4-Day School Week Gains Traction

For one cash-strapped Georgia school district, instituting a 4-day school week was a last resort—cut a day, or fire 39 teachers. But besides saving money on operating costs, school officials say, the 4-day week has boosted test scores and increased attendance for both students and teachers, leading to more savings on substitute teachers, the AP reports.

The 4-day school week has not been thoroughly researched, but education experts say preliminary work is promising: "The broadest conclusion you can draw is that it doesn't hurt academics," says one reseacher. Other districts see less clear results. "It was harder on the teachers. We were asking the kids to move at a quicker pace," says one superintendent, adding the savings from the skipped day ended up being less than expected.
(More high school stories.)