Since the 1980s, a growing number of Colorado districts have adopted a four-day schedule. Currently, about one in seven K-12 public school students in Colorado attends class four days a week rather than five 鈥� primarily those in smaller, rural school districts. These districts often have smaller budgets than schools along the Front Range and in mountain towns. And researchers say the four-day schedule is often used as an incentive to attract and retain teachers when the district can鈥檛 offer a more competitive salary.
But a new report from the says the four-day school week may have negative impacts on student achievement. On top of that, it doesn鈥檛 appear to be effective in the goal of recruiting and keeping teachers.
Keystone senior policy director Van Schoales helped research and write the report, titled 鈥�.鈥� He spoke with host Erin O鈥橳oole about what they learned 鈥� and what they recommend for districts considering this in the future.
Keystone Policy Center, in conjunction with The Colorado Sun, created an to accompany the report.
