The number of US school districts operating on a four-day school week has surged to over 1,600, a 40 percent increase from 2024, as administrators deploy the schedule as a recruitment and retention tool amid persistent teacher shortages.
Districts report that the compressed schedule, typically Monday through Thursday with longer school days, has reduced teacher turnover by an average of 25 percent. Student attendance rates have also improved in most adopting districts.
Critics warn that the shortened week places childcare burdens on working families and may widen achievement gaps for disadvantaged students who rely on schools for meals and supervised learning time on Fridays.
