It’s been seven months since Connally ISD adopted a four-day school week model, what they call an intensive intervention calendar. This newly implemented schedule gives students and educators Friday’s off every other week.
Now that the school year is nearing its end, education experts, parents and school administration alike are reflecting on the implications of this shift.
Dr. Bill Sterrett: “I have heard of no districts that have reversed course. In other words, once they decide to go to a four-day week, overall, both the staff and the parents seem to be positive about it.”
Dr. Bill Sterrett is the Department Chair and Professor of Educational Leadership at Baylor University. He has been tracking data and keeping up with local school districts who have transitioned to a four-day week model.
Dr. Bill Sterrett: “I do think the data is inconclusive from what I’ve seen as far as really benefiting students. I haven’t seen a lot of cost savings either. So, to me, the jury’s still out. I think that the more that we look at it, we always have to think of, is this best for kids? And I’m not sure I could make that argument.”
Connally ISD’s intensive intervention calendar gives teachers and students Friday’s off every other week. On Friday’s where students are required to come to school, they get out at noon, and time is dedicated to catching up on work that wasn’t finished during the week or getting extra help in a subject.
Teachers then stay on campus after students leave, and finish the day with four hours of planning and professional development time.
Kassidy Munson: “I really enjoy the four-day work week, specifically because from the academic standpoint it gives our teachers the opportunity to not only plan with our partners but also be very intentional with the students that we have here on our intervention Friday’s to ensure that they’re getting what they need.”
Kassidy Munson is an English teacher and dance coach at Connally High School. She says in addition to the extra planning time,
Kassidy Munson: “Friday’s off where we are not here at all, has kind of given back some of my free time, you know, back to my family and to my own personal life and things that I like to do.”
Parents like Leah Butler, a mom of three Connally ISD students, are still navigating the impacts of the schedule change.
Leah Butler: “I was panicked because I’m kind of a newly single woman. I’ve been single for about two years and I started my job about two years ago so when I found out, I was like oh my gosh what am I gonna do.”
Butler had to ask her boss if they would allow her to work from home in order to accommodate for the new schedule.
Leah Butler: “I don’t have anybody that I can, you know, call upon every Friday. I just don’t have that, so yeah as I said I am so blessed that my job allowed me to work from home because I literally don’t even want to think about what I would have had to do.”
Michael Donaldson, the Communications Director at Connally ISD, says overall, the schedule change has been a net positive for students and faculty.
Michael Donaldson: “We are really, really, really pleased with the impact that the intervention calendar has had on our students. We are currently sitting at an actual average of a two percent increase in our daily student attendance from prior to us having the intensive intervention calendar.”
Donaldson says that the district is preparing for the 2024-2025 school year with the intention of keeping the four-day model.
Michael Donaldson: “We have not formally designed our instructional calendar for next school year just yet and we’ll go through the same process that any district would at that time. We would narrow it down to a couple of options, allow for faculty, staff members and the community members to kind of preview it, voice their concerns, place it to a vote and things like that before our school board ends up adopting it. But as of right now, we’re gearing up to develop those potential calendars. We are approaching it with the understanding that we would attempt to do this again.”
Sterrett says there are still many questions that need answers as the four-day school week model continues to grow in Texas and around the country.
Dr. Bill Sterrett: “Let’s continue to look at data such as attendance data, such as student achievement data. Let's look at are there cost savings, and then let's look at best practices. Have we found a way to emphasize sport activities being on that Friday? Have we found a way for professional development to really work? So what are we doing to support our students, what are we doing to protect and support our teachers, and let’s just keep looking at what the results are showing.”
