Are Michigan Schools Ready to Adopt a Four-Day Week?

Is your family ready to embrace a four-day school week? Although it's a fairly new concept, two school districts in Northern Michigan have already adopted it.

Four-Day School Week Growing in Popularity

According to the Associated Press, there are roughly 13,000 school districts in the United States. Two decades ago, there were only about 100 school districts in the US observing a four-day week. That number grew to 662 in 2019 and currently stands at close to 900 districts nationwide.

Big Jackson Public Schools in Paris, Michigan is a small district in the Northwest Lower Peninsula that offers families the option of a four-day week. Another district, located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, is Republic-Michigamme, located near Ishpeming.

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Schools in those Michigan districts hold classes Monday through Thursday each week, with one additional half-day on Friday one week each month.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of a Four-Day Week

A four-day school week not only affords families the opportunity to enjoy a three-day weekend, but it also cuts down on transportation costs for districts that use school buses and parents who drive children to school. It also allows parents to make medical appointments for kids without taking them out of school.

The schedule also works well for families with parents who work four-day weeks, as many employers have adopted 10-hour days, four days per week. Of course, those days have to line up in order for parents to realize an advantage.

One Detroit area mother, however, tells WXYZ-TV that a four-day school week would create additional childcare expenses for her family because she works a typically five-day week.

Four-Day School Week in Ohio

Dr. Eugene Blalock is the Superintendent of North Collge Hill City School District in in Cincinnati. His district switched to a four-day week model last year and has seen positive results.

He notes that switching to a four-day week was a move to support teachers who were experiencing burnout.

"It was about the teachers' work/life balance and out of 100% of the teachers we had surveyed they said that their work/life balance had improved,” Blalock said.

He goes on to say that teachers use Mondays as planning days and notes that students are welcome to come to school if they need extra help. The district continues to offer students free meals on Mondays.

What do you think? Would a four-day school week work for your family?