Pennsylvania Lawmaker Roni Green proposed a law to lower the workday week from five days to four. This bill could also possibly expand to schools in the future, initiating a new trend in Pennsylvania school districts.
According to abc27.com, the bill suggests that cutting a day off of the work calendar would help workers balance mental and physical health. It also currently suggests that it would be in effect for workers in businesses or companies with 500 employees or over. The hours required are also lowered from 40 to 32 to allow the day off.
However, this brings into light the idea of a four day school week. As stated by cbsnews.com and ncsl.org (National Conference of State Legislatures), this is already in effect for over 25 states, Pennsylvania not included. Nearly 900 districts in total adopted the four day week.
School days could run from Monday to Thursday or, in some places, Tuesday to Friday. However, the days may be longer. To keep within state education guidelines, the time required for the school year would be counted by the hour, lengthening the time spent in classes. If these requirements are not met, state funding could be lowered. Many districts already included this pattern into schedules for this year.
A four day week may be a way for students to escape burning out.
“I feel like a four day week would be better so then you won’t be so drained out by the end,” sophomore Trey Engelbarts said.
However, some point out the fact that the school year would be longer.
“I think that we would have way less (time) in the summer and I think it wouldn’t be fair,” senior Jamie Godfrey said.
Many teachers also have mixed feelings.
“I would be in favor of it, (but) I would think it would be hard for parents with elementary kids,” Mrs. Drew Eddinger said.
Dr. Arianna Emel was also wary of the idea. “There would be some caveats to that. You’re still expecting a longer school year or a longer school day. I just wonder about the quality effects of education,” she said.
Some teachers strictly disapprove. “I would not support that idea of a four-day week for school because I think this will not serve our students’ needs,” Mr. Ganieyou Salamy said. “I believe that students learn more efficiently when they are in school working with teachers. A four-day week reduces the amount of time students are exposed to the educational experience. I am therefore afraid that their performance will decline.”
Most of the states taking part of this new trend are located in the West, Southwest, and parts of the Midwest. States to the east, including Pennsylvania, have not included the new schedule into school programs. Majority of the schools participating in this are rural because of monetary help given to smaller schools that may need assistance with funding. It also helps with gaining attention from possible staff and teachers. Only recently are larger schools starting to join in.
With the proposed law of a four day work week, the possibility of a four day school week in Pennsylvania is not off the table. Many states across the country have already incorporated the trend into their school years, with even more adding the schedules for the new year.
https://www.abc27.com/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-lawmaker-proposes-4-day-workweek-bill/amp/
https://www.ncsl.org/education/four-day-school-week-overview
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/philadelphia/news/4-day-school-week-impact-nationwide/
