Four Days in Class, One Day in Question: Rethinking the School Week and Its Hidden Costs
Imagine your child has Fridays off—every week. No school bell, no homework due, no structure. Just time. Time that could be used for enrichment, rest, or risk.
Across the U.S., hundreds of school districts are embracing the four-day school week, citing teacher retention, budget relief, and improved attendance. But beneath the surface of this seemingly progressive shift lies a complex web of consequences—especially for working families and vulnerable youth.
The Case for Four Days
Districts in states like Missouri, Colorado, and Texas have reported:
Improved teacher recruitment and retention
Cost savings due to fewer bus routes, meals, and utility expenses
Higher student attendance and reduced disciplinary referrals
For some communities, it’s a win. But for others, the fifth day becomes a wild card—one that can tip the balance toward opportunity or vulnerability.
Unstructured Time: A Double-Edged Sword
Studies suggest that reduced school exposure correlates with increases in substance use, food insecurity, and risky behaviors among adolescents. When teens have more unsupervised time, especially in communities lacking robust youth programming, the risk of experimentation rises.
For younger children, the absence of structure may mean:
Less access to reliable meals
Reduced physical activity
Greater exposure to screens or unsafe environments
While the goal may be wellness and autonomy, the result could be a rise in isolation, boredom, and impulsivity.
Working Parents: The Hidden Burden
Most parents still work five days a week. So what happens on that fifth day?
Childcare costs rise, especially for families with young children
Older siblings may be tasked with caregiving, adding pressure and resentment
Parents are forced to choose between paying for supervision, rearranging work schedules, or hoping their child makes good choices alone
For many low-income households, the fifth day isn't a bonus—it’s a logistical nightmare.
Reimagining the Fifth Day
Some districts are taking creative approaches:
Enrichment Fridays offering optional art, STEM, tutoring, or outdoor learning
Partnerships with libraries, YMCAs, and local nonprofits to host youth activities
Mental health support through wellness workshops and peer-led counseling groups
In districts where these alternatives are well-resourced, the fifth day becomes a launchpad. In others, it can become a vacuum—and vacuums tend to fill with whatever’s nearby, including unhealthy influences.
What’s Really at Stake?
The four-day school week isn’t just a scheduling decision—it’s a societal experiment. It raises key questions:
Are families equipped to use that fifth day constructively?
Will vulnerable youth fall through the cracks with less structure?
Does this model widen disparities between affluent and low-resource communities?
Before We Celebrate, Let’s Ask:
What does your child do when school’s closed?
Who guides that day?
What expectations and values are shaping their time?
The four-day school week may save dollars, but what does it cost our kids?
For more information, help, and resources, please visit www.steeredstraight.org or call (856) 691-6676
Our mission is to steer youth straight toward making sound, rational decisions through a learning experience that provides a message of reality to help them make positive, informed choices.
