ERIC Number: EJ987605
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0273-446X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Four-Day School Week: Impact on Student Academic Performance
Hewitt, Paul M.; Denny, George S.
Rural Educator, v32 n2 p23-31 Win 2011
Although the four-day school week originated in 1936, it was not widely implemented until 1973 when there was a need to conserve energy and reduce operating costs. This study investigated how achievement tests scores of schools with a four-day school week compared with schools with a traditional five-day school week. The study focused on student performance in Colorado where 62 school districts operated a four-day school week. The results of the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) were utilized to examine student performance in reading, writing, and mathematics in grades 3 through 10. While the mean test scores for five-day week schools exceeded those of four-day week schools in 11 of the 12 test comparisons, the differences were slight, with only one area revealing a statistically significant difference. This study concludes that decisions to change to the four-day week should be for reasons other than student academic performance. (Contains 1 table.)
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Program Effectiveness, Achievement Tests, Elementary Secondary Education, School Schedules, Educational History, Scores, Comparative Analysis, Reading Achievement, Mathematics Achievement, Writing Skills, Educational Finance, Attendance Patterns, Teacher Attitudes, School Districts
National Rural Education Association. Web site: http://www.nrea.net
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; Grade 10; Grade 3; Grade 4; Grade 5; Grade 6; Grade 7; Grade 8; Grade 9
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Colorado
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A