuss
Have students read the debate and then answer the following questions:

• What is the issue being debated? How does it relate to current events? (The issue is whether schools should adopt a four-day school week. The issue is timely because teacher shortages are leading some school districts to offer four-day school weeks as a benefit to attract new teachers.)

• Evaluate why these two authors might be interested in and qualified to comment on this issue. (Chris Fiedler is the superintendent of a district that currently employs a four-day week. Paul Thompson is an economist whose research focuses on the four-day school week.) 

• Analyze Fiedler’s view. (Fiedler argues in favor of a four-day week for districts that have trouble attracting teachers owing to low pay. He says the four-day week provides better work-life balance, gives teachers more time for training and lesson planning, and allows high school seniors time to do internships at local businesses.)

• Analyze Thompson’s view. (Thompson argues against a four-day week, especially in districts where schools provide vital services to students, like meals, or do not have robust extracurricular programming. He also notes that some districts that have shortened their school weeks have also seen their test scores drop.) 

4. Writing Prompt
In an essay, evaluate one of the debaters’ arguments. Assess whether the reasoning is valid and whether it’s supported with evidence. Point out biases or missing information.

5. Classroom Debate
Should schools adopt a four-day week? Have students use the authors’ ideas, as well as their own, in a debate.

6. Vote
Go online to vote in Upfront’s poll—and see how students across the country voted.