Could Four-Day School Weeks Be the Future of Texas Schools?
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Loading... - Omari Hussein
- 24 Feb 2023
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Many teachers have had just about enough of the state’s public education system, and some are seriously considering leaving (or have already left) the field. So, in an attempt to hold onto faculty and staff, certain North Texas school districts are turning to a four-day school week.
Mesquite ISD is one of the districts mulling a new calendar. Its website states that the four-day model would give staff more time to plan and “address instructional needs with the goal of improving overall performance.”
Reached for comment, a spokesperson said the district is not granting interviews on the subject right now, but that the board of trustees will come to a decision by March 6.
Laura Jobe, Mesquite ISD’s chief information officer, presented pertinent data during a mid-February board discussion about the 2023–24 school year.
“Research tells us that the teacher is the most important factor in a student’s academic success, and that is what is driving this process to explore some other calendars to see if that can help us recruit and retain more teachers,” she said during last week’s meeting. “We have a desire to ensure that we have a quality teacher in every single classroom in Mesquite ISD, and as you know, we are facing a nationwide shortage.”
A national survey from last fall indicates that more than half of public schools, 53%, were understaffed at the beginning of this school year, per the National Education Association. Jobe noted that Mesquite ISD saw some 108 teacher vacancies in August, though the district has since recovered a bit.
The idea of moving to a condensed instructional week appears popular among Mesquite ISD employees and parents alike. Asked in a survey how they’d view a four-day model for next year, 72% of parents said they were very or somewhat supportive of the change, and 84% of staff said the same. Read More…
