Facing a national teacher shortage, hundreds of districts across 26 states have switched to a four-day school week to help recruit and retain staff.

When the school bell rings in Independence, Missouri, this year, 14,000 students are trying something new: a four-day week, with Mondays off. And they’re not alone. As kids head back to school this year, a growing number will be returning to a four-day school week.

Hundreds of districts across the country have moved to adopt the alternative weekly schedule in recent years. CBS News correspondent Bradley Blackburn looked at why some larger school districts are now taking this step — and what it means for teachers, students and families.

  • Neato@kbin.social
    161·
    1 year ago

    It’s because Missouri isn’t spending enough on schools.

    It’s a selling point in an era when schools are facing a national teacher shortage.

    “The best way is to pay them better,” Pallas said, adding that Missouri “ranks basically last” or “next to last in terms of teacher salaries.”

    In an effort to attract teachers in rural areas, Missouri saw district-wide shifts from five-day to four-day school weeks surge ahead of the 2022 academic year, with roughly 25% of schools moving to the new schedule, according to an online brief by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

    And to cap it off, you get to spend more if you need to cover the child care that the school used to provide. On top of school taxes.

    For parents who need childcare on Mondays, the district will offer it for $30 a day — a cost that could strain some families.