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6 Reasons Why School Days Should Be Shorter: Unpacking the Benefits and Challenges of Reduced Classroom Hours

The contemporary educational landscape is marked by a critical debate: should school days be shorter? The article “6 Reasons Why School Days Should Be Shorter” ventures into this discussion, dissecting various dimensions of the length of school days and their impact on the educational ecosystem. This exploration is not just limited to the United States; it extends to a global perspective, offering a comparative analysis of school day lengths and their varying implications across different cultures and education systems.

Why Should School Days Be Shorter: A Detailed Analysis

The article methodically unpacks the intricacies of school day regulations within the U.S., illustrating the diversity and complexity of policies that govern educational time. It also delves into the advantages of shorter school days, considering how they could reshape learning experiences, boost academic performance, and enhance student well-being. These potential benefits are juxtaposed with the challenges and concerns that accompany the prospect of reducing school hours.

Shorter school days. Elementary should be 5 hours, 6-7 for middle, 8 for high school, rather than teaching 7 year olds that they’re misbehaving if they get too antsy while sitting in a chair for 8 hours — astarion’s spoon ⏳ (@PurpleInsomnia_) November 17, 2023

From the logistical hurdles for schools and families to the implications for instructional quality, the article comprehensively examines the multifaceted impact of this significant shift in educational practice. By offering a balanced perspective, it aims to contribute thoughtfully to the ongoing dialogue on optimizing school day length for the betterment of students, educators, and the broader educational community.

What you’ll find on this page:

Understanding the Diversity in School Day Regulations Across the U.S. →
Comparative Analysis of School Day Lengths: A Global Perspective →
Key Benefits of Shorter School Days →
Evaluating the Challenges of Shorter School Days and Addressing Concerns →
A Look at Successful Shorter School Day Models Around the World →

Understanding the Diversity in School Day Regulations Across the U.S.

The length of the school day in the United States is subject to state regulations, with the average K-12 public school session spanning approximately 180 days annually. This figure emerges from an analysis by the Pew Research Center , which examined data from the Education Commission of the States . However, the uniformity ends there, as the definition of a ‘school day’ and the total educational time varies significantly across different states.

In the U.S., a majority of states require 180 days of school per year

In the United States, the regulation of the school day length is characterized by significant diversity, with states adopting various criteria such as minimum days, hours, or minutes per school year. This variety reflects the unique educational needs and preferences of different regions:

State Regulations on School Days: 39 states have laws or policies setting minimum school times. Notably, Oklahoma offers flexibility with options like 180 standard school days or 1,080 hours over 165 days.
Variation by Grade Level: Among these states, 26 have varying annual time minimums based on grade level. For example, South Dakota requires 875 hours for fourth graders and 962.5 hours for eighth graders.
Average Instructional Hours: There’s a significant range in instructional hours across states. On average, fourth graders receive about 997.8 hours annually, while 11th graders experience a wider range from 720 hours in Arizona to 1,260 hours in Texas, averaging 1,034.8 hours.
Daily Time Requirements: Additionally, 29 states and the District of Columbia have specific daily hours or minutes requirements, often differing by grade. Pennsylvania’s daily minimum varies from 2.5 hours for kindergarten to 5.5 hours for high school students.
Extremes in Daily Hours: The school day length for eighth graders can range from as little as 3 hours in Maryland and Missouri to as much as 6.5 hours in Tennessee. New Hampshire and Oregon even have maximum daily limits.
Texas’s Unique Approach: Texas specifies a total of 75,600 minutes (1,260 hours) per school year, including breaks, allowing districts to decide how to allocate these minutes. Previously, Texas had a 7-hour school day, which equated to a 180-day school year.

This diverse array of regulations across the U.S. showcases the adaptability in meeting educational needs, balancing instructional requirements with practical considerations in various school environments. Each state’s approach is tailored to the specific needs and preferences of its districts, illustrating the varied landscape of educational time management in the country.

Comparative Analysis of School Day Lengths: A Global Perspective

The length of the school day in the United States, averaging around 7 hours and 30 minutes, reveals interesting contrasts when compared to school days in other countries. This comparison highlights the diverse educational practices and philosophies globally.

In Asia , Taiwan and China exhibit significantly longer school days than the U.S., with Taiwan leading at 10 hours and China close behind at around 9 hours and 30 minutes. These extended hours reflect the intense academic focus prevalent in many Asian educational systems.
European countries like France and Chile (although not in Europe but demonstrating a similar approach) have school days lasting about 8 hours, which is slightly longer than the U.S. This duration tends to balance academic instruction with other activities.
The United Kingdom , with a 7-hour school day, is quite comparable to the U.S. However, Commonwealth countries such as Canada and Australia have slightly shorter school days, around 6 hours and 30 minutes and 6 hours and 15 minutes, respectively.
Further contrast is seen in countries like Russia, Spain, Mexico , and Italy , where the school day spans approximately 6 hours, offering a more balanced approach between academic pursuits and other aspects of student life. Finland and Brazil , known for their progressive educational policies, have even shorter school days, averaging around 5 hours, focusing on efficiency and student well-being.
Germany represents the shortest average school day at 4 hours and 30 minutes, indicating a different educational philosophy that may emphasize the quality of instruction over the number of hours spent in school.

These comparisons show that the U.S. falls in the middle range of school day lengths. Unlike the longer days seen in Asian countries, which focus heavily on academics, and shorter than those in countries like Germany, which prioritize concentrated and efficient learning, the U.S. school day reflects a balance of instructional time and other educational activities. This diversity in school day lengths across countries underscores varying educational approaches and priorities, shaped by cultural, social, and pedagogical factors unique to each nation.

Key Benefits of Shorter School Days

The concept of shorter school days is increasingly being recognized as beneficial for students, leading to happier, healthier, and more successful outcomes. This approach challenges the traditional belief that longer school hours are synonymous with better academic achievement. Let’s delve into the advantages of shorter school days and how they could be implemented.

Curious about how shorter school days might impact students? Recent studies suggest they could be beneficial. Explore the nuances of who these changes affect and what the ideal length for a school day might be by watching this informative video. It delves into the latest research and expert opinions, offering a comprehensive look at this important educational topic.

1. Boost in Academic Performance

Discover an intriguing approach to school timing that might just make mornings easier for parents of teenagers. Some English schools are experimenting with starting classes later in the day, allowing teens extra sleep in the morning. Graham Satchell visits one such school to explore this innovative trial. Watch his report to see the impact of this change and whether it could become a more widespread practice.

Surprisingly, shorter school days have been linked to improved academic performance. Research by the National Bureau of Economic Research reveals that students in schools with shorter days often score higher on standardized tests. This improvement is attributed to enhanced focus and more effective information retention, as shorter days reduce cognitive overload.

Research conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research has shown that shorter school days can lead to improved academic performance. The study found that students attending schools with shorter days often scored higher on standardized tests than those in schools with longer days.

This improvement in academic performance is thought to result from students being able to focus better and retain information more effectively, as shorter school days help reduce cognitive overload. This research supports the idea that reducing the length of the school day could be beneficial for students academically.

Why it’s important: Enhanced academic performance is crucial for students’ educational and career prospects. Shorter school days can lead to better focus and more effective information retention, reducing cognitive overload. Improved academic outcomes are essential for students’ self-esteem, future learning opportunities, and overall success in life.

2. Improved Mental Health and Well-being

Explore the inspiring journey of Hailey Hardcastle, a University of Oregon freshman and student mental health advocate, in this video. Learn about her influential work on passing House Bill 2191, allowing mental health days for students, and her efforts in promoting student advocacy and innovative solutions to teenage mental challenges.

Extended school hours can adversely affect students’ mental health, leading to fatigue, stress, and burnout. Shortening the school day can offer students much-needed downtime, fostering better mental health and increased motivation. This break from academic pressures is crucial for emotional and psychological well-being.

Research supports the idea that shorter school days can positively impact students’ mental health and well-being. For instance, a study by the RAND Corporation, as discussed in an article from The Daily Iowan, found that a four-day school week improved students’ sleep, resulting in them feeling less tired. This change also offered students a day of rest, contributing to better mental health outcomes.

The study highlighted that students with a four-day school week experienced benefits in both their learning experience and mental health, suggesting that reduced school hours can enhance overall student well-being. This research aligns with the notion that shorter school days can provide crucial downtime for students, reducing stress and improving their mental health.

Why it’s important: Students’ mental health and well-being are vital for their overall development. Long school days can lead to fatigue, stress, and burnout, negatively impacting mental health. Shorter school days provide necessary downtime for relaxation and recharging, leading to improved mental health and increased motivation. This is crucial for students’ emotional resilience and ability to cope with academic pressures.

Dive into the compelling “ 8 Reasons Why Students Should Have Mental Health Days: A Research-Based Analysis ” to understand the importance of mental health in academic settings. This article offers a thorough, evidence-based exploration of why mental health days are crucial for student well-being and academic success, making a strong case for their inclusion in educational policies.

3. Enrichment Through Extracurricular Activities

With more free time, students can engage in extracurricular activities that foster skills beyond the academic realm. Participation in sports, arts, and clubs contributes to holistic development, offering experiences that are invaluable for personal growth. Moreover, additional family time strengthens familial bonds and provides emotional support.

Discover the significance of extracurricular activities in this engaging video. It delves into why these activities are essential for personal and educational development, especially for young students. It is a great resource for parents, educators, and students alike to understand the value of these pursuits beyond the classroom.

Research has consistently shown that participation in extracurricular activities offers significant benefits for students, enhancing their social, emotional, and academic development. According to a publication by the Center for Responsive Schools, extracurricular activities instill values such as teamwork, responsibility, and a sense of community.

They are also proven to boost school attendance, academic success, and aspirations for continuing education beyond high school. Additionally, these activities lead to healthier lifestyle choices, such as avoiding drug use and maintaining a healthy body weight, thereby contributing to students’ overall emotional well-being and interpersonal skills (Center for Responsive Schools, 2020).

Watch Cori as she explains the crucial role of extracurricular activities in the college preparation process. This video offers valuable insights into how these activities enhance college applications and contribute to student development. A must-see for students planning their academic future.

Another study , as summarized on the European Commission website and conducted by RAND, emphasizes the role of extracurricular activities in fostering social inclusion, particularly for children from disadvantaged and vulnerable backgrounds. These activities, ranging from sports clubs to music and educational groups, enable children to become active citizens in their community and develop soft skills such as self-esteem and resilience.

The study highlights that although current research on the specific benefits of extracurricular activities is fragmented, there is a recognized potential for these activities to support social inclusion and offer diverse benefits to children participating in them (RAND Corporation, 2021).

Why it’s important: Extracurricular activities play a significant role in holistic development. They foster skills beyond academics, such as teamwork, creativity, and leadership. More free time allows students to engage in these activities, contributing to their personal growth and development of valuable life skills. Participation in sports, arts, and clubs enriches students’ educational experiences and prepares them for diverse life situations.

4. Reduction in Stress and Burnout

The stress and exhaustion associated with long school days can lead to student burnout, affecting both motivation and academic performance. Shorter school days can alleviate this stress, promoting a healthier balance between academic responsibilities and personal life. This balance is key to maintaining enthusiasm for learning and overall student well-being.

Check out this insightful video where Carley shares her experience with school-related stress, offering a unique perspective that compares her situation to someone who longs for educational opportunities. This video sheds light on the real issue of stress levels among students and prompts viewers to think differently about the pressures of academic life.

Research on the impact of shorter school days on student stress and burnout suggests that reducing the length of the school week can have positive effects on students’ well-being. A study conducted on the four-day school week in Colorado found a generally positive relationship between the four-day school week and academic achievement, which indirectly points to reduced stress and burnout.

The study indicated that the schedule change could lead to better attendance and potentially more focused instruction time, contributing to improved performance and reduced stress for students (Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press).

Uncover surprising insights in ‘7 Research-Based Reasons Why Students Should Not Have Homework: Academic Insights, Opposing Perspectives & Alternatives ‘. This article provides a thought-provoking analysis of homework’s impact on students, offering evidence-based arguments and exploring alternative educational strategies for effective learning.

Why it’s important: Reducing stress and burnout is essential for maintaining students’ enthusiasm for learning and overall well-being. The pressure and exhaustion from long school days can lead to decreased motivation and academic performance. Shorter school days can help establish a healthier work-life balance for students, enhancing their productivity and engagement in both academic and personal endeavors.

5. Enhanced Teacher Well-being and Performance

Shorter school days not only benefit students but also provide vital rest and rejuvenation for teachers. In contrast to the brief periods in college or university, school teaching can be more demanding. Allowing teachers adequate rest time, even within a shorter school timeframe, keeps them energized and prepared for effective teaching.

A well-rested teacher can plan engaging and fun activities, enhancing student engagement and learning experiences. This approach aligns with broader educational research that underscores the importance of teacher well-being as a critical factor in delivering quality education and fostering a positive learning environment.

I recommend watching this insightful video that delves into the reasons behind teachers’ fatigue and the benefits of shorter school days. It highlights how demanding the current educational system can be for educators, leading to a state of exhaustion. Interestingly, the video also presents the idea that shorter school days could be a game-changer, offering teachers more time to unwind and reducing their workload. This approach could significantly improve the well-being and effectiveness of educators.

Research by RAND Corporation has explored the effects of shorter school weeks, particularly the four-day school week, on both students and teachers. It was found that teachers reported feeling less burned out and missed fewer instructional days due to illness or exhaustion with the shorter week. This schedule change also allowed them more time to prepare for the upcoming week and to engage in personal activities.

Enhanced Teacher Well-being and Performance

Why it’s important: Addressing teacher burnout and stress is crucial for maintaining a high-quality education system. The RAND Corporation’s study on the four-day school week highlights that reduced working hours can significantly improve teachers’ well-being and job satisfaction. This is important because teachers’ mental health directly affects their ability to engage with students, plan effective lessons, and create a positive learning environment. By improving teacher well-being, schools can enhance the overall educational experience for students.

6. Effective Homework Management in Shorter School Days

Long school days combined with a plethora of extracurricular activities can lead to students tackling their homework late into the night. Adopting shorter school days, however, could provide a solution. This change allows students to partake in additional activities while ensuring they have enough time for homework, thereby balancing their academic and personal lives.

This informative video examines the impact of excessive homework on teen stress levels, highlighting how shorter school days not only reduce stress but also provide more time for homework completion. It’s a concise yet insightful exploration of the balance between academic demands and student well-being.

Research on the implications of shorter school days points to positive outcomes in homework management. For example, a study on the four-day school week in Colorado found a positive association with academic performance, indirectly suggesting a reduction in homework-related stress. The study indicated that a condensed school week could result in better attendance and more efficient classroom time, leading to improved performance and less pressure for students to complete homework late at night (Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press).

Effective Homework Management in Shorter School Days

Why it’s important: Ensuring students have adequate time for homework without the burden of overly long school days is essential for their well-being and academic success. Shorter school days can help establish a healthier balance, enhancing students’ ability to manage their academic responsibilities effectively and maintain their enthusiasm for learning.

In practice, implementing shorter school days would require a reevaluation of current educational models, focusing on quality over quantity in terms of instructional time. This approach encourages efficiency in teaching methods and prioritizes student health and personal development as integral components of educational success. The move towards shorter school days represents a progressive step in adapting education systems to better meet the needs of today’s students.

Evaluating the Challenges of Shorter School Days and Addressing Concerns

Addressing the concerns around the concept of shorter school days, there are several reasons why school days should not be shorter that are often brought up.

1. Impact on Working Parents

Shorter school days can disrupt the schedules of working parents, who often rely on traditional school hours for consistent childcare. This shift could necessitate alternative childcare arrangements, leading to increased stress and financial strain due to the costs of additional childcare or after-school programs.

In the United States, the shift to four-day school weeks in some districts has significantly affected working parents. Parents, especially mothers, have faced challenges in adjusting their work schedules and finding affordable childcare for the additional day off. This change has sometimes resulted in decreased labor income for mothers due to the need to provide childcare or arrange for additional care.

Counterargument: Flexibility and Quality Time for Families In response to this challenge, shorter school days can actually offer more flexible and quality time with children. Communities can adapt by providing enriched after-school programs, potentially reducing the financial burden on individual families. These programs can offer valuable learning experiences outside the traditional classroom setting, being a collaborative effort between schools, local businesses, and community organizations.

2. Costs and Logistics for Schools

Implementing shorter school days may lead to increased financial demands on schools, such as the need for extra staff for supervision or changes in transportation schedules. These logistical adjustments could result in significant additional expenses for schools.

Schools transitioning to shorter school days often incur additional expenses related to staffing and transportation. For example, schools may need to hire more staff to supervise students during after-school programs or adjust their transportation schedules to accommodate the new school hours, leading to increased operational costs.

Counterargument: Long-term Financial Benefits for Schools Despite the initial costs, shorter school days can lead to decreased operational costs, such as utilities and maintenance expenses, thereby offering long-term financial benefits. Additionally, a more focused and efficient school day can lead to better allocation of resources towards enhancing educational quality.

3. Possible Reduction in Instructional Time

There is a concern that shorter school days might lead to a decrease in the amount of instructional time available, potentially affecting the quality of education and the ability to meet curriculum standards.

Concerns about a reduction in instructional time with shorter school days are evident in various education systems. For instance, some schools have had to restructure their curriculums and teaching methods to ensure that essential learning outcomes are still achieved within the shortened school day. This challenge requires innovative approaches to maintain the quality of education.

Counterargument: Enhanced Learning Quality Contrary to this concern, a reduction in instructional time does not necessarily equate to a decrease in learning quality. Shorter school days can lead to more focused and engaged learning sessions, where quality of instruction is more impactful than quantity. Innovative teaching methods and technologies can ensure curriculum standards are met efficiently within a shorter timeframe, potentially improving learning outcomes and student well-being.

In conclusion, while transitioning to shorter school days presents certain challenges, these can be effectively addressed through community collaboration, innovative educational strategies, and a focus on the quality rather than the quantity of schooling. This approach can lead to a more balanced, effective, and enriching education system.

A Look at Successful Shorter School Day Models Around the World

As the debate around the length of the school day continues, it’s essential to look at successful models worldwide to understand the potential benefits of shorter school days. This part of the article “4 Reasons Why School Days Should Be Shorter” examines various international models where shorter school days have been implemented effectively.

The Finnish Model

Finland’s education system stands out for its shorter school days and a strong emphasis on quality education. Finnish students start school at age seven and have school days lasting only about 4-5 hours. Despite this, they rank highly in international assessments like PISA (Program for International Student Assessment). This success is attributed to a curriculum that focuses on student well-being, less homework, and minimal standardized testing, fostering an environment conducive to learning and creativity.

Renowned for its focus on student well-being and less formal structure, Finnish teachers often emphasize the importance of play and individualized attention. They have the autonomy to adjust their teaching methods to suit the needs of each student, which is a key factor in the high performance of Finnish students in international assessments.

Explore how Finland has managed to consistently outperform in education on a global scale. This video delves into the success of Finnish schools, offering insights that could inspire improvements in educational systems worldwide.

The French Model

In France, the school day typically lasts for 6 hours with a substantial two-hour lunch break. French schools also adopt a four-day school week, which has shown success in reducing student stress and improving academic performance. This model balances academic work with ample time for relaxation, socializing, and physical activity.

French educators often highlight the benefits of this model in promoting a balanced approach to education, where students have ample time for socializing, physical activities, and relaxation, contributing to their overall well-being and academic performance.

Discover how France is revolutionizing its educational system in this fascinating video titled “French Education: Reinventing the Idea of School.” Delve into the innovative changes and approaches being adopted in French schools that are transforming the traditional concepts of learning and teaching.

The UAE Model

The United Arab Emirates has been considering shorter school weeks, partly inspired by Finland’s approach. The goal is to focus on quality education without unnecessarily extending school hours. This approach aims to prevent student anxiety and overload, acknowledging the importance of a balanced education that includes time for relaxation and extracurricular activities.

Educators in the UAE focus on the quality of education and the holistic development of students, aiming to reduce stress and anxiety while providing a well-rounded educational experience.

Watch this engaging video to understand how the UAE is placing a strong emphasis on educational reform. It highlights the nation’s commitment to improving its education sector, a vital component of its broader development goals. This video offers insights into the strategic efforts and initiatives underway in the UAE to enhance its educational landscape.

The Japanese Model

The Japanese school model is unique, particularly in its approach to the length of the school day. Typically, a school day in Japan runs from 8:30 am to around 3:00 pm, but this can vary. Some schools have shorter days, especially for younger students. The school day generally includes various classes, lunchtime, and cleaning time, where students participate in cleaning their school environment. This model emphasizes not only academic learning but also life skills and community involvement.

Japanese educators often point to the benefits of their shorter school day model in fostering a more engaging and varied learning experience. This approach allows students more time for extracurricular activities and personal interests, leading to improved attendance rates and lower dropout rates.

Discover the fascinating differences between Japanese and American schools in this eye-opening video. It’s a great opportunity to learn about the unique educational system in Japan and how it contrasts with the schooling experience in the United States.

These international examples demonstrate that shorter school days can lead to more focused learning, better student well-being, and overall academic success. They highlight the importance of balancing academic rigor with students’ holistic development and suggest that shorter school days could be a beneficial approach in various educational contexts.

Useful Resources

When do kids start sitting still?
Learning in Motion: Bring Movement Back to the Classroom
21 Engaging After-School Activities for Kids & Teens at Home

Final Thoughts

In “Why School Days Should Be Shorter: A Detailed Analysis,” we’ve explored the diverse approaches to school day lengths across the U.S., examined global perspectives, weighed the benefits, and addressed challenges. This comprehensive analysis, including a look at successful models worldwide, underscores the complexity and potential advantages of shorter school days. It highlights that while there are challenges to be navigated, the benefits, ranging from improved academic performance to enhanced student well-being, make a compelling case for considering shorter school days as a viable option in our evolving educational landscape.

Delve into the intriguing “ Why Students Should Not Wear Uniforms: A Thoughtful Exploration with 9 Reasons, Studies, and Statistics ” for a comprehensive understanding of the debate surrounding school uniforms. This article presents a nuanced analysis, backed by research and data, exploring the various reasons and implications of a no-uniform policy in schools.

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

To save money and help recruit teachers, many U.S. schools are taking Mondays or Fridays off. We look at research on how the four-day school week affects student test scores, attendance and behavior.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .

by Denise-Marie Ordway, The Journalist's Resource September 6, 2023

This <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org/education/four-day-school-week-research/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org">The Journalist's Resource</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://journalistsresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-jr-favicon-150x150.png" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;">

We updated this piece on the four-day school week, originally published in June 2018, to include new figures, research and other information on Sept. 6, 2023.

Just over 2,100 schools in 26 states have switched to a four-day school week, often in hopes of recruiting teachers, saving money and boosting student attendance, according to the most recent estimate from the Four-Day School Week policy research team at Oregon State University.

Small, rural schools facing teacher shortages have led the trend, choosing to take Mondays or Fridays off and giving teachers and students a three-day weekend every week. To make up for the lost day of instruction, school officials tack time onto the remaining four days.

In places where schools have made the change, school district leaders have marveled at the resulting spikes in applications from teachers and other job seekers.

“The number of teacher applications that we’ve received have gone up more than 4-fold,” Dale Herl , superintendent of the Independence, Missouri school district, told CBS News last month .

Independence, which serves about 14,000 students outside Kansas City, introduced the new schedule when classes there resumed last month. In all, 30% of Missouri school districts now have a four-day school week, The Kansas City Star reported recently .

Schools nationwide faced teacher shortages long before the COVID-19 pandemic. But vacancies grew as the virus, which has killed 1.1 million Americans to date , spread.

In the spring before the pandemic, a total of 662 public school districts used the schedule – up more than 600% since 1999, Paul Thompson and Emily Morton , leading researchers in this field, write in a 2021 essay for the Brookings Institution. That number climbed to 876 during the 2022-23 academic year, Thompson and Morton told The Journalist’s Resource in email messages.

Brent Maddin , executive director of the Next Education Workforce project at Arizona State University, told The New York Times the pandemic has made many teachers feel more undervalued.

“If we’re serious about recruiting people into the profession, and retaining people in the profession, in addition to things like compensation we need to be focused on the working conditions,” he told the Times.

Scholars are still trying to understand the impact of cutting the school week by one day. Most studies focus on a single state or group of states, so their findings cannot be generalized to all schools on a four-day schedule. The research to date indicates:

The amount of time students spend in class varies from state to state.
Some schools offer less instructional time during a four-day school week than they did during a five-day week.
There’s limited cost savings, considering employee salaries and benefits make up the bulk of school expenses. In a 2021 analysis , Thompson estimates schools save 1% to 2% by shortening the school week by a day.
The impact of the condensed schedule differs depending on a range of factors, including the number of hours schools operate and how they structure their daily schedules. Recent research generally finds small drops in student achievement.
Staff morale improved under a four-day school week.
High school bullying and fighting declined.

“For journalists looking for a definitive answer to [the question] ‘Are four-day school weeks a good or bad thing?’, I would caution that it is still too early to tell,” Thompson, an associate professor of economics who is part of Oregon State’s Four-Day School Week policy research team, wrote to The Journalist’s Resource.

Both he and Morton urged journalists to explain that the amount of time schools dedicate to student learning makes a big difference.

“I think too often the importance of instructional time for the impacts of the policy is missed,” Morton, a researcher at the American Institutes of Research, wrote to JR. “It’s pretty critical to the story that districts with longer days (who are possibly delivering equal or more instructional time to their students than they were on a five-day week) are not seeing the same negative impacts that districts with shorter days are seeing.”

Keep reading to learn more about the research. We’ll update this collection periodically.

——————–

Impacts of the Four-Day School Week on Early Elementary Achievement Paul N. Thompson; et al. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2nd Quarter 2023.

Summary: This study is the first to examine the four-day school week’s impact on elementary schools’ youngest students. Researchers looked at how children in Oregon who went to school four days a week in kindergarten later performed in math and English Language Arts when they reached the third grade. What they found: Overall, there were “minimal and non-significant differences” in the test scores of third-graders who attended kindergarten on a four-day schedule between 2014 and 2016 and third-graders who went to kindergarten on a five-day schedule during the same period.

When the researchers studied individual groups of students, though, they noticed small differences. For example, when they looked only at children who had scored highest on their pre-kindergarten assessments of letter sounds, letter names and early math skills, they learned that kids who went to kindergarten four days a week scored a little lower on third-grade tests than those who had gone to kindergarten five days a week.

The researchers write that they find no statistically significant evidence of detrimental four-day school week achievement impacts, and even some positive impacts” for minority students, lower-income students, special education students, students enrolled in English as a Second Language programs and students who scored in the lower half on pre-kindergarten assessments.

There are multiple reasons why lower-achieving students might be less affected by school schedules than high achievers, the researchers point out. For example, higher-achieving students “may miss out on specialized instruction — such as gifted and enrichment activities — that they would have had time to receive under a five-day school schedule,” they write.

Effects of 4-Day School Weeks on Older Adolescents: Examining Impacts of the Schedule on Academic Achievement, Attendance, and Behavior in High School Emily Morton. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, June 2022.

Summary: Oklahoma high schools saw less fighting and bullying among students after switching from a five-day-a-week schedule to a four-day schedule, this study finds. Fighting declined by 0.79 incidents per 100 students and bullying dropped by 0.65 incidents per 100 students.

The other types of student discipline problems examined, including weapons possession, vandalism and truancy, did not change, according to the analysis, based on a variety of student and school data collected through 2019 from the Oklahoma State Department of Education and National Center for Education Statistics.

“Results indicate that 4-day school weeks decrease per-pupil bullying incidents by approximately 39% and per-pupil fighting incidents by approximately 31%,” writes the author, Emily Morton , a research scientist at NWEA, a nonprofit research organization formerly known as the Northwest Evaluation Association.

Morton did not investigate what caused the reduction in bullying and fighting. She did find that moving to a four-day schedule had “no detectable effect” on high school attendance or student scores on the ACT college-entrance exam.

Only a Matter of Time? The Role of Time in School on Four-Day School Week Achievement Impacts Paul N. Thompson and Jason Ward. Economics of Education Review, February 2022.

Summary: Student test scores in math and language arts dipped at some schools that adopted a four-day schedule but did not change at others, according to this analysis of school schedule switches in 12 states.

Researchers discovered “small reductions” in test scores for students in grades 3 through 8 at schools offering what the researchers call “low time in school.” These schools operate an average of 29.95 hours during the four-day week. The decline in test scores is described in terms of standard deviation , not units of measurement such as points or percentages.

At schools offering “middle time in school” — an average of 31.03 hours over four days — test scores among kids in grades 3 through 8 did not change, write the researchers, Paul N. Thompson , an associate professor of economics at Oregon State University, and Jason Ward , an associate economist at the RAND Corp., a nonprofit research organization.

Scores also did not change at schools providing “high time in school,” or 32.14 hours over a four-day school week, on average.

When describing this paper’s findings, it’s inaccurate to say researchers found that test scores dropped as a result of schools adopting a four-day schedule. It is correct to say test scores dropped, on average, across the schools the researchers studied. But it’s worth noting the relationship between test scores and the four-day school week differs according to the average number of hours those schools operate each week.

For this analysis, researchers examined school districts in states that allowed four-day school weeks during the 2008-2009 academic year through the 2017-2018 academic years. They chose to focus on the 12 states where four-day school weeks were most common. The data they used came from the Stanford Educational Data Archive and “a proprietary, longitudinal, national database” that tracked the use of four-day school weeks from 2009 to 2018.

The researchers write that their findings “suggest that four-day school weeks that operate with adequate levels of time in school have no clear negative effect on achievement and, instead, that it is operating four-day school weeks in a low-time-in-school environment that should be cautioned against.”

Three Midwest Rural School Districts’ First Year Transition to the Four Day School Week Jon Turner, Kim Finch and Ximena Uribe-Zarain. The Rural Educator, 2019.

Juvenile Crime and the Four-Day School Week Stefanie Fischer and Daniel Argyle. Economics of Education Review, 2018.

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.”

Staff Perspectives of the Four-Day School Week: A New Analysis of Compressed School Schedules Jon Turner , Kim Finch and Ximena Uribe – Zarian . Journal of Education and Training Studies, 2018.

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.”

The Economics of a Four-Day School Week: Community and Business Leaders’ Perspectives Jon Turner , Kim Finch and Ximena Uribe – Zarian . Journal of Education and Training Studies, 2018.

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.”

Does Shortening the School Week Impact Student Performance? Evidence from the Four-Day School Week D. Mark Anderson and Mary Beth Walker. Education Finance and Policy, 2015.

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

The Education Commission of the States offers a 50-state comparison of public school students’ instructional time requirements. For example, students in Colorado are required to be in school for a minimum of 160 days each academic year while in Vermont, the minimum is 175 days and in North Carolina, it’s 185.
The State of the American Teacher project offers insights into how teachers feel about their jobs and the education field as a whole. In early 2022, RAND Corp. surveyed a nationally representative sample of teachers, asking questions on topics such as job-related stress, school safety, COVID-19 mitigation policies and career plans. Survey results show that 56% of teachers who answered a question about their attitude toward their job “strongly” or “somewhat” agreed with the statement, “The stress and disappointments involved in teaching aren’t really worth it.” Meanwhile, 78% “strongly” or “somewhat” agreed with the statement, “I don’t seem to have as much enthusiasm now as I did when I began teaching.”
Opinions about the four-day school week vary among school board members, district-level administrators, school principals and teachers. These organizations can provide insights: the Schools Superintendents Association , National School Boards Association , National Association of Elementary School Principals and National Association of Secondary School Principals .

Looking for more research on public schools? Check out our other collections of research on student lunches , school uniforms, teacher salaries and teacher misconduct .

About The Author

Denise-Marie Ordway

A Four-Day School Week?

Posted June 28, 2018
By Denise-Marie Ordway

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 some of their schools to adopt a four-day 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.

Four states — Colorado, Montana, Oklahoma and Oregon — are leading the trend, which is especially popular in rural areas. More than 60 school systems in Montana alone were using a compressed schedule in 2016-17, state records show. Meanwhile, four-day scheduling has spread 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.

"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." – Paul T. Hill

Critics point out that 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, it 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.

See below for recent journal articles and government reports, as well as links to other resources, including a 50-state comparison of local laws outlining student instructional time requirements.

Excerpted from an article by Journalist's Resource , a project at the Harvard Kennedy School 's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy . Read the original piece .

Additional Resources

Juvenile Crime and the Four-Day School Week
Staff Perspectives of the Four-Day School Week: A New Analysis of Compressed School Schedules
The Economics of a Four-Day School Week: Community and Business Leaders’ Perspectives
Impact of a 4-Day School Week on Student Academic Performance, Food Insecurity, and Youth Crime
Does Shortening the School Week Impact Student Performance? Evidence from the Four-Day School Week
A 50-state comparison of students’ instructional time requirement, from the Education Commission of the States

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — School — Persuasive Essay On Shorter School Days

Persuasive Essay on Shorter School Days

Categories: School

About this sample

Words: 457 |

Published: Mar 13, 2024

Words: 457 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

References:

National Education Association. (2019). The impact of longer school days on student well-being. Retrieved from https://www.nea.org/resource-library/impact-longer-school-days-student-well-being
American Educational Research Association. (2018). The effects of longer school days on student performance. Retrieved from https://www.aera.net/Research/Research-News/The-Effects-of-Longer-School-Days-on-Student-Performance

Bibliography:

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4-Day School Weeks: New Research Examines the Benefits and Drawbacks

The move from a five-day school week to a four-day week with extended days has been one of the fastest-increasing—and least-studied—phenomena shaping district operations.

It boomed after the Great Recession, especially in small, far-flung districts looking to try to save cash and attract teachers. Now, the widest-reaching analysis of the practice to date paints a nuanced picture of the effects of the switch.

The four-day week is enormously popular among parents and students, the new research finds. It typically saves districts a small—but not intangible—amount of cash. And on their day out of school, students are typically working, doing errands, or spending time with family, not running wild.

The tradeoff for those benefits, though, shows in learning. Several years after adopting a four-day schedule, the researchers found, those districts saw slower rates of student progress than similarly situated districts that retained a five-day schedule.

In a sense, the findings underscore the mix of factors beyond test scores that district leaders and communities weigh when making decisions and point towards some of the more-general tensions at the heart of K-12 schooling.

Is the point of schooling just to raise achievement? Are there other civic benefits that accrue from these arrangements, like helping to instill in students a sense of responsibility through jobs or other duties? Just how should these competing interests be weighed?

“When I think about ed[ucation] policy debates, I often assume that achievement will be the king of all the outcomes. And it was pretty clear that when we talked to people that they did have this ‘whole-child’ model guiding their thinking,” said Rebecca Kilburn, one of a half-dozen researchers who conducted the study for the RAND Corp., a research and analysis group. “And they really did talk about everything from sleep, to stress, to spending more time with their families.”

A broad picture from four-day districts

The study, released Oct. 7, was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. A team of researchers used three main methods to study the complex phenomenon.

More than 1,600 U.S. school districts have adopted the model as of 2019-20. In some states, it represents a significant, widespread restructuring of district operations, including 60 percent of Colorado’s districts and around 40 percent of New Mexico’s and Oregon’s.

The researchers interviewed more than 400 parents, teachers, administrators, and students in three states with large numbers of districts using the four-day model: Idaho, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. They also administered thousands of surveys to secondary students and to the parents of elementary students in 36 districts across those states and in three others—half of them using the four-day schedule and half using a traditional schedule—and collected data on their school schedules.

Finally, they analyzed nearly a decade’s worth of student test scores across four- and five-day districts in six different states, looking for patterns in how students performed.

Among some of the most important findings:

When timing was added up, districts in the sample using the four-day schedule had longer days by about 50 minutes, but over the course of the year averaged 58 fewer hours of school.
Students in the four-day weeks spent significantly more time on school sports and on chores than did those in five-day weeks. Four-day secondary students also spent more time on homework, at jobs, at school activities, and on hobbies than their counterparts.
Most students in the four-day districts—80 percent of high school students and 90 percent of elementary students—spent their “off day” at home.
The four-day week did not appear to affect student-absenteeism rates or result in more food insecurity for students.
It did seem to change some sleep patterns, with four-day elementary students reporting that they got more sleep and four-day secondary students saying that they felt much less tired than their counterparts in five-day systems.
Parents and students, given the choice, overwhelmingly said they favored the four-day model, with 69 percent of the former and 85 percent of the latter preferring it over five-day schedules.

That final finding came as a bit of a surprise, said Kilburn, who is now a research professor at the Centers for Disease Control Prevention Research Center at the University of New Mexico.

“In the policy debates, you often hear people saying, ‘We shouldn’t do it because parents won’t like it.’ Actually, in the district where people chose to switch, people really like it a lot, and it might be really tough to switch back once you do it,” she said.

The focus group interviews, in the meantime, fleshed out just why district leaders were willing to make the shift. They also provided context for other research showing that districts usually save below 3 percent of their costs , mainly in transportation, operations, and support-staff salaries, when moving to a shorter week.

Focus groups flesh out a complex picture

Some scholars have criticized the approach on the grounds that it saves such seemingly small amounts of money. But superintendents noted in interviews that even when the savings amounted to just a percentage or two, that was enough to hire an additional reading coach or fund some other program—no small feat in a time of fixed budgets and rising costs.

Similarly, in one district, the four-day week aligned well to work shifts in the town’s larger employer. In another district with a high proportion of Native American students, Kilburn recalled, the schedule allowed students and families to participate in tribal feasts or festivals that traditionally span several days.

“One of them said, ‘This is really great because we don’t have half our student body gone on feast days, and we don’t have students having to choose between coming to school and engaging in their traditional practices,’” she noted.

One eyebrow-raising finding could be the increased amount of chores four-day students appeared to engage in. But that category also included things like errands and medical appointments. In rural locations, where doctors’ offices, retail centers, orthodontists, and so forth can be several hours’ drive away, the four-day week gave them the opportunity to handle those duties without missing a day of school, the researchers found.

On the other hand, Kilburn noted, interviewees also said that while the four-day week was a good fit for their communities, they did not necessarily think it was workable in other locations with different circumstances.

What happens to student learning in four-day districts?

The study’s marquee finding will probably be what it says about student learning. To answer that tricky question, the researchers coupled student test-score growth data from a Stanford University project with federal data to adjust for district poverty and other factors. Then they compared similarly situated four- and five-day districts across those time periods.

The researchers found that there was no significant difference between four- and five-day districts when looking at absolute measures of student proficiency. But looking at growth over time shifted that picture.

Around three years after the switch, student growth in the four-day districts began to fall short compared to that in similarly situated five-day districts. The finding grew more pronounced with time and the slowdown in achievement was more dramatic in math than in reading. In all, the declines were on the order of between 0.05 to 0.15 of a standard deviation lower after three years, and around 0.2 of a standard deviation after eight years.

Effect sizes are hard to interpret in K-12 education but at least one research paper describes that as a medium to large effect —one that’s certainly larger than many other K-12 interventions. (The findings also echo those of a separate study on the effects of the policy in Oregon .)

In all, the study’s findings don’t align well with the rhetoric about the four-day week from either proponents or detractors.

The approach doesn’t appear to disadvantage working parents where it’s been tried or lead to worse social outcomes for students. On the other hand, it also doesn’t seem to yield huge cost savings, and with time seemed to slow student learning.

Even so, there are still unanswered questions about the the four-day week, the researchers concluded.

One thing that the study couldn’t pinpoint was just how the four-day week, sometimes characterized as a perk for educators, might affect teacher recruitment and retention. It can take years for such changes to alter the composition of the teacher workforce via who is attracted to teaching, who applies to open jobs, and how the change affects existing teachers’ retirement decisions.

Second, it remains unclear just why the four-day week affects learning.

The decrease in actual learning time could be the culprit, since time in school is connected to learning outcomes, but that hypothesis needs to be tested empirically.

A version of this article appeared in the October 27, 2021 edition of Education Week as 4-Day School Weeks: New Research Examines the Benefits and Drawbacks

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August 2, 2023

Shorter School Days: Everything You Need to Know

There are many debatable subjects when it comes to education. Yet, one of the most controversial is whether shorter school days benefit kids. Why should school be shorter? How can it influence academic results? What are the downsides in the long run? These are only a few questions that arise when discussing the shortened day at school.

Still, the truth is that we have many more answers than we might think. There is extensive research on a subject done globally. So, do shorter school days affect students’ performance negatively? Today, we’ll summarize the available data to give a complete perspective on how fewer school hours can influence kids, parents, and teachers.

##How Do Shorter School Days Influence Academic Results Globally?

According to the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), kids in the US, on average, spend 180 days at school per year for around 6.8 hours daily. It is somewhat of a middle ground between most other developed countries.

How Many Days per Year are students in school

Source: NCEE

Estonia, for example, has shorter school days. Estonian students spend 6 school hours daily for around 175 days a year. In contrast, South Korea has the opposite situation where kids have 220 school days for 8 hours every day.

Yet, we can only see the effectiveness of any approach when comparing the academic results and the school hours. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has a program called PISA that assesses 15-year-old students’ knowledge and skills globally. You can check the full research , but we’ve selected some countries in the table below to make it more digestible. It is the latest available study released in 2019. OECD performs this assessment every 3 years, but the organization postponed its 2021 and 2024 research because of the pandemic.

Note: For the sake of clarity, we excluded the results for mainland China as the study only evaluates four regions (Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang). And even the paper’s authors say that “these four provinces in eastern China are far from representing China as a whole.”

Data source: PISA Insights and Interpretations

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Why Should School Days Be Shorter?

To understand why school should be shorter or not, let’s analyze the data we’ve seen. Singapore is one of the most representative examples. Based on the PISA assessment, it is an undeniable leader in academic performance. Does this mean that kids there spend a larger amount of time at school? Not at all. Singapore has shorter school days (5.5 hours/day) than most countries, including the US (6.8 hours/day). Still, the number of days students study is slightly higher than in American schools – 193 days compared to 180 days in the US.

This example shows us that shorter days in terms of daily school hours positively affect the students’ performance. Yet, fewer days spent at school yearly don’t seem to have a similar impact. And this trend extends to other countries as well. Finland, Germany, Japan, and New Zealand prioritize shorter school days. Why does it happen?

Study Time vs. Students’ Performance

A part of the answer to why school should be shorter lies in the students’ attention span. It is much lower than many might think. In fact, phycologists believe that first graders can focus on one task without distraction for no more than 5-7 minutes . Even the ‘ideal’ attention span for kids this age is 15-18 minutes at most.

Another element we have to consider is how effective full-time studying is. Does the number of school hours play a big role in students’ performance? It turns out that time matters only until a certain point. In fact, scientists discovered that when children study one subject for more than 10 hours a week, there is no significant difference in kids’ academic results compared to 5-10 hours of study time. So, more isn’t always better.

Besides, we shouldn’t forget the importance of motivating children to learn and discover new things. Being overwhelmed by a full day of school might leave students tired and indifferent, affecting their academic results in the long run.

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Pros & Cons of Shortened Days at School

Shorter school days don’t only influence kids. In one way or another, they also impact parents and teachers. That’s why let’s dive deeper into the pros and cons of shorter days at school from every angle.

Benefits of Shorter School Days

There are many reasons why school time should be shorter, including the following advantages:

More time for extracurricular activities. School subjects are essential. Still, discovering new hobbies has numerous benefits for the kids. Everything from sports and music to learning coding allows children to get new skills, meet friends, and enrich their personalities.
Better concentration. Shorter days give students an opportunity to concentrate better, as human attention span is limited.
More hours of sleep and reduced stress. When kids have spare time, they can use it to get more rest, which is crucial for brain development .
Lower costs. The larger the amount of time students spend at school, the more financing it requires to cover teachers’ salaries and infrastructure maintenance.
More preparation time for teachers. Longer school days put more pressure on teachers, leaving them less time to plan engaging lessons and restore their energy. That’s why shorter school days allow them to create a more positive environment for kids to study.
Opportunities for additional academic classes. Many kids either want to learn other subjects or need extra tutoring for schoolwork . More free time after lessons helps children to pursue this intention.

Downsides of Shorter School Days

On the other hand, there are several drawbacks to shortened days at school, such as:

Less guided practice. One of the biggest advantages of offline full-time learning is that kids get more instructional time from teachers whenever they need it. This allows them to avoid unnecessary mistakes and learn faster. Yet, shorter school days might result in a smaller amount of time teachers can spend with every kid.
More pressure on parents. If children have shorter school days, parents have to come up with other activities for their free time. When both of them work, they have to arrange after-school activities or childcare. This requires an additional budget, which creates more financial burdens for families.
Less teacher-student interactions. Creating a productive and trusting environment takes time. That’s why shortened days might not be sufficient to develop and foster respectful relationships between kids and their teachers.
Less time to build strong friendships. The same issue might happen with school friends. A full day of school can give more opportunities for children to bond with their classmates.

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The New York Times

The learning network | should the school day start later.

Should the School Day Start Later?

Jilly Dos Santos organized an effort to push back her high school’s start time to 9 a.m. <a href="//well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/13/to-keep-teenagers-alert-schools-let-them-sleep-in/">Related Article</a>

Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

See All Student Opinion »

Could letting teenagers sleep later in the morning do more than just make them happy? New evidence suggests that a later start to the school day could have all sorts of benefits, like better grades and fewer car crashes. But some worry that pushing the school day back might get in the way of after-school sports and jobs, and wouldn’t leave students enough time to finish homework.

Should the school day start later?

In “To Keep Teenagers Alert, Schools Let Them Sleep In,” Jan Hoffman writes:

Jilly Dos Santos really did try to get to school on time. She set three successive alarms on her phone. Skipped breakfast. Hastily applied makeup while her fuming father drove. But last year she rarely made it into the frantic scrum at the doors of Rock Bridge High School here by the first bell, at 7:50 a.m. Then she heard that the school board was about to make the day start even earlier, at 7:20 a.m. “I thought, if that happens, I will die,” recalled Jilly, 17. “I will drop out of school!” That was when the sleep-deprived teenager turned into a sleep activist. She was determined to convince the board of a truth she knew in the core of her tired, lanky body: Teenagers are developmentally driven to be late to bed, late to rise. Could the board realign the first bell with that biological reality? The sputtering, nearly 20-year movement to start high schools later has recently gained momentum in communities like this one, as hundreds of schools in dozens of districts across the country have bowed to the accumulating research on the adolescent body clock. In just the last two years, high schools in Long Beach, Calif.; Stillwater, Okla.; Decatur, Ga.;, and Glens Falls, N.Y., have pushed back their first bells, joining early adopters in Connecticut, North Carolina, Kentucky and Minnesota. The Seattle school board will vote this month on whether to pursue the issue. The superintendent of Montgomery County, Md., supports the shift, and the school board for Fairfax County, Va., is working with consultants to develop options for starts after 8 a.m.

Students: Read the entire article, then tell us …

— What time does your school day start and end?

— Should your school day start later? Or do you like your daily schedule?

— Is an early start time leaving you sleep deprived? Are you staying up later than you should?

— What do you think the most important benefits of a later start time would be? What might the disadvantages be?

— What do you think about the campaign that Jilly Dos Santos led in her district to push back the high school start time?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment below. Please use only your first name . For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

The school day should start at 8:15 and end at 3:00 because that gives you enough time to get up and get refreshed for the day before you go to school. My school starts at 7:45 and its just too early and I rarely ever take in the information from my 1st period class. Since my school does start early, even if I go to bed early, I constantly feel sleep deprived and sluggish. The advantages to a later start time would be that you take in more information in the mornings and that you are fully rested so you can go throughout your day with a positive upbeat attitude.

Our school in Sweden starts earliest 8:30 a.m. and ends latest 4:30 p.m. I like my daily schedule, because if you start your school day later, that means that you will get home later. When you get home later you don’t have much time to do anything. An early start is leaving me sleep deprived, because I always end up going to sleep late at night. But I still manage school, I wait until the weekend to sleep longer.

The most important benefits of a later start time is that you get to sleep longer, and some people who has a hard time waking up in the morning, has a better chance at making it to class. The disadvantages can be that you come home later.

I think the campaign that Jilly Dos Santos led was a great idea. I think it’s horrible how a school can start as early as 7:20. I think she did good… She fought for what she thought was right.

i think its a bit of a personal problem because at Fork Union Military Academy we have 20 minutes to do our stuff when we wake up at 6 a.m. We are then ready to take on the day later

My class day starts at 8:00 and ends at 2:00. I like my class schedule. An early start would not leave me sleep deprived as long as I can get my homework done earlier and go to sleep earlier. At my school, a later school time would be allow more sleep. A benefit would be shorter practice times and later school end times. It is good that she actually accomplished it.

I think it would be a great idea to push the starting time for school so that students may have a full sleep, thus performing well in class.

My school starts at 8:00 and ends at 2:00. I don’t have a problem with the time school starts. Yes I stay up later then I should and when I wake up I am weak and really tired. The advantages of a later school start time would be the student can take his time on his homework at nights and the disadvantages would be kids would stay up later than they should. I think the campaign is straight stupid! I go to Fork Union Military Academy and I have 20 mins to get ready in the morning and that girl doesn’t have to put make-up on…. It is all in time management! If she uses her time wisely then she would be all good!

My school day starts at 8AM and ends at 2PM. Personally, i think the school day should start a bit later. I feel like I’m lacking the rest i need during the day. Because of the military academy environment, we have to go to sleep at 10PM and wake up at 6AM, and i still feel sluggish in the morning. I can already see the benefits of waking up later, because on weekends, we are allowed to wake up at 7AM, and many times i will feel well rested and even sometimes be able to wake up before 7AM. I could see a disadvantage of waking up at 7AM on school days because I’m sure that the school would require you to stay an hour after class because you’d be coming to school an hour later. I think the extra time to sleep in would be extremely beneficial to the grades of students because they would be able to concentrate more during class, remember things better than they would, and just have a better mood because they were fully rested.

In my opinion my school need to increase the number of hours that we sleep. I wake up a 6 am and sleep at 10 pm. I feel tired during the class day sometimes and cannot focus. My rest has been getting in the way of my grades and I just want my school to let us sleep for 9 to 10 hours instead of 8.

1. My school day starts at 8 am 2. I think my school day should start at a later time, because I think we need more sleep. I think we get out at a reasonable time, but we need to preserve sleep. 3. I am sleep deprived because of how late I go to bed, due to the amount of work I have, and have to wake up very early. 4. I think advantages would be that kids would be more awake and attentive, giving them a chance to do better in school. A disadvantage would be that kids may not get out of school until later in the afternoon. 5. I feel like it is a good idea for both physical health and educational benefit. On the idea that she doesn’t have enough time, I think that is silly. I only have 20 minutes to get ready for class in the morning

I think, like most public schools around Central Virginia, school should start at around 8:30-9:00 and end at around 3:30. My school day starts at 8:00 and ends at 2:00 but I go to boarding school so I don’t have to walk far or drive. I like my schedule because at 2:00, my day is over until I do my homework at 8:00 pm. I can relate to how hard it is to be at school early, but I have to do it. I go to bed at 10 pm get up at 6:00 and have no problem getting ready in 20 minutes. I feel like, if you cannot get to school on time, that is your problem because you should go to bed earlier and get up earlier to allot more time. I understand the whole homework deal, but don’t try to pretend like you (as a public school kid) don’t have enough free time.

My school day starts at 8 and ends at 2 on Mondays through Thursdays, and ends at 12:30 on Friday. I think the day should start at 9-9:30 in the mornings. Early start times are what leave most people sleep deprived but they should just make the decision to go to bed earlier. I think that there would be several benefits from later start times, one including being more focused in class and getting better grades. disadvantages include that some would just stay up later and it would all be relative because they would still not be getting enough sleep. I thought that Jilly had the right idea.

Since I go to a boarding private school, we have a different schedule. We wake up at 6 a.m, have 20 minutes to get dressed, by 6:20 we’re going to breakfast and eating until 7. Then we go back and clean until 7:50. At 7:50 we have 10 minutes to get to class. Our days are from 8:00 a.m until 2:00 p.m with three 45 minutes breaks throughout the day. Later on that day we have a mandatory study hall at 7:45 p.m until 9:40 p.m and then we go to bed at 10:00. I don’t believe we receive enough sleep each night because between school, sports extra curricular activities, and clean-ups, I don’t believe eight hours is enough.

In my opinion, I don’t think schools should start later. My school starts at 7:30 and goes to 2:15. I like my schedule because I get home earlier, so I have more time to do what I want. If schools set their start times back, it wouldn’t make students less tired, it would just be one less hour of daylight after school. Plus, would students really get more sleep? This is just an excuse to stay up later every night. I’ve experienced early and late start times, and I definitely like the earlier times better.

My school starts at 7:10 and ends at 2:20. I don’t really know if it should or shouldn’t. I kind of like my daily schedule. I can’t tell if it is making me sleep deprived. Sometimes but not all the time. I don’t really know any. I don’t know. I don’t agree with that at all.

Should school start later? I think yes. I mean not to late just like an extra hour maybe like 9 a.m instead of 7 a.m. I think that would be best for everyone.

My typical school day starts at 7:15 and ends at 2:20. I think our school day should start later because I wake up at 5:00 in the morning just for school. I do not like it at all!! I am so not an early person so I do not like waking up at 5:00 every single day. I think an early start time is not leaving me sleep deprived, I just do not like waking up that early. I do not stay up later than I should, I just like laying in my bed because it is comfortable and when I am laying down it feels better to my back that is messed up. So I think that school should start later than it does for us.

My school starts at 7:15 and ends at 2:20. I would love to have my school start later, but it would get in the way of homework and jobs. I go to bed every night at a decent time, but the time that I wake up in the morning leaves me with only about six hours of sleep, which can be hard to deal with on some days. The benefits of starting school later would be being happier and feeling better and more alert, while the disadvantages would be less time for homework and a job. At my school there is time to get work done that could otherwise be homework, so with that it would not hurt to start school an hour or two later. There are still other things to consider, like jobs, home chores, and on some nights excess homework. It really depends on the school and the students, but I don’t think that changing the hours would be a bad thing.

Should school days be shorter?

Well should school days be shorter I don’t know should they? Yes school days should be shorter why because students can have hard times sitting all day and trying to follow directions. The affect it has on students can possibly be insubordination, nausea, and later health problems. Taking too much information in the human brain causes stress and multiple headaches. By the way stress speeds up the aging process if you didn’t know and having stress on a young age is not good. I can wright a hole essay about this will this ever make out to people and have them to actually care no. I am sorry for some of my punctuation but whatever its life no one’s perfect. The real reason to having shortened days relies on the people who have the right to chance it. I writing this essay will not solve anything but hopefully it does. School days should definitely be shorter students like I need more time to work on life I spend 7 hours every day even weekends worrying about school. Being an adult makes no difference than being a student or child cause one day we will be capable of doing the same things that’s just logic. The board of education expects all kids that go to school deal with it well that’s not going to happen. Even teachers complain on their free time and budget its funny cause I know they’re at least getting paid 600$ a week. Not just making school shorter but make a new industry and a new world on earth. That won’t even happen either because the economy is so messed up. 2014 people care more about their technology than their selves. If I don’t win this contest its okay I just want you guys know I put an effort into what I’m saying, and if you don’t like it I’m sorry I’m just expressing my feelings. Maybe there will be a day the world will be completely peaceful but we have a lot of work to do. So I really hope you people enjoy this piece of writing thank you.

Sincerely, Dante Y

yes school days should start later because your brain does not start functioning until after 10:00.

well seeing as my school was on a two hour delay today, i don’t care. But i like the way my school is now, it starts at 7:15 and ends at 2:20.

I feel that the school day should start a lot later so that we can actually get something done in our classes instead of being extremely tired by fourth block

Most Definitely. I do think that school should start at a later time. At least like an hour or so starting at 8. I think that by doing this it would make a lot of people happy especially me.

i feel the school day should begin 9:15 am instead of 7:15 and operate on the 2 hour delay schedule. The stress of waking up early leaves me sleepy throughout the day and i think sleeping in at least another hour could help everyone.

My school day starts at 7:10 and ends at 2:20, i like my daily schedule because it gives me time for sports and then i can do things like homework or watch tv after that. If we started any later it would only benefit people that didn’t do sports and hurt the athletes. I think the only reason people want more time is because they go to sleep late and that’s their problem.

My school starts at 7:15 every morning and it ends 2:20. I think it should and I don’t really like daily schedule. What I like it we have about one hour for lunch. It gives me the opportunity to eat and go to my class to get help. It not that deprived to wake up early. I go to sleep on time every day. I think it will benefit the student in their grades.

What's Next

Persuasive Essay on Shorter School Days

Imagine this, you wake up and walk into the kitchen at 7:30 a.m. to see your 6 year old downing coffee and answering early morning emails. They curtly say good morning before straightening their tie, putting their lunch in their briefcase and walking out the door. Wouldn’t this seem weird? You're 6 year old in Kindergarten acting like a small businessperson. Surprisingly CEO’s and children aren’t that different. They wake up earlier than usual, eat breakfast or skip it all together, and grab their things and walk out the door. They then stay at school for 7-8 hours before coming home. Children aren’t employees, so why do they live like them? School days should be shorter because shortening the school day will benefit students and staff and because long school days will affect students in a negative way.

Students and staff will benefit from shorter school days. Shorter school days allow more time for students to sleep and take a break from school and homework to have time for themselves. In an article written by Bonnie Wood, Wood states that “Some people argue that because the work day is roughly seven or eight hours, the school day should be as well. But students, especially young ones, should not be expected to perform the same amount of time at work as adults. They need breaks from sitting at desks and in the classroom. Some educational settings allow students to be active during the day, and this helps, but students still shouldn't be expected to put in an eight-hour work day” (Wood). This evidence shows that students would benefit more from shorter school hours and that students aren’t adults and shouldn’t be treated as such. These facts give powerful insight into the problem of longer school days, and how shorter school days are more rewarding. Students are not adults who can put in 8 hour workdays and benefit from it. Moving onto staff, all staff in a school environment are overworked and underappreciated. For example, this study shows how teachers would benefit from shorter school days: “Teachers are often under-appreciated, under-paid and over-extended. Even though they get the summers off, they often have to go above and beyond the call of duty during the school year, with grading, programs and out-of-class tutoring. If they worked shorter hours during the day, they could better focus on their students and their education through mentoring and the work they do from home, such as grading and lesson planning” (Wood). This study indicates how teachers would benefit from shorter school days. Shorter school days would give more time for teachers to create more beneficial lesson plans, and evaluate students' position in understanding certain topics. Therefore, shorter school days will allow students and staff more time for themselves in order to benefit their learning and teaching experiences.

Longer school days are harmful to students, shorter school days would be more practical. Many students participate in extracurricular activities such as sports, community service, the arts, and other activities outside of school. Longer days mean less time for students to perform homework and study for classes, especially for events that end late at night. They stay up later than they should because of it. An article written by Ayanna John, a reporter for Clarksburg High School, gives evidence towards why longer school days are detrimental to students, “A typical American school day is six to eight hours starting between seven and nine a.m., which means students have to wake up early in the morning just to sit in a classroom for hours on end. Child Mind Institute, providing the highest quality evidence-based care to children and adolescents, has shown that school causes chronic sleep deprivation in teens which makes it more difficult to focus in class and affects the brain’s ability to consolidate. Other problems include not having enough time to study or do homework and giving less time to do other activities outside of school” (John). This piece of evidence shows that students can develop a permanent condition that can affect them for the rest of their lives.Chronic sleep deprivation can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and daytime impairment such as reduced concentration, slower thinking, and mood changes. This is extremely unfair, considering that school hours aren’t something that most students can control. Longer school days can be physically harmful to students. Another unjustifiable norm that needs elaboration, is the fact that longer school days are unlikely to be an effective approach to boost achievement unless other elements are in place. In other words, longer school days will not boost test scores, or be more beneficial unless other components are being used. The duration of school days will not aid students, only trouble them further. As said in an article written by Walden University, (Walden has been accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1990.) “It’s possible that changes in teaching strategy and improvements in educational materials could offer a much more efficient way to boost academic achievement”(“The pros and cons to longer school days”). This evidence shows that longer school days are rarely beneficial if there is not an exceptional teaching strategy. For these reasons, longer school days will be harmful to students in the long run, and that longer school days are rarely beneficial. Shorter school days will be more rewarding.

Some people argue that teachers would have less time to elaborate on topics and questions if school days were shorter. According to this argument, “A shortened school day would reduce the amount of instructional time. For some laboratory classes reducing the number of minutes in class each day could have a detrimental impact. Even if the number of days were extended to counteract the reduced number of minutes in class, shorter segments of instructional time might diminish the quality of instruction” (Bradley). This claim is valid, however, with shorter school days, teachers would have more time to create more elaborate and time efficient lesson plans in order for the students to get the education and information that they need. Teachers can have more time to prepare each day when the days are shorter. Therefore, this problem can be solved due to the fact that teachers would create assignments fitted to the duration of their class.

In conclusion, school days should be shorter because shortening the school day will benefit students and staff and because long school days will affect students in a negative way. Shorter school days will be substantially more beneficial to students and staff than longer school days. As well as the fact that longer school days will be extremely harmful to the students, which is why shorter school days are needed. Some people argue that shorter school days mean less learning, and how students might not get the key details from each class. However, this problem can be solved. Teachers will create specially formatted lesson plans in order to fit the duration of each class and will allow students to get more out of each lesson. Instead of having your six year old running a company, they can be a kid, enjoy outside interests, and have time to relax.

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Reasons Why the School Day Should Be Shorter

Bonnie wood.

According to a 2003 report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the U.S. ranked 15th in reading literacy, 25th in mathematics and 21st in sciences globally. To boost these scores, some lawmakers and educators are pressing for longer school days and shorter summer vacations. There are, of course, some educational advantages to the longer school day, but there are also drawbacks. A shorter school day can bring physical, social and emotional benefits to students.

Explore this article

Students Could Focus on Other Activities
Students Should Be Getting More Rest
Teachers Would Be Healthier
Students Are Not Employees

1 Students Could Focus on Other Activities

Students are in school about seven hours a day. After school, many of these students participate in extra-curricular activities, such as sports, clubs, theater or volunteering. Although academic work is vital, these extra-curricular activities are also significant for students because they teach responsibility and teamwork. In fact, most colleges require a wide variety of activities for incoming freshman students. But these important activities are often squeezed out by time in school and with homework. The educational system should focus on forming well-founded persons, but students are instead focusing primarily on intellectual pursuits. Less time in school could allow students the freedom to discover other interests that are fulfilling and stimulating.

2 Students Should Be Getting More Rest

In addition to students having more time to focus on important activities, a shorter school day would give them more time to rest. According to WebMD, children between the ages of 12 to 18 need at least eight hours of sleep each night, sometimes even nine. In addition, many schools begin very early in the day, as early as 7:30 a.m. To get the recommended amount of sleep, students may have to go to bed around 9 or 10 p.m. The reality, though, is between time in school and time doing homework, students don't have the time to spend on other activities, friends and fun, let alone getting the sleep they desperately need. A later start would help students receive the rest that doctors recommend.

3 Teachers Would Be Healthier

Teachers are often under-appreciated, under-paid and over-extended. Even though they get the summers off, they often have to go above and beyond the call of duty during the school year, with grading, programs and out-of-class tutoring. If they worked shorter hours during the day, they could better focus on their students and their education through mentoring and the work they do from home, such as grading and lesson planning.

4 Students Are Not Employees

Some people argue that because the work day is roughly seven or eight hours, the school day should be as well. But students, especially young ones, should not be expected to perform the same amount of time at work as adults. They need breaks from sitting at desks and in the classroom. Some educational settings allow students to be active during the day, and this helps, but students still shouldn't be expected to put in an eight-hour work day.

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Why Should School Days Be Shorter

Why are shorter class periods better why should school days not be longer why should the school day be shorter, in today's flash-speed world, navigating the chaotic dance between algebra and personal time has become a struggle for both adults and high school students. picture this: a day that feels like a marathon, but instead of running, you're juggling textbooks while racing against time. let's explore why shorter school days are the hero capes we all need..

An image that explains why school days should be shorter.

Jan 08, 2024 By Team YoungWonks *

How Do Longer School Hours Impact Student Engagement and Learning?

Firstly, longer school hours mean more yawns than an English class on Shakespeare's oldest jokes. Imagine being stuck in class as long as waiting for GTA – VI release, excruciatingly lengthy, isn't it? The amount of time spent in class does not necessarily reflect the amount of learning that takes place. High schoolers deserve to spend less time in classrooms and more time conquering the mysteries of life.

Speaking of mysteries, longer school days lead to the disappearance of free time faster than Houdini vanishing from a locked chest. Extracurricular and after-school activities become as rare as finding a unicorn in your backyard. Who knew that "education" sometimes translates to "skipping out on life's fun stuff"?

Impact on Mental Health

Let's talk mental health – or rather, the mental Olympics that come with longer school hours. Burnout becomes a common theme, turning minds into mush faster than microwave popcorn. Less sleep than a caffeinated owl doesn't make for happy test scores or enthusiastic students. You know the saying: an extra hour of sleep can turn a zombie-like morning into a refreshed and energized day at school. Shortening school days isn't just a light-hearted idea. It's a chance to give our mental health a high-five and improve student achievement without feeling like we're studying for Hogwarts' O.W.L.s. It's about ensuring that quality instruction doesn't vanish like a magician's rabbit into a hat during longer days. According to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, shorter class time could also have positive effects on students’ health, such as lower obesity rates, better sleep quality, and fewer mental health issues. One of the arguments in favor of shorter school days is that they could increase the efficiency and effectiveness of instructional time, as teachers and students would be more focused and motivated during the limited hours of class. It could also reduce the associated cost of childcare.

Less Time for Hobbies

Imagine a world where the school year isn't a marathon but more like a pleasant jog, where high schoolers have the extra time to dabble in hobbies, hang with friends, and, oh, catch up on sleep! So, why should we stand for shorter school days? It's not just about shorter school hours; it's about giving them the space to learn, grow, and still have enough energy to crack a smile in class the next day. Let's not make the school year feel like a never-ending series binge but rather a well-crafted sitcom – short, sweet, and leaving us wanting more. It's time to rewrite the plot and embrace a world with more quality and less school time. Here's to quality education and more "me time" for everyone! The idea of shorter school days is often like spotting a unicorn - elusive yet magical!

The Daily Grind of Long School Days

The longer school days were seemingly conjured from ancient runes, crafted to cover all the "must-know" academic stuff. But as we surf the wave of the 21st century, it might be time to give these marathon classes a makeover. After all, education isn't just about hurling textbooks at students but igniting a spark for learning, right?

Imagine sitting through an episode of "The Most Boring Lectures of All Time." Classrooms feel like time machines – the hours stretch longer than waiting for a sequel to your favorite movie! And don't even get me started on homework – it's the never-ending saga, like a post-credits scene that just won't end! The thing is, the school day just sucks all your energy, leaving no time for hobbies, hanging out with friends, or doing anything fun. It's like forgetting about a pizza in the oven until it's totally burnt.

3 reasons why school days should be shorter

The benefits of shorter school days are not only academic, but also social and emotional. The following are some of the advantages of shorter school days:

Enhanced Focus : Shorter school days can lead to increased focus during class. Students may find it easier to pay attention and engage in lessons without the mental fatigue associated with long school days. This could in turn improve their overall academic performance.
Lower Stress Levels : Lengthy school days often contribute to stress and burnout among students due to the continuous pressure of studies. Reducing school hours can help alleviate this stress, leading to a healthier and more balanced lifestyle for students.
More Time for Extracurricular Activities : A truncated school day allows more time for extracurricular activities. These activities are crucial for a child's holistic development, helping to cultivate social skills, creative abilities, and physical well-being. They also provide opportunities for discovering and nurturing talents outside the classroom setting.

Why should school be 4 days instead of 5 days?

Let's brew some creative ideas for change. How about long hour school day, but fewer of them each day? Think deep dives into subjects, where every minute counts. Or why not blend in some online learning, giving students control over their learning pace?

The four-day school week is a policy that has been adopted by many public schools in the U.S. So how does it affect the education system?

It reduces the quality of instruction and gives less class time to learn the required curriculum in and prepare for standardized tests.
The four-day school week also affects the school system and the school districts, as they have to adjust their schedules, transportation, meals, and extracurricular activities to accommodate the longer school days.

The impact of the four-day school week on student outcomes and educational engagement may depend on various factors, such as the start times, the length of the school day, the spending time on homework, and the availability of after-school programs.

Balancing childcare, instructional time, and appropriate starting time is essential to ensure an effective educational setting for students.

Starting schools for shorter time mean well-rested students with 8 hours of sleep with their superhero capes ready. Studies suggest that shorter school week give attendance and test scores a high-five! The four-day school week could help students and teachers reduce their stress and fatigue from the long workday.
Shorter school days could enhance students’ well-being by allowing them to have more balance and flexibility in spending time on their academic, personal, and social needs.

Let's create a world where school days are like a well-paced TV show, leaving us wanting more, not less. After all, learning isn't about the quantity of hours; it's about the quality of the journey.

Shaping the Future with Exceptional Coding Classes for Kids

At YoungWonks, we believe that shorter school days can be more productive, particularly when supplemented with specialized educational programs such as our Coding Classes for Kids . These courses are designed to foster a deep understanding of technology, encourage analytical thinking, and cultivate the skills necessary for the digital age. For those interested in specific programming languages, our Python Coding Classes for Kids offer an in-depth exploration of Python, one of the most popular and versatile languages in the tech industry today. Furthermore, our Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and Game Development Coding Classes provide a hands-on experience in hardware programming and game design, broadening the horizons of learning beyond the standard school curriculum.

*Contributors: Written by Riya Kumari Singh; Edited by Rohit Budania; Lead image by Shivendra Singh

This blog is presented to you by YoungWonks. The leading coding program for kids and teens. YoungWonks offers instructor led one-on-one online classes and in-person classes with 4:1 student teacher ratio. Sign up for a free trial class by filling out the form below:

6 benefits of shorter school days

The past year has led to a lot of questions about what school should look like and the best way kids learn. It was only a matter of time before the traditional school day itself entered the conversation!

Bells, recess, changing classes, 6-8 hours on average spent in a school building: pretty standard, right?

But does it need to be that way?

Many parents are wondering if an educational option outside the typical school routine is right for their child. And the format and length of time kids spend in the building is a natural place to start thinking about this.

A shorter school day opens up a world of possibilities and potential benefits for kids both in and outside the classroom. So, let’s take a closer look at what that could look like for learners.

Benefits of shorter school days for kids and teens

Naturally, there are countless factors that go into determining the right length and format of a school day, along with the right amount of homework for kids and the myriad of other important issues in the education world. There are pros and cons to the most common model currently in K-12 and every alternative to it.

It also goes without saying that every student is unique and will have different educational and developmental needs. With this in mind, it’s all the more worthwhile to examine the potential benefits of a shorter school day and what that could mean for how kids and teens spend their time!

1. More time to explore hobbies

And no, that doesn’t mean more time for social media or phone-scrolling. Many kids (and parents) sometimes feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to squeeze in after-school activities while juggling school schedules and homework. Add in carpool and the logistics involved in the balancing act, and daily life gets even more hectic!

After-school online programs alleviate some of the logistical stress, but there’s no doubt that finding time for kids’ hobbies can be a challenge. With shorter school days, things like athletic practice could start and end earlier, and kids could have the time they need to explore coding , creative writing, music—whatever piques their interest, on a more manageable schedule.

2. More sleep

Let's face it, kids come home tired after school . Thus, a good night’s sleep is critically important to kids’ - and especially teens - development, wellbeing, and success in school. So why is it so hard to come by?

The traditional school schedule certainly doesn’t help. The CDC recommends that middle and high school start no earlier than 8:30 am, but the vast majority of US schools start at earlier hours . Shorter school days that start later in the day could alleviate this problem, promoting healthy habits and the many benefits that go with a solid sleep routine.

3. More time to focus on mental health

In the typical K-12 schooling model, mental health education is too often shunted aside. With shorter school days, kids can have more time to de-stress, reflect, and practice mindfulness. And it's so important that they have time to do that!

Troubling research indicates that rates of high-stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues are rising in kids and teens. By shortening the school day, kids could have more time to decompress with intention and make time for pursuits that manage stress. That would mean more time for journaling, exercise, a creative project, or whatever works for each child.

4. Increased concentration in class

There’s a limit to how long kids can focus , sit still, and still give their best effort in school. Especially for younger children, sitting at desks or even on the floor for extended periods of time is a challenge.

So why does the traditional school model center on quietly sitting in one place most of the time?

Shortening the school day could give kids and teens more time for movement, brain breaks, and other activities proven to boost learning outcomes among other benefits. With more opportunities to move around and worry less about following classroom rules, kids could be better prepared to focus when it counts.

5. More opportunities for specific academic support

Again, stating the obvious: kids have vastly different learning needs. And yet most kids spend the majority of their time in large-group learning environments. Of course, great teachers and schools implement differentiation strategies to tailor each class to each individual learner, but there’s only so much that can be done.

A shorter school day could mean that kids who need an extra challenge or additional support could spend more time meeting with their teachers in a 1-on-1 or specialized small-group setting. More field trips could appear on the calendar. Certainly some kids would benefit from the additional time to pursue a passion project connected to their academic studies, but might not make the cut in a typical school year’s curriculum.

Spending less time spent in a whole-class, lecture-based environment could open a world of learning possibilities that could better support each student’s learning journey.

6. Increased family time

School closures at the height of COVID-19 were eye-opening for a number of reasons, including how the traditional brick and mortar schooling model cuts into time spent with family.

A shorter school day could mean that time spent learning from family members, intergenerational bonding time, and just more precious unstructured time with family.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that many parents will magically have a few free hours throughout the workday to spend with their children. But with more time for that homework routine , extracurricular and activities, the family schedule and after-school routine could become balanced in a new, beneficial way.

Whether enjoying a game night (or family-friendly video game night) completing a project together, or doing an educational excursion as a family becomes a lot more doable with the gift of time.

Catch up and get ahead this school year

We (unfortunately) don’t have a crystal ball to know what the future holds for the education world. We do know, however, that we are excited to help kids get back on track and get excited about learning again!

To do that, our new Online Private Lessons and Online Teen Academies are designed to combine project-based learning with the latest tech skills.

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Virginia started with iD Tech at the University of Denver in 2015 and has loved every minute since then! A former teacher by trade, she has a master's in education and loves working to embolden the next generation through STEM. Outside the office, you can usually find her reading a good book, struggling on a yoga mat, or exploring the Rocky Mountains.

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It's always a good time time to ask: why is coding important? Why should kids learn to code? Is computer programming beneficial to learn at an early age?

Algorithms for kids: definition, examples, benefits, and resources! Though they may seem complex and intimidating at first, algorithms are both simple to learn and easy to spot in daily life. Not only can kids of al

iD Tech Privacy Policy

Id tech privacy policy publish date: 10/26/2023.

internalDrive, Inc. (“iD Tech”) respects your privacy and recognizes the importance of your personal information. We are committed to protecting your information through our compliance with this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy applies to all individuals who visit and/or use iD Tech/internalDrive, Inc.'s websites, services, and products that collect data and/or display these terms ("iD Sites & Services"). This Privacy Policy describes the types of information we may collect when you visit an iD Tech website, open an account or receive iD Tech Services and our practices for using, maintaining, protecting and disclosing that information.

All references to "us," "we," or "our" refer to iD Tech/internalDrive, Inc.

All references to "child" or "children" refer to children under the age of 13.

By accessing or otherwise using any of our iD Sites & Services, you consent to the terms contained in this privacy statement, including the collection, use, and disclosure of data as described below.

California Residents: iD Tech’s PRIVACY NOTICE FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS supplements the information contained in this Privacy Policy and applies solely to visitors, users, and others who reside in the State of California.

I. Information We May Ask You To Provide

Through our iD Sites & Services, we collect information about you and/or your student when you choose to provide it to us. For example, we collect information from you so you can use iD Sites & Services, purchase products and services, register for and obtain an account, request information, apply for a job, register for one of our programs, or verify your age. In general, we may ask you to provide us with the following types of information about you and/your student:

Contact information such as name, email address, mailing address, phone numbers (note to parents/guardians of children: if we have actual knowledge that a user is under 13 years old, the child will be asked to have their parent or guardian continue the registration process);
Month, day, and year of birth;
Gender preference;
Course interests;
Billing information such as credit card number and billing address;
User names to third-party systems (for example, Facebook);
Information provided on forums or chat rooms within our iD Sites & Services (note to parents/guardians of children: forums and chat rooms permit a child user to enter comments through which the child could provide personal information that would be visible to other users);
Information included in résumés and job applications; and
Health, any participation limitations or needs, immunization and allergy information.

Note to Parents/Guardians : We only collect the information described above, from someone we know to be a child, after the child's parent or guardian provides us with verifiable consent, unless one of the limited exceptions discussed below applies. For more information and/or to review these limited exceptions, please see the " Our Commitment to Children’s Privacy " section below. II. Information Collected Automatically Cookies and other Tracking Technologies We may use cookies, web beacons, pixel tags, log files, Local Storage Objects, or other technologies to collect certain information about visitors to and users of iD Sites & Services, such as the date and time you visit iD Sites & Services, the areas or pages of iD Sites & Services that you visit, the amount of time you spend viewing or using iD Sites & Services, the number of times you return to iD Sites & Services, other click-stream or usage data, and emails that you open, forward or click through to iD Sites & Services. For example, we may automatically collect certain information, such as the type of web browser and operating system you use, the name of your Internet Service Provider, Internet Protocol (“IP”) address, software version, and the domain name from which you accessed our iD Sites & Services. We use this information to monitor and improve our iD Sites & Services, support the internal operations of our iD Sites & Services, personalize your online experience, verify e-signatures, and for internal analysis.

We may also use cookies, web beacons, and other similar technologies from third party partners such as Google for measurement services, better targeting advertisements and for marketing purposes. These cookies, web beacons, and other similar technologies allow us to display our promotional material to you on other sites you visit across the internet. Our third-party advertising partners may also use these technologies to identify your browsing interests over time and across different websites to deliver targeted advertisements.

iD Sites & Services do not recognize “Do Not Track” headers or similar mechanisms.

iD Tech partners with Rakuten Advertising, who may collect personal information when you interact with our site. The collection and use of this information is subject to Rakuten’s privacy policy located at https://rakutenadvertising.com/legal-notices/services-privacy-policy/ . Our Sites & Services may also use other third-party plug-ins to provide additional services and benefits. These third parties may collect information about you as well. When we use a third-party plug-in we will attempt to provide you with the identify the plug-in, so you can visit the sites of the third-parties to view the privacy policy under which the information they collect is identified and controlled.

We may also collect geolocation information from your device so we can customize your experience on our iD Sites & Services. In most cases, you are able to turn off such data collection at any time by accessing the privacy settings of your device and/or through the settings in the applicable GPS application. Social Media You also can engage with our content, and other offerings, on or through social media services or other third-party platforms, such as Facebook, or other third-party social media plug-ins, integrations and applications. When you engage with our content on or through social media services or other third-party platforms, plug-ins, integrations or applications, you may allow us to have access to certain information in your profile. This may include your name, email address, photo, gender, birthday, location, an ID associated with the applicable third-party platform or social media account user files, like photos and videos, your list of friends or connections, people you follow and/or who follow you, or your posts or "likes." For a description on how social media services and other third-party platforms, plug-ins, integrations, or applications handle your information, please refer to their respective privacy policies and terms of use, which may permit you to modify your privacy settings.

When we interact with you through our content on third-party websites, applications, integrations or platforms, we may obtain any information regarding your interaction with that content, such as content you have viewed, and information about advertisements within the content you have been shown or may have clicked on. Information from Third Party Services We may also obtain other information, including personal information, from third parties and combine that with information we collect through our Websites. For example, we may have access to certain information from a third-party social media or authentication service if you log in to our Services through such a service or otherwise provide us with access to information from the service. Any access that we may have to such information from a third-party social media or authentication service is in accordance with the authorization procedures determined by that service. If you authorize us to connect with a third-party service, we will access and store your name, email address(es), current city, profile picture URL, and other personal information that the third party service makes available to us, and use and disclose it in accordance with this Policy. You should check your privacy settings on these third-party services to understand and change the information sent to us through these services. For example, you can log in to the Services using single sign-in services such as Facebook Connect or an Open ID provider.

III. Your Ability To Control Cookies And Similar Technologies As noted, we may use cookies or similar technologies to monitor and improve iD Sites & Services, support the internal operations of iD Sites & Services, personalize your online experience, support the e-signature process, and/or for internal analysis. This includes the use of third-party cookies. We use these technologies to keep track of how you are using our iD Sites & Services and to remember certain pieces of general information.

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. Check the “Tools” or “Help” tab on your browser to learn how to change your cookie and other tracking preferences.

If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the functions of iD Sites & Services and/or some of our services will function improperly, in particular the inability to log in or manage items in your shopping cart. We do not share cookie data with any third parties. IV. How We May Use Your Information We may use the information we collect from and about you and/or your student for any of the following purposes:

Allow you to register yourself or your student with iD Sites & Services, or to otherwise register and open an account with us;
Allow you and/or your student to use iD Sites & Services;
Fulfill orders, process payments, and prevent transactional fraud;
Respond to your or your student’s requests or inquiries;
Provide you or your student with information about our products and services;
Consider you for employment or a volunteer opportunity;
Register you or your student in one of our programs;
Verify your student's age;
Monitor and improve iD Sites & Services, support the internal operations of iD Sites & Services, personalize your online experience, and for internal analysis;
Protect the security or integrity of iD Sites & Services and our business;
Facilitate the sale or potential sale of our business or any of our assets; or
As required by law.

V. How We Share Information We do not sell or otherwise share your or your student’s information with any third parties, except for the limited purposes described below. Parents/guardians of children under the age of 13 have the option of consenting to the collection and use of their child's personal information without consenting to the disclosure of that information to certain third parties.

1. Law Enforcement And Safety

We may access, preserve, and/or disclose the information we collect and/or content you and/or your student/child provides to us (including information posted on our forums) to a law enforcement agency or other third parties if required to do so by law or with a good faith belief that such access, preservation, or disclosure is reasonably necessary to: (i) comply with legal process; (ii) enforce the Terms and Conditions of iD Sites & Services; (iii) respond to claims that the content violates the rights of third parties; or (iv) protect the rights, property, or personal safety of the owners or users of iD Sites & Services, a third party, or the general public. We also may disclose information whenever we believe disclosure is necessary to limit our legal liability; to protect or defend our rights or property; or protect the safety, rights, or property of others. 2. Service Providers; Colleges and Universities Information collected through iD Sites & Services may be transferred, disclosed, or shared with third parties engaged by us to handle and deliver certain activities, such as housing, meals, payment processing, mail/email distribution, software providers, and to perform other technical and processing functions, such as maintaining data integrity, programming operations, user services, or technology services. We may provide these third parties’ information collected as needed to perform their functions, but they are prohibited from using it for other purposes and specifically agree to maintain the confidentiality of such information. Some of these providers, such as payment processors, may request additional information during the course of offering their services. Before you provide additional information to third-party providers, we encourage you to review their privacy policies and information collection practices. 3. Business Transfer During the normal course of our business, we may sell or purchase assets. If another entity may acquire and/or acquires us or any of our assets, information we have collected about you may be transferred to such entity. In addition, if any bankruptcy or reorganization proceeding is brought by or against us, such information may be considered an asset of ours and may be sold or transferred to third parties. Should a sale or transfer occur, we will use reasonable efforts to try to require that the transferee use personal information provided through our iD Sites & Services in a manner that is consistent with this privacy statement. VI. Our Commitment To Children’s Privacy Protecting the privacy of children is paramount. We understand that users and visitors of our iD Sites & Services who are under 13 years of age need special safeguards and privacy protection. It is our intent to fully comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

Our iD Sites & Services are intended for general audiences. We do not knowingly permit anyone under 13 years of age to provide us with personal information without obtaining a parent's or guardian’s verifiable consent, except where:

the sole purpose of collecting the name or online contact information of a parent or child is to provide notice and obtain parental consent;
the purpose of collecting a parent’s online contact information is to provide voluntary notice to, and subsequently update the parent about, the child’s participation in our iD Sites & Services that do not otherwise collect, use, or disclose childrens' personal information;
the sole purpose of collecting online contact information from a child is to respond directly on a one-time basis to a specific request from the child, and where such information is not used to re-contact the child or for any other purpose, is not disclosed, and is deleted by us promptly after responding to the child’s request;
the purpose of collecting a child’s and a parent’s online contact information is to respond directly more than once to the child’s specific request, and where such information is not used for any other purpose, disclosed, or combined with any other information collected from the child;
the purpose of collecting a child’s and a parent’s name and online contact information, is to protect the safety of a child, and where such information is not used or disclosed for any purpose unrelated to the child’s safety;
we collect a persistent identifier and no other personal information and such identifier is used for the sole purpose of providing support for the internal operations of iD Sites & Services; or
otherwise permitted or required by law.

If we receive the verifiable consent of a child's parent or guardian to collect, use, and/or disclose the child's information, we will only collect, use, and disclose the information as described in this privacy statement. Some features of our iD Sites & Services permit a child user to enter comments, such as forums and chat rooms, through which the child could provide personal information that would be visible to other users. If you are the parent or guardian of a child user, please advise your child of the risks of posting personal information on this iD Sites & Services or any other site. VII. Parental/Guardian Rights If you are a parent or guardian, you can review or have deleted your child's personal information, and refuse to permit further collection or use of your child's information. To exercise any of these rights, please email us at [email protected] or send your request to:

iD Tech ∙ PO Box 111720 ∙ Campbell, CA 950011 Client Service Toll Free Number: 1-888-709-8324

VIII. Restrictions On Child Users Children under 13 years of age are prevented from accessing areas of iD Sites & Services which include, but are not restricted to, client account information, unless approved by their parent or guardian and any course content defined as age inappropriate by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). IX. Forums And Chats We may offer forums and chat rooms. Please be aware that anyone may read postings on a forum or in a chat room. Furthermore, any information which is posted to a forum or chat room could include personal information, which would be disclosed and available to all users of that forum or chat room, and is therefore no longer private. We cannot guarantee the security of information that any user discloses or communicates online in public areas such as forums and chat rooms. Those who do so, do so at their own risk. We reserve the right to monitor the content of the forums and chat rooms. If age-inappropriate content or potentially identifiable information is seen, it may be removed or edited by us for security, privacy, and/or legal reasons. We will not republish postings from forums or chat rooms anywhere on the Web. X. Links And Third Parties

At our discretion, we may include or offer third-party websites, products, and services on iD Sites & Services. These third-party sites, products, and services have separate and independent privacy policies. You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third parties. We have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of linked sites, products, or services.

Our iD Sites & Services may contain links to other third-party websites, chat rooms, or other resources that we provide for your convenience. These sites are not under our control, and we are not responsible for the content available on other sites. Such links do not imply any endorsement of material on our part and we expressly disclaim all liability with regard to your access to such sites. Access to any other websites linked to from iD Sites & Services is at your own risk.

XI. Legal Basis for processing Personal Data and Your Data Protection Rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), iD Tech’s legal basis for collecting and using your personal information as described in this policy depends on the personal Data we collect and the context in which we collect it. ID Tech may process your personal data:

To provide the services which you requested or purchased;
Because you have given us permission to do so;
To provide you with better services, including conducting audits and data analysis;
For payment processing;
For marketing; and
To comply with the law

You have certain data protection rights. iD Tech aims to take reasonable steps to allow you to correct, amend, delete or limit the use of your Personal Data.

If you wish to be informed about what Personal Data we hold about you and if you want it to be removed from our systems, please contact us at [email protected] .

In certain circumstances, you have the following data protection rights:

The right to access, update, or delete the information we have on you. Whenever made possible, you can access, update, or request deletion of your Personal Data directly within your account settings section. If you are unable to perform these actions yourself, please contact us to assist you.
The right to have your information corrected if that information is inaccurate or incomplete.
The right to object. You have the right to object to our processing of your Personal Data.
The right of restriction. You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information.
The right to data portability. You have the right to be provided with a copy of the information we have on you in a structured, machine-readable, and commonly used format.
The right to withdraw consent. You also have the right to withdraw your consent at any time where iD Tech relied on your consent to process your personal information.

Please note that we may ask you to verify your identity before responding to such requests.

You have the right to complain to a Data Protection Authority about our collection and use of your Personal Data. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority in the European Economic Area (EEA). XII. International Visitors (non GDPR Locations) Our iD Sites & Services are operated and managed on servers located in the United States. If you choose to use our iD Sites & Services from the European Union or other regions of the world with laws governing data collection and uses that differ from the United States, then you recognize and agree that you are transferring your personal information outside of those regions to the United States and you consent to that transfer. XIII. Data Security Commitment To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, we have put in place reasonable physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect. We also use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol on your account information and registration pages to protect sensitive personal information. Sensitive data is encrypted on our iD Sites & Services and when stored on the servers.

XIV. How You Can Access, Request A Copy, Correct, Or Ask For Information To Be Deleted Access to certain personal Information that is collected from our Services and that we maintain may be available to you. For example, if you created a password-protected account within our Service, you can access that account to review the information you provided.

You may also send an email or letter to the following email or call the number provided to ask for a copy, correction, or ask us to delete your personal Information. Please include your registration information for such services, such as first name, last name, phone, and email address in the request. We may ask you to provide additional information for identity verification purposes or to verify that you are in possession of an applicable email account. Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-888-709-8324 XV. How To Contact Us/Opting Out Of Electronic Communications If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or if you have provided your email and/or address and prefer not to receive marketing information, please contact us via email or call at the number provided below. Make sure you provide your name as well as the email(s) and address(es) you wish to have removed.

If you have signed up to receive text messages from us and no longer wish to receive such messages, you may call or email us at the address provided below. Please provide your name, account email, and the number(s) you want removed. Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-888-709-8324 XVI. Terms And Conditions Your use of our iD Sites & Services and any information you provide on our iD Sites & Services are subject to the terms of the internalDrive, Inc. (referred to as “iD Tech”) Terms and Conditions. XVII. Privacy Statement Changes We will occasionally amend this privacy statement. We reserve the right to change, modify, add, or remove portions of this statement at any time. If we materially change our use of your personal information, we will announce such a change on relevant iD Sites & Services and will also note it in this privacy statement. The effective date of this privacy statement is documented at the beginning of the statement. If you have any questions about our privacy statement, please contact us in writing at [email protected] or by mail at PO Box 111720, Campbell, CA 95011. XVIII. Your Credit Card Information And Transactions For your convenience, you may have us bill you or you can pay for your orders by credit card. If you choose to pay by credit card, we will keep your credit card information on file, but we do not display that information at the online registration site. For your security, your credit card security number is not stored in our system.

We use state-of-the-art Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology to safeguard and protect your personal information and transactions over the Internet. Your information, including your credit card information, is encrypted and cannot be read as it travels over the Internet. XIX. Social Networking Disclaimer iD Tech provides several opportunities for social networking for both participants and staff on sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube. These sites are not affiliated with iD Tech and offer their own individual social networking services. Please read the following Terms and Conditions carefully, as well as the Terms and Conditions of the sites in which iD Tech has created a forum ("Group"). These Terms and Conditions are a legal agreement between you and iD Tech and apply to you whether you are a visitor to these sites or any site with an official iD Tech affiliation. iD Tech is a member of several pre-existing sites (as mentioned above). There may be, however, portions of www.iDTech.com that include areas where participants can post submissions. Any of the above-mentioned "Sites" (or other similar sites) have their own distinct rules and regulations. iD Tech reserves the right to take action to remove any content deemed inappropriate by the sites or by iD Tech standards. iD Tech will not be held liable for any loss of content or disagreements that may arise between the individual social networking site and the user. You understand that by registering for an iD Tech program, your participant(s) may access and upload content to social networking sites. In order to access certain features of the social networking sites or pages on iDTech.com, and to post Member Submissions, the majority of these sites require that the user open an account with them. Please note that these sites have their own individual Terms and Conditions that must be followed. Age requirements are outlined within each Site's Terms and Conditions. You hereby authorize your participant to access social networking sites while at camp and create an account if they choose to do so and if they meet the requirements listed by each site to create an account. Interaction with other users:

iD Tech is merely providing a medium in which to socialize online with fellow participants. Users are solely responsible for interactions (including any disputes) with other Members and any volunteers that may advise and assist participants with projects and activities via your use of the iD Site & Services.
You understand that iD Tech does not in any way screen Members or review or police: (i) statements made by Members in their Member Submissions or the Member Submissions in general; or (ii) statements made by Users or any information a User may provide via the iD Site & Services.
You understand that your participant(s) is solely responsible for, and will exercise caution, discretion, common sense, and judgment in using the various iD Sites & Services and disclosing personal information to other Members or Users.
On behalf of your participant(s), you agree that they will take reasonable precautions in all interactions with other Members, particularly if they decide to meet a Member offline or in person.
Your participant's use of the social networking sites with which iD Tech is affiliated, their services, and/or Content and Member Submissions, is at your sole risk and discretion and iD Tech hereby disclaims any and all liability to you or any third party relating thereto.
On behalf of your participant(s), you agree that they will not harass, threaten, intimidate, bully, stalk, or invade the privacy of any individual in connection with your use of the social networking sites with which iD Tech is affiliated and their services, whether or not an individual is an iD Tech Member; and you further agree not to advocate such activities or to encourage others to engage in any such activities.
On behalf of your participant(s), you agree they will not give their social networking information to an iD Tech staff member.
You and your participant(s) should also be aware that under no circumstances are iD Tech employees allowed to give personal contact information for social networking sites. This must be arranged by the participant's parent/guardian through the People Services Department.

XX. Copyright & Intellectual Property Policy: You agree that you and your participant will not use the social networking sites to offer, display, distribute, transmit, route, provide connections to, or store any material that infringes copyrighted works, trademarks, or service marks or otherwise violates or promotes the violation of the intellectual property rights of any third party. internalDrive, Inc. has adopted and implemented a policy that provides for the termination in appropriate circumstances of the accounts of users who repeatedly infringe or are believed to be or are charged with repeatedly infringing the intellectual property or proprietary rights of others. XXI. Disclaimer: BY USING THE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES OR SUBMITTING A MEMBER SUBMISSION, YOU AGREE THAT INTERNALDRIVE, INC. IS NOT RESPONSIBLE, AND WILL IN NO EVENT BE HELD LIABLE, FOR ANY: (A) LOST, ILLEGIBLE, MISDIRECTED, DAMAGED, OR INCOMPLETE MEMBER SUBMISSIONS; (B) COMPUTER OR NETWORK MALFUNCTION OR ERROR; (C) COMMUNICATION DISRUPTION OR OTHER DISRUPTIONS RELATED TO INTERNET TRAFFIC, A VIRUS, BUG, WORM, OR NON-AUTHORIZED INTERVENTION; OR (D) DAMAGE CAUSED BY A COMPUTER VIRUS OR OTHERWISE FROM YOUR ACCESS TO THE SITE OR SERVICES. THE SITE, SERVICES, INTERNALDRIVE, INC., CONTENT, AND MEMBER SUBMISSIONS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITH NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. INTERNALDRIVE, INC. AND ITS SUPPLIERS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THE SITE, SERVICES, INTERNALDRIVE, INC., CONTENT AND MEMBER SUBMISSIONS, WHETHER THE PROVISION OF SERVICES OR YOUR SUBMISSION OF A MEMBER SUBMISSION WILL PRODUCE ANY LEVEL OF PROFIT OR BUSINESS FOR YOU OR LEAD TO ECONOMIC BENEFIT, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF QUALITY, AVAILABILITY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. IN ADDITION, INTERNALDRIVE, INC. MAKES NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY THAT THE SITE OR SERVICES WILL BE ERROR FREE OR THAT ANY ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED. SOME STATES OR JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES. ACCORDINGLY, SOME OF THE ABOVE EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. XXII. Indemnification: You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold iD Tech, its officers, directors, employees, and agents, harmless from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, arising out of or in any way connected with: (i) your access to or use of social networking sites, their services, iD Tech Content and Member Submissions; (ii) your violation of these Terms of Use; (iii) your violation of any third-party right, including, without limitation, any intellectual property right, publicity, confidentiality, property, or privacy right; or (iv) any claim that one of your Member Submissions caused damage to a third party or infringed or violated any third-party intellectual property right, publicity, confidentiality, property, or privacy right.

iD Tech Terms & Conditions

Id tech general terms & conditions publish date: october 26, 2023.

These Terms and Conditions apply to all pages found at www.idtech.com and all Programs operated by internalDrive, Inc. (referred to as "iD Tech") including but not limited to iD Tech In-Person programs and iD Tech Online Programs. These terms apply to all lessons, classes, courses, and options offered by iD Tech (hereinafter referred to individually as “Program” or collectively “Programs”).

Privacy Policy: By using iD Tech’s website, registering you or your student for a Program, and/or affirmatively giving your agreement, you are agreeing on your own behalf and that of your student to abide and be bound by the Privacy Policy found HERE and the Terms and Conditions contained and referenced herein.

Online Programs: If you are purchasing, or you or your student is participating in an Online Program you also agree on your own behalf and on behalf of your student, to be bound by the additional terms and conditions found HERE .

On-Campus Programs: If you are purchasing, or you or your student is participating in, an On-Campus Program, you also agree on your own behalf and on behalf of your student to be bound by the additional terms and conditions found HERE .

I. Code of Conduct

To promote the best learning environment possible, all students and parents will be held to this Code of Conduct. Failure to comply with this Code of Conduct or engaging in actions or attitudes that seem to be harmful to the atmosphere, other participants, or staff, in the opinion of iD Tech can lead to removal from a Program or Program(s). iD Tech reserves the right to dismiss students from a Program and prevent a student from attending additional Programs without any prior warning for (1) violating any of the terms of this code of conduct, or (2) if iD Tech determines that a Program is not a suitable and/or productive environment for a student (this includes incidents in which a student does not have sufficient English language skills to participate in the Program; participation in courses requires a high level of English understanding). Refunds will not be given for students dismissed for failure of the student or the parent to abide by the Code of Conduct, or if it is determined that a Program is not suitable for a student. While iD Tech strives to maintain excellent relationships with students, in some rare cases, we may determine that iD Tech is not a compatible environment for every student.

Students and parents/guardians may NEVER:

Disrupt, bully, intimidate, or harass others;
Use inappropriate language (for example, students cannot use of swear or curse words, racial, gendered, homophobic/transphobic, stereotypical, or culturally insensitive words, even if done in a joking manner);
View, display or post any inappropriate material (including sexual content, material depicting inappropriate violence, racism, bullying, etc.) during a Program;
Share Program information (including lesson plans, etc.) with third-parties, without permission from iD Tech;
Impersonate another person; or
Contact instructors outside of the Program.

Students also may NEVER:

Engage in Internet hacking;
Create an account on or log into third-party websites without the permission of their instructor;
Use false information to create an account on or log into third-party websites;
Share personal information with staff members or ask staff members for their personal information;
Share or create video or audio recordings of iD Tech staff or another student without the permission of iD Tech.

Students and parents/guardians MUST:

Follow directions/instructions of iD Tech personnel;
If online, ensure the student attends the Program in an appropriate, private setting;
Dress appropriately during the Program;
Adhere to the terms of use of any sites used, including following the specified age policies; and
Only share material that is related to lessons and appropriate.

II. Age Policy

iD Tech offers Programs for students ages 7-19. Therefore, students may interact and/or room with a student that is within this age range including 18 or 19 years old. Please note the age range of the Program being registered for.

If a student is 18 or 19 years old and participating in an On-Campus Program, they must successfully pass a criminal and sexual offender background check prior to being allowed to attend. Clients are responsible for all costs and fees associated with any background checks required for a student to attend.

III. Special Accommodations

If a student requires an accommodation to participate, or needs an aid to attend in an iD Tech Program, a parent/guardian must call iD Tech at 1-888-709-8324, no less than three weeks prior to your student’s first day of the Program to make needed arrangements.

If a student requires an aide to participate in an iD Tech Program, the aide must be age 18 or older, may not be a family member, and if it is an On -Campus Program, the aide must successfully pass a criminal and sexual offender background check prior ro being allowed to attend with the student. Aides may also be subject to fingerprinting. Clients are responsible for all direct costs, including background check processing fees, parking, and compensation for the aide’s attendance.

IV. Payment Policy

Unless otherwise noted, all financial transactions are made and quoted in U.S. Dollars.
All Payment Plan Fees, fees paid for Online Programs, and the $250 per week deposit for On-Campus Programs are non-refundable and non-transferrable.
Other than if iD Tech needs to cancel a class, there are no refunds, credits or replacement days for classes missed. If iD Tech needs to cancel a class, iD Tech will either provide you a pro rata credit or reschedule the canceled class(es).
If iD Tech cancels an entire Program for any reason, the fees paid for the Program will be refunded, less the non-refundable fees, as set out above. Non-refundable fees (other than the Payment Plan Fee, if any) will remain in your account as a fully transferable credit that is valid for three (3) years.
iD Tech has the right to charge a $25 late fee on any payments not paid by the due date. For balances that are over 30 (thirty) days past due, iD Tech has the right to charge a 1% monthly finance charge and send the balance to a collection agency for collection (collection agency and legal fees may apply).
All fees (registration, administrative, late, etc.) must be paid prior to the start of a Program, unless a payment plan has been agreed to. Students will be withdrawn from a Program if the Program has not been paid in full prior to the start of the Program, or if at any time a payment is not paid by the due date. No refunds, credits, or make-up classes will be provided if a session is missed due to a delinquent payment.
By agreeing to a subscription or payment plan, you are authorizing iD Tech to auto charge the credit card on file as agreed at the time of purchase and as set out in My Account.
A $35 returned check fee will be assessed for any checks returned or card transactions that are not honored.

V. Reservation Changes

To provide outstanding Programs, we may have to limit your ability to make changes (such as registering for a different course or changing attendance dates) and/or cancel a Program. Please reference the Terms and Conditions for specific Programs (linked above) for the rules and restrictions for changes and cancellations for that Program.

VI. Promotions and Discounts

Promotional discounts are limited to one discount per student. There may be other limitations as to how they apply, and codes must be submitted at the time of registration. iD Tech will not honor retroactive adjustments, and the total discounts received cannot exceed the total cost of the products purchased.

The Refer-a-Friend Program is a voluntary Program that applies to Small Group Classes and In-Person Programs.

Each Referral Code can be used a maximum of 10 times. The code can only be used by students attending iD Tech for the first time (may be limited to certain Programs) and must be applied at the time of registration.
A tuition credit will be given for each new student that registers for an In-Person Program or Small Group Class using a referral code and attends the course for which they registered.
The Refer-a-Friend Program does not apply to siblings.
Students may not refer each other to both qualify for the Refer-a-Friend Discount.
Tuition credit will be applied after the referred client registers, pays in full and attends the Program. If the referred friend cancels his/her Program, the credit will be removed, and you will be responsible for any account balance that is created as a result of the lost credit.
All tuition credits must be used in the Program term in which they are earned, can be used to offset Program tuition and other fees incurred, but do not entitle you to any form of payment.
Tuition credits have no cash value.

VII. Certificates/Vouchers

All certificates/vouchers are non-refundable, non-transferable, and not redeemable for cash. Certificates/vouchers must be redeemed at the time of registration. Certificates/vouchers are valid until the specified expiration date, without exception. They are valid for up to the amount issued, and any amounts not used are forfeited.

VIII. General Releases

Media Release: As a condition of participation, you authorize iD Tech and its partners to take photos, videos, images, audio, and testimonials of and/or from you and your student and agree that said content may be used by iD Tech in promotional materials, marketing collateral, and online media. These images, testimonials, photos, videos, and audio may be shared and used by corporate partners, the media, or other organizations that work with iD Tech. You also agree that all projects and work created by your student during an iD Tech Program may be used by iD Tech in promotional materials, online, and other print media, and may be shared and used by corporate partners, the media, or other organizations that work with iD Tech. You understand that iD Tech, its owners, agents, partners, facility providers, and employees will not be held liable for damages and injuries associated with use of any content released herein, including any and all claims based on negligence. You agree that all images, testimonials, photos, video, and audio taken at or in connection with an iD Tech Program are the sole and exclusive property of iD Tech, and that iD Tech has a royalty-free, perpetual license to use copies of all student work and projects created at an iD Tech Program.
Name and Likeness Release: As a condition of participation, you authorize iD Tech and the press to use your student's full name and likeness in print, radio, TV, and other mediums.
Project/Hardware Release: Some iD Tech Programs are project-based. In such instances, iD Tech will attempt to provide your student with the knowledge to produce a working project. Some iD Tech Programs include take home hardware. In those instances, iD Tech will send home a product or voucher for a product. However, there will be instances when a project or product or product voucher cannot be sent home, posted, or delivered, and you agree that iD Tech is not responsible if the game, project, product or voucher does not work properly and/or is not compatible with outside systems. You release iD Tech from any responsibility for failure to provide a copy of the project or product voucher, or a non-functioning/non-compatible/non-complete game, project, product voucher or product. Refunds will not be issued for not receiving products, product vouchers, or being provided a copy of the project, and/or non-functioning/non-compatible/non-complete projects, product vouchers or products. If you have issues with a product voucher or product, you must contact the manufacturer directly. Product vouchers only cover shipping within the continental U.S. Therefore, if you require the product to be shipped outside the continental US, you are responsible for all shipping and handling costs.
Software Accounts: Some iD Tech Program activities require creation and/or use of an online account or require an online account to be created for your student. You consent to create or have iD Tech create account(s) as needed for your student to participate in Program activities. During non-instructional time, students may have access to websites that require accounts to be set up. While it is against iD Tech rules for students to set up accounts without their instructor’s permission, there may be instances where a student may create an account without the knowledge of iD Tech or its employees. In such instances, you release iD Tech and its employees from any and all responsibility and liability for accounts created by your student without iD Tech’s knowledge.
Game Ratings: iD Tech takes its corporate responsibility and iD Tech family values very seriously. However, we cannot guarantee that younger students at iD Tech will avoid all contact with or mention of games rated "T" for Teen, or "M" for Mature. iD Tech will make a concerted effort to minimize both direct and indirect exposure to any games not rated for a student’s age group. Students attending courses designed for older ages have a greater chance of being exposed to materials rated for that older age group. If a student is attending a course for ages 13+, they may be exposed to games rated "M" for Mature by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board). You voluntarily assume any and all risks, known or unknown, associated with your student’s exposure to game content at an iD Tech Program.

IX. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold internalDrive, Inc.,iD Tech, its officers, directors, employees, and agents, harmless from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, arising out of or in any way connected with your student’s participation in an iD Tech Program.

X. Arbitration Agreement

You agree that any dispute other than collection matters, arising out of or relating to this Agreement, you or your student's participation in a Program with internalDrive, Inc., or otherwise arising between the parties, including, without limitation, any statutorily created or protected rights, as permitted by applicable state/provincial or federal laws, shall be settled by arbitration to be held in Santa Clara County, California, in accordance with the Commercial Rules of the American Arbitration Association, and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. The prevailing party in the arbitration shall be entitled to recover expenses including costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees associated therewith. Should any part of this contract be found invalid or not enforceable by a court of law, then the remaining portion shall continue to be valid and in force. You hereby acknowledge that you understand the terms of this ARBITRATION AGREEMENT, and you agree to comply with all of its terms and provisions.

XI. Rights Reserved

internalDrive, Inc. reserves the right to update or modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. iD Tech is not a university-sponsored program. iD Tech reserves the right to cancel or modify any and all classes, lessons, Programs or courses for any reason.

XII. Release of Liability

ON BEHALF OF MY SON/DAUGHTER/WARD, I, THE PARENT/GUARDIAN, IN EXCHANGE FOR THE RIGHT OF MY SON/DAUGHTER/WARD TO PARTICIPATE IN ID TECH PROGRAM(S), HEREBY RELEASE INTERNALDRIVE, INC., ITS OWNERS, AGENTS, PARTNERS, FACILITY PROVIDERS, AND EMPLOYEES FROM LIABILITY (INCLUDING CLAIMS BASED UPON NEGLIGENCE) FOR ANY AND ALL DAMAGES OR INJURIES TO MY SON/DAUGHTER/WARD OR DAMAGE OF ANY PERSONAL PROPERTY. I AGREE TO BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY AND ALL SUCH DAMAGES OR INJURIES WHICH MAY RESULT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FROM ANY NEGLIGENT ACTS OR ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH INTERNALDRIVE, INC. HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND THAT I AM NOT RELEASING INTERNALDRIVE, INC., ITS OWNERS, AGENTS, PARTNERS, FACILITY PROVIDERS, AND EMPLOYEES FROM GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR INTENTIONALLY TORTIOUS CONDUCT. TO THE EXTENT THIS RELEASE CONFLICTS WITH STATE/PROVINCIAL LAW GOVERNING RELEASES, THIS RELEASE IS TO BE GIVEN THE FULLEST FORCE AND EFFECT PERMITTED UNDER STATE/PROVINCIAL LAW. SHOULD ANY PART OF THIS CONTRACT BE FOUND INVALID OR NOT ENFORCEABLE BY A COURT OF LAW, THEN THE REMAINING PORTION SHALL CONTINUE TO BE VALID AND IN FORCE. XIII. Copyright

iD Tech partners with and uses the intellectual property of some amazing companies. You and your student agree to uphold the copyright and trademark rights of iD Tech, their partners, and any company whose products are used at an iD Tech Program.

The Penndulum

The Student News Site of Pennridge High School

April 18 Check out The Daily Ramble linked below for important information on our RAMS Block trial next week!

Shorter School Days Increase Success

Kayla Weise , Student Writer | January 31, 2022

Although many people think longer school days would increase academic success, students would benefit more from spending less time in school. Many argue that a longer school day would be beneficial because school hours could match parents’ work schedules. It would provide for additional instructional time so students could also learn nonacademic skills during the school day as well as participate in more arts and physical education classes. They may also argue that a longer school day gets students used to an eight-hour work schedule.

Despite these claims, research shows no direct correlation between student success and longer school days. In a worldwide comprehension assessment in 2016, Norway was one country that scored higher than the US. However, their school hours are from 8:15 a.m to 1:10 p.m. This shows that more time in school does not improve student success. Although longer school days give students more time to learn, there are more important aspects of life outside a classroom that children need to experience to be successful. Shortening the school day would allow for more time to focus on other important activities such as playing a sport, doing homework, extracurricular activities, family responsibilities, and work for some high school students. Students may also feel the pressure of strict time management which may prevent them from investing themselves in these activities. Stephanie Weise, a kindergarten teacher, said “by the end of the day, it is hard to keep the kindergarteners’ attention. They would be more engaged if the day was shorter.”

By starting school one hour later, students would get more sleep which would improve their academics. They would also lose no time for extracurricular activities and homework. After-school activities or child-care programs could be established to provide care for students who may not be able to go home directly after school. The benefits of shorter school days are abundant. Students should not be spending most of their time in a classroom but instead out doing activities, working, and learning valuable life skills that cannot be taught in school.

https://www.gcu.edu/blog/gcu-experience/pros-and-cons-longer-school-days

https://students4sc.org/2020/07/14/shorter-school-days-should-be-established-for-u-s-students/

https://web.s.ebscohost.com/pov/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=22b9539f-00da-4375-bf5b-04c5fe1c56b5%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#AN=122636753&db=pwh

Kayla Weise, Grade 12. Interests/hobbies include Key Club, NHS, FCA, playing piano, spending time with family and friends, painting, and traveling. She...

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Comments (11)

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Bot 001 • Jan 26, 2024 at 3:53 pm

Simon Jensen • Jan 24, 2024 at 12:45 pm

my school hours are stupid I leave at 3:45 pm And start at 8:00 am too long >:(

mason • Mar 21, 2024 at 12:17 pm

mason • Mar 21, 2024 at 12:18 pm

urmom • Jan 22, 2024 at 10:07 am

your artical is the best

urdad • Jan 11, 2024 at 3:58 pm

Arthur • Oct 3, 2023 at 11:11 am

very very nice information kayla weise like the work buddy ol’pal

kl • May 5, 2023 at 6:47 am

Awilda Perez • Apr 8, 2023 at 6:18 pm

Very nice information Kayla.

jknih • Mar 21, 2023 at 3:25 pm

oooooo nice

rylan • Feb 15, 2023 at 2:24 pm

great inspiration

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In the U.S., 180 days of school is most common, but length of school day varies by state

A teacher works with students at Nevitt Elementary School in Phoenix, Arizona. Arizona, like a majority of states, mandates a 180-day school year for K-12 public schools. (Olivier Touron/AFP via Getty Images)

School has started in most of the United States. On average, K-12 public schools will be in session close to 180 days this year, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the Education Commission of the States .

But as with many things involving public education, there is considerable state-by-state variation in how much schooling children will receive – and even how much time constitutes a day of school.

Every state sets rules for the minimum amount of time school must be in session. The minimum is usually some combination of days and hours per year and hours per day; state policies also establish how much, if any, non-instructional time – such as lunch, recess and class changes – can count toward those minimums. Individual districts set their own calendars based on those statewide rules, unless they obtain a waiver.

The most common way that states regulate instructional time is to set a minimum number of days for the school year; 38 states and the District of Columbia do so. The majority of those states (27 of 38), along with D.C., mandate 180 instructional days, making it the closest thing the country has to a national norm.

To better understand how school instructional time varies across the United States, Pew Research Center analyzed information on state laws and regulations compiled by the Education Commission of the States , a nonprofit research organization that serves education policymakers throughout the country. We double-checked the ECS data against the relevant state statutes, rules and policies, updating it as necessary.

Many states’ rules differ depending on grade level, so we chose to look at annual and daily instructional time requirements for four specific grade levels: kindergarten (half-day and full-day, when appropriate), fourth grade, eighth grade and 11th grade. The idea was to get a sense for how instructional time at standard, five-day-a-week public schools compares at each of the major levels of K-12 education – kindergarten, elementary school, middle school and high school. That said, states vary considerably in how much, if any, non-instructional time (such as lunch, recess and class changes) can count toward those minimums.

Some states set separate requirements for how many days or hours districts must schedule versus how many they must operate . (The difference often reflects built-in days for teacher training, weather-related closures and the like.) In such cases, we used the minimum number of days or hours districts must schedule to meet their state’s calendar requirements.

While most of this analysis is based on 2023 data, we also examined similar data for five earlier years. The 2013 and 2014 compilations were also published by the Education Commission on the States. Data for 1989, 2000 and 2018 came from the National Center for Education Statistics . While these earlier datasets provided some illuminating context, they proved too different from one another to permit direct year-over-year comparisons.

Which states require the fewest school days? The most?

A map showing that, in the U.S., a majority of states require 180 days of school per year.

Seven states set minimums less than 180 days, with Colorado having the lowest requirement at 160 days. Four states require more than 180 days, with Kansas as the leader. The Sunflower State mandates 186 days for kindergarten through 11th grade (and 181 days for 12th grade). Overall, the average requirement, among the states that have one, is 179 days.

A minimum school year of 180 days has been the norm for a long time. In August 1989, 33 states and D.C. had 180-day requirements, according to a 1992 report from the National Center for Education Statistics . Only one state required more school days that year (Ohio, with 182), while 12 required fewer. The remaining states either had no minimum day requirement or set a range of 175 to 180 days.

How many hours in a school day – or a school year?

Besides setting a minimum number of days, states can regulate school time by mandating a certain number of hours or minutes per school year. Thirty-nine states have these types of laws or policies, according to the Education Commission of the States. (Some states, in fact, give districts the option of meeting either type of minimum – by days or time per year. Oklahoma, for instance, allows school districts to schedule 180 standard school days or spread out 1,080 hours over 165 days.)

In a majority of those states (26 of 39), annual time minimums vary by grade level. For example, South Dakota sets an annual minimum of 875 hours per year for fourth graders but requires 962.5 hours of school for eighth graders.

Across all states that specify annual time minimums, the average for fourth graders is 997.8 hours per school year. For 11th graders, the number of hours required in a school year ranges from 720 hours (including lunch) in Arizona to 1,260 in Texas (though that state expresses its requirements in minutes, not hours). The average requirement for 11th graders, among the 39 states that have one, is 1,034.8 hours per year.

Another option is to require a certain number of hours or minutes per school day, which 29 states and D.C. do. In 16 of those states, the requirements vary by grade level. In Pennsylvania, for example, the minimum length for a school day is 2.5 hours for kindergarten, 5 hours for first through eighth grades, and 5.5 hours for ninth through 12th grades.

For eighth graders, the school day can contain as few as 3 hours in Maryland and Missouri, or as many as 6.5 in Tennessee. New Hampshire and Oregon, intriguingly, set maximums for the length of the school day – in the case of eighth graders, 6 hours in New Hampshire and 8 hours in Oregon. And as with annual time requirements, states vary on how and whether to count lunch, recess and other non-classroom time.

Texas is unique in that it only sets a minimum number of minutes in the school year – 75,600, or 1,260 hours, including intermissions and recess – which districts are free to distribute as they choose. In the past, however, Texas mandated 7 hours per school day, including intermissions, recesses and other non-instructional time. If Texas school districts continue to follow that older convention, that would work out to a school year of … 180 days.

Minimum number of hours in a school year, 2023

Minimum number of hours in a school day, 2023.

Drew DeSilver is a senior writer at Pew Research Center

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THURSDAY AM: 4-day school week now allowed in Pennsylvania. What would the impacts be?

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Schools around the country are switching to a shorter week because of teacher shortages -- and local schools could be next.

A change in a public school code that Governor Josh Shapiro signed at the end of last year now allows for four-day school w eeks in Pennsylvania.

Channel 11′s Jennifer Tomazic will show you the impacts a four-day school week would have - Thursday on Channel 11 Morning News at 6:30 a.m.

“It would cause a lot of hardship. I think not just for me, but a lot of working parents,” one local parent said.

Harder for parents, but would it be better for kids?

“I think this is a great opportunity for schools to look and see how we can better educate our students,” said Rep. Aaron Bernstine of the 8th Legislative District, covering parts of Butler & Lawrence Counties.

We want to know what you think about a 4-day school week:

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⇉Shorter school days Argumentative Essay Essay Example
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School Days Should Be Shorter
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Why School Days Should Be Shorter: 6 Scientific Reasons
4. Reduction in Stress and Burnout. The stress and exhaustion associated with long school days can lead to student burnout, affecting both motivation and academic performance. Shorter school days can alleviate this stress, promoting a healthier balance between academic responsibilities and personal life.
School Days Should Be Shorter: Persuasive Essay
When they get home they most likely have homework too, which probably gets finished by 7:00 or 8:00 o'clock. Then you have to do things like eat dinner and get a shower, so you won't be in bed until 11:00 o'clock. This reduces the time we have to sleep. Students would benefit from shorter school days.
Should the School Week Be Shorter?
The Colorado Department of Education says switching to a four-day week can save schools 20 percent on transportation and meal costs! Now, there may be concerns about the school day getting longer, but in most four-day schools, the days are longer by about an hour—not a huge difference. Considering the myriad advantages of a shorter week, it ...
Should the School Week Be Shorter?
Instead, the other school days are about 45 minutes longer. So far, the change has been positive, says superintendent Tim Bartram. "Our students are happier," he says. "The mood is better.". Having a three-day weekend every week may sound like a dream, but it's a reality for students at more than 1,600 schools in 24 states.
The four-day school week: Research shows benefits and consequences
Some schools offer less instructional time during a four-day school week than they did during a five-day week. There's limited cost savings, considering employee salaries and benefits make up the bulk of school expenses. In a 2021 analysis, Thompson estimates schools save 1% to 2% by shortening the school week by a day.
A Four-Day School Week?
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 ...
Persuasive Essay on Shorter School Days
One of the most compelling reasons for shorter school days is the potential impact on student well-being. According to a study conducted by the National Education Association, longer school days can lead to increased stress and burnout among students (NEA, 2019).
4-Day School Weeks: New Research Examines the Benefits and Drawbacks
The four-day week is enormously popular among parents and students, the new research finds. It typically saves districts a small—but not intangible—amount of cash. And on their day out of ...
Why Should School Days Be Shorter
Shorter school days don't only influence kids. In one way or another, they also impact parents and teachers. That's why let's dive deeper into the pros and cons of shorter days at school from every angle. Benefits of Shorter School Days. There are many reasons why school time should be shorter, including the following advantages:
Should the School Day Start Later?
Yes school days should be shorter why because students can have hard times sitting all day and trying to follow directions. The affect it has on students can possibly be insubordination, nausea, and later health problems. Taking too much information in the human brain causes stress and multiple headaches.
The Pros and Cons to Longer School Days
The 6.5 hour school day—and the long summer break most schools take—originated at a time when children had to help work family farms and ranches. But keeping this agrarian calendar makes little sense in the information age. If we want to move forward as a nation, we should ensure our children study in a way that complements modern ...
Persuasive Essay Sample On Shorter School Days
3. 📌Published: 05 June 2022. At Virginia High, the administration has been discussing the possibility of reducing the school day by an hour. The students are excited to have a shorter school day. Longer school days result in more stress. Students should have a shorter school day because they spend too much time in class, students need more ...
Persuasive Essay on Shorter School Days
Students and staff will benefit from shorter school days. Shorter school days allow more time for students to sleep and take a break from school and homework to have time for themselves. In an article written by Bonnie Wood, Wood states that "Some people argue that because the work day is roughly seven or eight hours, the school day should be ...
Reasons Why the School Day Should Be Shorter
According to a 2003 report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the U.S. ranked 15th in reading literacy, 25th in mathematics and 21st in sciences globally. To boost these scores, some lawmakers and educators are pressing for longer school days and shorter summer vacations. There ...
The big debate: should school holidays be shortened?
The Welsh government is currently considering a plan to shorten the school summer holidays from six weeks to three weeks, and redistribute the days across the school year. Their intention is to "design a school year that better supports learner and staff wellbeing, tackles inequality and is more aligned to modern family and working lives."
Persuasive Essay On Shorter School Days
Persuasive Essay On Shorter School Days. Research shows that 89% out of 100% think students will benefit from shorter school days. Shorter school days would help students develop socially, mentally, and physically. "Longer school hours put much pressure on students." according to the Huffington Post.
Reasons and Solutions: Why Students Need Shorter Days
Children between the ages of 12 to 18 need at least eight hours of sleep each night, and in some cases, sometimes even nine. In addition, numerous schools begin at around 7:30-8:30. From research ...
Why Should School Days Be Shorter
The thing is, the school day just sucks all your energy, leaving no time for hobbies, hanging out with friends, or doing anything fun. It's like forgetting about a pizza in the oven until it's totally burnt. 3 reasons why school days should be shorter. The benefits of shorter school days are not only academic, but also social and emotional.
6 Benefits of Shorter School Days
Shorter school days that start later in the day could alleviate this problem, promoting healthy habits and the many benefits that go with a solid sleep routine. 3. More time to focus on mental health. In the typical K-12 schooling model, mental health education is too often shunted aside. With shorter school days, kids can have more time to de ...
Shorter School Days Increase Success
Shorter School Days Increase Success. Although many people think longer school days would increase academic success, students would benefit more from spending less time in school. Many argue that a longer school day would be beneficial because school hours could match parents' work schedules. It would provide for additional instructional time ...
Should the School Day Be Longer?
From the April 2017 Issue. Learning Objective: to identify and evaluate key points on both sides of a debate; to write an argument essay. Complexity Factors. Lexile: 890L. Featured Skill: Argument Writing. Common Core Standards. TEKS Standards. Read the Article. Some experts are saying the school day should be longer.
Length of school year, school day varies by state
In Pennsylvania, for example, the minimum length for a school day is 2.5 hours for kindergarten, 5 hours for first through eighth grades, and 5.5 hours for ninth through 12th grades. For eighth graders, the school day can contain as few as 3 hours in Maryland and Missouri, or as many as 6.5 in Tennessee. New Hampshire and Oregon, intriguingly ...
The school day should be shorter Agree or Disagree?
must be shorter because children that get smaller academic. hours. have less weight on their shoulders and they get extra family. time. In ,addition teachers are. also. benefitted from these standards they have more leisure. time. Most importantly, the main reason why shorter.
Shortening School Days Free Essay Example
Essay, Pages 2 (331 words) Views. 8737. School days should be shortened by two hours, because students should have more time to complete homework and study. One reason to shorten the school days is that if you want to get into a good high school or college, students will need lots of time for homework. The students will also need time to study ...
THURSDAY AM: 4-day school week now allowed in Pennsylvania. What would
A change in a public school code that Governor Josh Shapiro. signed at the end of last year now allows for four-day school w eeks in Pennsylvania. Channel 11′s Jennifer Tomazic will show you the ...

6 Reasons Why School Days Should Be Shorter: Unpacking the Benefits and Challenges of Reduced Classroom Hours

Understanding the Diversity in School Day Regulations Across the U.S.

Comparative Analysis of School Day Lengths: A Global Perspective

Key Benefits of Shorter School Days

1. Boost in Academic Performance

2. Improved Mental Health and Well-being

3. Enrichment Through Extracurricular Activities

4. Reduction in Stress and Burnout

5. Enhanced Teacher Well-being and Performance

6. Effective Homework Management in Shorter School Days

Evaluating the Challenges of Shorter School Days and Addressing Concerns

1. Impact on Working Parents

2. Costs and Logistics for Schools

3. Possible Reduction in Instructional Time

A Look at Successful Shorter School Day Models Around the World

The Finnish Model

The French Model

The UAE Model

The Japanese Model

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Denise-Marie Ordway

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1 Students Could Focus on Other Activities

2 Students Should Be Getting More Rest

3 Teachers Would Be Healthier

4 Students Are Not Employees

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