Effects of the 4-Day School Week on School Performance Indicatorsin Missouri High Schools

Abstract

As an increasing number of school districts across the nation implement the 4-dayschool week, the possible impact on student academic performance and schoolperformance needed to be considered. The purpose of this study was to determine ifthere is a difference in academic achievement, subgroup achievement, college and careerreadiness, attendance rates, and graduation rates between Missouri high schools with a 4-day school week and matched Missouri high schools with a 5-day school week. Theindependent variable in this causal-comparative study was the length of a school week.The dependent variable, school performance, was measured by MSIP 5 performancestandards: academic achievement, subgroup achievement, college and career readiness,attendance rate, and graduation rate. The sample included Missouri high schools thatattended a 4-day school week and matched Missouri high schools that attended a 5-dayschool week. The results of the study indicated that schools utilizing the 4-day schoolweek have significantly lower academic achievement scores on English language arts(ELA) and mathematics EOC assessments than schools utilizing the traditional 5-dayschedule. The results of the study also indicated that schools operating on the 4-dayschool week score significantly lower in subgroup achievement scores on ELA andmathematics EOC assessments than schools operating on the 5-day school week. Finally,the results of the study indicated that there are no significant differences in college andcareer readiness, attendance rates, and graduation rates between schools utilizing the 4-day school week and schools operating on the traditional 5-day school week. The studyhas implications for the educational community and policymakers making decisionsregarding education funding and the use of the 4-day school week. School districts that are currently utilizing the 4-day schedule and school districts considering a futureimplementation of the schedule should review the results of this study to determine thefuture of the 4-day school week within their communities. It is recommended thatadditional research be conducted, perhaps examining school performance indicators in aschool district for the two years before the implementation of the 4-day schedulecompared to school performance indicators for the two years after the 4-day schedule wasin place. It is also recommended that further research be conducted on potential costsavings of the 4-day schedule as well as the other possible impacts the 4-day schedulemay have on a school and community that are not measurable by school performanceindicators.