EdCircuit Staff 
The four-day school week has spread from a handful of rural districts to more than 2,100 public schools in 26 states. Districts usually adopt it to save money or to attract and keep teachers, and families and students who have it tend to like it. But research has found that, in many places, students learn less over a year, and the cost savings are small. This guide covers how the four-day week works, where it is used, what the research says and how states are responding.
How a four-day school week works
Schools on a four-day week hold classes Monday through Thursday or Tuesday through Friday and make up part of the lost time with longer days. Four-day schools typically attend about 148 days a year instead of about 179, and add about 50 minutes to each school day, according to a research summary by NWEA researcher Emily Morton. The fifth day may be used for teacher planning and training, optional tutoring or enrichment, or simply as a day off.
How common is the four-day week?
More than 2,100 public schools in 26 states ran at least one four-day school in 2024–25, up from about 1,600 schools in 24 states six years earlier, and about 90 percent of four-day districts are rural, NWEA reports. The National Conference of State Legislatures counted 24 states with at least one four-day district, an increase of more than 600 percent since 1999.
Texas shows how fast the model can spread. The number of Texas schools on a four-day week rose from 30 in 2020–21 to 506 in 2024–25, according to Texas Tribune data, and 181 Texas districts used a four-day week in 2024–25, a University of Houston study found.
Why districts switch
- Teacher recruitment. A four-day week is a perk in a tight labor market. Independence School District in Missouri saw job applications rise by more than 360 percent after it switched, Journalist’s Resource reported.
- Cost savings. Superintendents in the RAND study said saving money was their main reason for switching.
- Family and student preference. About 84 percent of families and 95 percent of students on a four-day week say they would keep it, NWEA reports.
What the research says
Student learning
The largest concern is learning. Students on four-day weeks gain two to seven weeks less learning a year than similar five-day students, according to NWEA’s summary of the research, with the biggest drops in schools that offer fewer than 30 hours of instruction a week and no significant difference in schools with 32 or more hours. A 2024 study by Morton, Paul Thompson and Megan Kuhfeld in six states found medium-sized declines in non-rural schools, about a quarter of a year of fifth-grade learning, and little to no effect in rural schools. A 2021 RAND study of districts in Idaho, New Mexico and Oklahoma found that students on four-day weeks had lower scores over time.
Instructional time explains much of the difference. Where districts keep total hours close to five-day schools, the effects are smaller.
Teacher retention and costs
The benefits districts hope for are smaller than many expect. Changes in teacher retention are at most one to three percentage points in studies from several states, and savings average about 2 percent of budgets, about $300 per student, NWEA reports. RAND found cost savings “relatively small,” even though superintendents said savings were their main reason for switching. A 2025 National Council on Teacher Quality analysis found that four-day weeks do not reduce teacher turnover on average, K-12 Dive reported.
Attendance, behavior and students’ time
RAND found no evidence that the four-day week improved attendance, and NWEA reports little to no effect on attendance overall. One study of Oklahoma high schools found fewer fights and less bullying after the switch, while a Colorado study found juvenile offenses in rural areas rose about 20 percent. Students on four-day weeks reported several more hours of free time each week, which raises questions about child care and supervision on the day off.
How states are responding
- Missouri passed a 2024 law requiring larger districts to win a local vote to adopt or keep a four-day week, with incentives for five-day districts. Voters in Independence chose to keep the schedule, with about 62 percent support.
- Texas requires 75,600 minutes of instruction a year, which four-day districts must meet with longer days.
- West Virginia passed a law in April 2026 letting districts plan calendars by instructional hours rather than days.
- Louisiana lawmakers considered a bill in 2026 to require five-day weeks.
What district leaders should weigh
- Protect instructional time. Research suggests keeping weekly hours at or above about 32 reduces the learning cost.
- Use the fifth day well. Tutoring, enrichment, meals and supervision can offset some of the downsides for students who need them most.
- Be realistic about savings. Expect about 2 percent, not a budget fix.
- Measure results. Track achievement, attendance and teacher retention before and after the change, and share them with the community.
- Plan for families. Consider child care, meals and transportation on the off day.
Frequently asked questions
How many schools have a four-day school week? More than 2,100 public schools in 26 states in 2024–25, mostly in rural areas.
Does a four-day school week hurt learning? Often, yes. Students lose about two to seven weeks of learning a year, with the largest effects where weekly instructional hours are low.
Does a four-day school week save money? A little: about 2 percent of a district’s budget on average.
Do teachers like the four-day week? Many see it as a job benefit, and it can help recruiting, but research finds little effect on teacher turnover on average.
Which states have four-day school weeks? At least 24 states have one or more four-day districts, including large numbers in Texas and Missouri.
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