Should Central Texas Adopt 4 Day School Week?

Looking back on all those years spent in school daydreaming about being somewhere else almost every one of those days, never did I ever imagine only having to go 4 days. Would be for, or opposed to Killeen-Temple, Texas changing to just a 4 day school week? Do you have a plan for childcare options if your kid(s) end up getting a shorter school week?

Right now, the majority of schools that have adopted the 4 day week are in North Texas and Northeast Texas. In fact, out of the total of 43 schools on a short week schedule, 32 of them are in those 2 regions of the state.

Thus far, only 1 school district in Central Texas has switched to 4 day weeks, and that is about half way to San Angelo from Killeen in the Rochelle ISD.

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According to KWTX-TV, many times when neighboring school districts adopt the 4 day week, adjacent and other nearby districts follow suit in order to remain competitive with the available teacher pool.

There are many reasons a teacher would prefer the shorter school week, and near the top is having more time with their own family. It also is valued by school boards for the mental stress relief it provides. Some believe it will allow for students to gain more appointment times that can fall outside the school hours. That probably works until everyone else decides to schedule their kids on the same days off.

Some of the more youthful teachers who may not have families to care for, might look to schools featuring the shorter work week as an automatic pay increase over other districts. With pay being similar in neighboring communities, only working 4 days can feel like 39 additional paid days off.

The real question is, will this encourage more total teachers to enter the workforce, and shrink shortages being experience almost everywhere? Would you now be more interested in a career in teaching?