By Drew Broach, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
Avoyelles Parish’s C-graded public school system is the latest in the United States to switch to a four-day week, eliminating Monday classes. The School Board voted 7-2 on Tuesday (March 12) to make the change for the 2019-20 academic year, The Avoyelles Journal reports.
Advocates say four-day school weeks can save money and help recruit and retain certified teachers. “I had a teacher from Pineville High School [in Rapides Parish] call me today and say, ‘If your four-day work week passes, give me a call,’” Avoyelles High Principal Michael Rachal was quoted as saying by KALB television.
More than 500 U.S. school systems have switched to four-day weeks, with some in Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, New Mexico and South Dakota making up the vanguard, according to a June report by the Center on Reinventing Public Education. Many drop Fridays and lengthen Monday-Thursday instruction time. Research into the effect on academic performance has been mixed.
Jefferson Parish closing three schools, expanding nine to K-8 model
Supporters say it improves attendance, performance of 6th, 7th, 8th graders
The Avoyelles superintendent, Blaine Dauzat, previously worked in the B-graded Caldwell Parish School System, which already operates on a four-day week. In addition to Avoyelles, the C-graded Natchitoches Parish School System this year considered a four-day week but dropped the idea Thursday, the Natchitoches Parish Journal reports.
Re-Published with permission from NOLA.com
Updated Mar 15, 2019; Posted Mar 15, 2019
Original Story: Click Here
Posted with permission from KALB-TV, Channel 5
Avoyelles School Board meeting
I am dismayed at the news reporting around the 4-day school week. Perhaps I’ve missed the news articles that provide the substantial detail that supports that a 4-day school week actually benefits the children and in what ways, specifically, matching the pros of the plan to the current areas of failure in the current system. We’ve heard more than enough on how the parents/children might be affected, but very little on whether it actually works. We don’t need theory, we need to see detail from a school system that has implemented it successfully and has several years of maturity and improved student educational benefits to show for it.
The primary impetus for the 4-day proposal appears to be cost savings that might be achieved at the expense of student education. A drastic proposal like this should already have significant, documented evidence of tremendous benefits to the benefit of the students and teachers. This is not the time for experimentation.
The bus situation is the ONLY reason this will not work. Kids that are bused long distances will suffer. BUT It’s not an extra day of daycare if daycare providers do the right thing. There would be no need for daycare on Tuesday thru Friday since they get out at the same or nearly the same time as parents get off work. And the current fees should cover the Monday.
Most parents don’t work until only 3 in the afternoon either, but they’ve figured out afternoon care. Most parents don’t have a week off at Thanksgiving, 2 for Christmas, or one in the Spring as well, but they figure out child care for those weeks. I think people are forgetting – the school system was created to educate not babysit. If the statistics prove educational value in a four day week, then the school system is doing it’s job. Too many people have come to believe it is the school system’s job to raise your children and it isn’t! As for homework, the children aren’t supposed to be assigned homework last time I heard. It was my understanding the superintendent informed the teachers last year and in previous years that little to no homework was to be assigned. I know my child doesn’t have homework.
Yeah just because some would have to pay for childcare let’s just throw out the whole idea. By the way we don’t have to wait on Avoyelles Parish, Caldwell has been using a four day school week for 11 years and test scores have steadily risen not to mention the money that’s been saved.
So its ok for kids to get home at 7 or 8 at night. Then have homework,eat bath and bed no time with family or friends or any activity outside which is also good for kids if you like it so much move to Avoyelles Parish.
You can’t get most parents behind it. All I hear is how it will inconvenience them. Doesn’t seem to matter it works and improves grades, attendance for students and workers, dropout rates go down, test scores go up and saves school boards money.
It will not be good for kids to get home at 7 or 8 at night, or get home do homework eat at 7 or 8 at night take a bath and go to bed . Man what a life . And yes it is a problem for most parents to pay or have daycare for an extra day. AND alot of kids with more off time when parents at work and nothing to do usually means gettingvin to something they shouldnt
The 4 day school week will not work for Natchitoches parish,we have children being picked up right now at 5:50 a.m. out in the parish so they can get to school by 7:45, there are children out in the parish that does not get home until after 5:30 p.m., so if you add 45 minutes to the school day that means that child will not get home until 6:30 or later, Natchitoches parish is a large parish with not enough small around a parish and children have to be bussed to the major schools,, also your afternoon school programs would no longer exist, in other parishes that have the 4 day school week The parishowns their own buses, and the bus driver gets paid a base salary regardless of the amount of hours, but in Natchitoches parish they do not do that, Natchitoches parish contracts there bus transportation out to Echo transportation out of Wisconsin and they pay their drivers by the hour,I can tell you right now you cut those drivers out one day other pay and there will be no drivers to pick up the children,I have been driving the school bus this parish for 35 years I’m telling you right now the 4 day school week may work in other parishes but it would be a disaster here,
Try getting up at 5:30 and the want to add 65 minutes not 45. Little kids can’t handle this.
I hope Natchitoches will wait and see how it works in Avoyelles first. Give it two years down there, study it, follow it, and if it really works, adopt it.
Doesnt matter if it works there our parish is way different then there’s
you know what’s a dumb idea ? water.birds that fall in love,air we breathe,
food,sleep.yoga pants.but seriously I think I four day school week would work fine heck it works in the work place.
It seems to me that this will be a strain for working parents. They will have to pay for childcare on Fridays. Also, will this cause the students to have a longer school year ?
Still a dumb ass idea…
If it works why is it a dumb idea? Is it because it is different and people aren’t use to a 4 day school week? If the data shows it will improve school scores, attendance, and students will benefit from it than they should consider it. The NPSB should always do what is in the best interest of the kids, not whats convenient for the parents.
I agree it will be an inconvenience at first, but given enough time Im sure the parents will find a way to take care of their children on Mondays.
Less time for homework, kids getting home at 7 or 8 at night. Parents having to pay extra for da ycare or babysitter. Doesnt sound very good to me for the kids. Most parents dont work 4 day work weeks