Digital illustration of a person using scissors to cut Monday off a calendar

Illustration by Russell Tate; Debate photos courtesy of families

Should the School Week Be Shorter?

September 5, 2022

Some kids get the Monday-morning blues after a fun weekend. But students in Lathrop, Missouri, don’t have to worry about that. They only go to school from Tuesday through Friday!

Lathrop is one of more than 500 districts across the United States that have four-day school weeks. Being closed for an extra day saves schools money on buses, electricity, and other building costs. School officials say it also gives teachers more time to prepare for the week ahead, which can help them feel less burned out.

Public schools in Lathrop switched to a four-day school week in 2010. Chris Fine, the district superintendent, has seen many benefits.

“It gives kids another day to do homework and to be at home with family,” he says.

But some people argue that shortening the school week could hurt students. To make up for the lost day, many schools extend each of the other four days by up to 50 minutes. Critics say kids may lose focus during the longer days.

Here’s what two of our readers think.

I go to school in Lathrop, so my school week has always been only four days. It makes for a longer school day, but that’s not a problem. We put in our time in school and then get an extra day to refresh so we don’t feel overworked or stressed out. This helps us take care of our mental health.

Having a shorter school week also gives students more time to catch up on homework, spend time with friends and family, and participate in sports and other activities. This all makes us more well-rounded!

A shorter school week usually means longer school days. That could be stressful for some kids. I know I would be more tired and less likely to concentrate during a longer school day. Also, teachers may give more homework to make up for the lessons they can’t cram into only four days.

A shorter school week would also put pressure on parents who work Monday through Friday. They would need to find child care for their kids during the extra day off from school. That’s an additional expense parents would have to deal with.