I believe that you can get the same educational value from school in a less amount of days.  If the school district changed the schedule to 4 days in a week, there would only be positive benefits.  Financial benefits would help the school’s funds, and students would feel less stressed under the new system.  Teenagers everyday question whether to drop out or stay in school.  If they had a three day weekend every week, students would have a little time to blow off their steam.  Also, the extra day does not have to be used for sleeping in and playing video games (qtd. in Sheehy 2).  Some school officials expect students to do something useful with their day, like interning, or volunteering, or even taking college courses.  School days are longer under the 4 day week, because the schools must meet the state's required number of hours in a school year.  This does not necessarily have to happen, although, because the classes can be shortened and students still can get the same education from it.  Many students cut class for the first ten minutes because the lesson normally doesn’t start until then (qtd. Elizabeth Perle 1).   If the schools made 40 minute periods, the students could learn just as much as they would in a 50 minute period.  One of the biggest benefits of this system is the financial savings.

There are many financial benefits from a 4 day school week.  With only 4 days in a week, that is one less day the  school has to pay for lunches, gas costs for buses, and janitorial costs.  According to an article by Kelsey Sheehy, Chattooga County in Georgia reported nearly $800,000 in annual savings after switching to a 4 day school week.  Also, students are able to use their extra free day to work and gain experience.  The students will be more ready to pay for college if they can work during the school year and not just over the summer.  This extra day also gives the teachers more time to make lesson plans for later in the week, and their salary would not go down because the school days are longer to make up for the free day. I am sure that the school won’t mind the extra money lying around.

Students will be less stressed under the new system.  First of all, having a 3 day weekend will give kids an extra day to visit colleges, have doctor’s appointments, and go to tutoring for school (Sheehy 1).  Also, athletes will not miss as much school if their is another day for the teams to schedule sports against other schools.  I am in 9th grade, and trust me, as an athlete, it is so stressful handling two days worth of school work when you have missed days for sports.  Students will have an extra day to grind out their projects, and an extra day to catch up on homework.  They can also use this extra day to just relax and blow off steam.  Student absences and discipline problems are down in many schools under the 4 day week, which can only mean good things are happening (qtd. Sheehy 1).  Many adults would argue that since they work 5 day weeks, then students should as well (qtd. Elizabeth Perle 1).  This is not necessarily true, because it is better for developing minds to work there way up.  Developing and working up should address the number of school days too, in my opinion.   Having an extra day can also give you a chance to help out at home.  Parents in farming communities in Garfield School District, Colorado appreciate the help at home on the extra day off (Sheehy 2).  It is shown that students are certainly less stressed with one less day of school each week. 

Ultimately, a 4 day school week can only have positive benefits.  17 states have already allowed 4 day school weeks, and many other states are considering it.  The system takes pressure off of students, and is more financially efficient.  Many studies show that school’s scores go up when under this schedule.  If all schools changed to this system, I believe students would be less stressed and the districts could pay for more innovations to the school.  They could make libraries, extend the wings, or even make the school more high tech and kid friendly.  Each week, students would go to school 4 days a week, and we will all learn much more and have time to gain real life experiences outside of school on our extra day off.  With this new system, everyone is happy.

Work Cited
Sheehy, Kelsey. “Educators at Some High Schools Tout Benefits of 4 Day Week” US News and World Report. USNews.com, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2015
Perle, Elizabeth. "High School Pressure: Why Students Need Shorter Days." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.