Imagine if you had a three-day weekend every week of the school year. For students in Independence, Missouri, that’s the reality. They go to school Tuesday through Friday—and always have Mondays off.
Independence is one of a growing number of school districts across the country reducing their school weeks to just four days. As of 2023, nearly 900 school districts in 26 states had made the switch. That’s up from 650 districts in 2020.
Why cut a day? The United States is facing a teacher shortage, making it hard for schools to hire enough staff. Many districts are shortening the school week as an
Not everyone supports a four-day school week though. Critics point out that the purpose of school is learning—and that losing out on class time can harm students’ education.