4-Day School Week

Comments from parents on a November 2020 school year calendar survey showed interest in an adjusted school week. The results of a March 2021 survey showed 41% of parents and 49% of staff were in favor of exploring a 4-day school week. In comments from an October 2022 school year calendar survey, 68% expressed interest in a 4-day school week. Because of this, the Board of Trustees requested information presentations from Superintendent Darryl Seguin in September 2021 and December 2023.

In the province of Alberta there is no minimum number of days students must attend school. Instead, the requirements are around instructional time which for elementary students (Grades 1-9) is 950 hours and for high school (Grades 10-12) is 1000 required hours of instruction each school year

The Board of Trustees will seek input from stakeholders and recommendations from senior administration to understand all perspectives. Then, the Board of Trustees will decide if implementing a 4-day school week is in the best interest of student success, budget efficiencies, and staff retention and recruitment. It is anticipated that this decision will be made in February 2025.

The Board of Trustees have identified three key factors related to a potential 4-day school week:

1. Student Success (effect on student engagement)
2. Budget Efficiencies (projected savings)
3. Staff Retention and Recruitment (effect on staffing)

In addition, the Trustees seek to understand the perspectives and concerns of stakeholders. This feedback will also be considered in the decision.

No. Originally, this idea came from parent calendar input survey comments. Subsequent surveys for parents and staff showed interest in looking at a 4-day school week. Trustees are considering the impact on students, families, and staff with the main criteria being whether it is in the best interest of student success, budget efficiencies, and staff retention and recruitment.

Since November 2020, the Trustees have been looking at available research and modeling regarding a 4-day school week. From May to November 2024, the Trustees will seek feedback from families, students, staff, indigenous partners, pre-Kindergarten parents, union executives, and community members. This information will be compiled and reported to the Trustees in January 2025. It is anticipated that the Trustees will make a decision in February 2025 whether or not to proceed with a 4-day school week. 

If the decision is in favor, a 4-day school week would begin in the 2025-2026 school year in all schools across Livingstone Range School Division.

Research about the effects of a 4-day school week in North America is both limited and inconclusive. However, in our local context we anticipate potential benefits such as:

• Increased student attendance. Presently LRSD students are absent on average 10% from Monday to Thursday and 14% on Fridays. These absences are for a variety of reasons. Some research suggests that better attendance results from the shift to a 4-day school week as families prioritize being at school for the four days and appointments could potentially be made for Fridays.
• Increased student engagement. Due to attendance and timetabling, students may be more actively engaged during the school day.
• Improved academic results and graduation rates. Some studies have shown increased student achievement as a result of a shift to a 4-day school week. This finding could be strongly correlated to the research around improved students attendance in a 4 Day School Week. Our belief is that if students miss less school and had increased teacher consistency due to meetings moved to Fridays, greater student achievement could result. “Our results generally indicate a positive relationship between the four-day week and performance in reading and mathematics.” (“Does Shortening the School Week Impact Student Performance? Evidence from the Four-Day School Week”,  Anderson, D. Mark; Walker, Mary Beth, Education Finance and Policy, v10 n3 p314-349 Sum 2015)
• Increased transition rates to post-secondary or workforce after graduation. With greater academic results and more time in a student’s week for dual credit, work experience, and other opportunities, we would hope to see greater success in transitioning after high school.
• Improved school/home balance. Many parent comments have suggested that having their children home an additional day each week would provide greater opportunities for children to be involved in family activities such as agriculture, recreation, and vacations.

There is also an exciting opportunity to work with academic researchers to study the effects of a 4-day week on students, families, and staff. If implemented, we would be one of the first jurisdictions in Canada and there is great potential for contributing to post-secondary academic research.

Potential concerns for students in a 4-day school week scenario may include the following:

• Learning loss with a 3-day weekend, particularly for English as Additional Language learners and those who need additional support.
• Impact on vulnerable students, including those who need additional support or those with unsafe home environments or food insecurity.
• Negative impact on academic performance due to attendance shifting (missing full-day Thursdays) or stress.
• Lack of available childcare in local communities.

For about a year and a half, LRSD Pursuits Virtual School, MHHS Gateway School, and Walshe Crossroads Campus Outreach Program have operated on a 4-day school week schedule. This has been very successful for students and staff. Students of these learning communities would see no change.

Students at Hutterite Colony schools would have their Livingstone Range School Division teacher for the 4-day school week schedule. Individual colonies would make arrangements for students on the Friday that would work best in their context.

No. The divisional calendar would be the standard, and schools would not be able to modify or request additional days off.

Alberta Education sets the dates for diploma exams and provincial achievement tests (PATs).  Because we cannot change those dates or administer those exams earlier in June, it is necessary to have a school calendar that includes the latest exam dates for students.

In a 4-day school week scenario, the four instructional days are lengthened by an average of 5-10 minutes. This is possible because of restructured timetable efficiencies such as fewer minutes between classes. A Division-wide timetable creates opportunities for streamlined timetables, as well as the potential of common virtual class blocks for some high school subjects.

Recesses and lunch breaks will still allow students time to use the bathroom, go outside, and eat their snacks or lunch.

• Potential Elementary timetable: 8:30am to 3:34pm (365 minutes of instruction) with two 12-minute recesses and 35 minutes for lunch.
• Potential Junior High School timetable: 8:30am to 3:33pm (365 minutes of instruction) with 3 minutes for class changes and 35 minutes for lunch. 
• Potential High School timetable: 8:30am-3:36pm (385 minutes of instruction) with 2 minutes for class changes and 35 minutes for lunch.

Potential Elementary Timetable

Potential Junior High School Timetable

Potential High School Timetable

Students' school days would be lengthened by an average of 5-10  minutes on a 4-day school week schedule. We anticipated the morning pick-up times would remain nearly the same, with afternoon drop-off times being 5-10 minutes later than the current schedule.

A 4-day school week has the advantage of students being on the bus 20% less each week.

Athletic practices can continue to be held on Monday through Thursday. Weekend tournaments within the Division and with teams outside the Division can also continue. Overall the number of Fridays that students are in school would be lower so that although student-athletes might miss more class time on instructional Fridays for tournaments, the number of Fridays they would be missing school would be fewer.

Families would typically be responsible for getting their student-athletes to the school for Friday and Saturday events, although bussing may provided in some cases.

While the Board of Trustees will consider cost-savings in the final decision about a 4-day school week, it is only one of the criteria. There likely will be budget efficiencies in a 4-day school week, but whether that alone is enough to operate a balanced budget remains to be seen.

Each year the Division plans for a balanced budget, which is becoming more difficult with the current model of government funding and the increasing costs for staff, supplies, infrastructure, and operational expenses. For years the Trustees have advocated to the provincial government for adequate, sustainable and predictable funding that will help us provide an excellent educational experience for 'Every student, every day.'

We understand that for some students, the safety, nutrition, routine, and support of a 5-day school week are important for their well-being and success.

• School staff and counsellors would continue to be available during the school week to support and monitor student needs
• We would continue to collaborate with community partners for complementary services (including Family Supports for Children with Disabilities, Alberta Mental Health, McMan services, Boys and Girls Club programming). 
• We would continue to provide additional take-home food items for students, as needed and as resources allow
• We would continue to connect families with community resources
• We would continue to monitor student academic progress, attendance, and well-being strategies in the best interest of student wellbeing and success. 

As budgets become tighter for school jurisdictions in Alberta, finding cost savings is evermore important. There are potential budget efficiencies to be found in a 4-day school week, which are outlined below. Should the Trustees choose to proceed with a 4-day school week across the Division, a budget review process would determine actual cost savings. (Note: these estimates are based on current fuel and utility prices.)

Facility Savings

• With fewer lights on, less water used, and thermostats set at lower temperatures for Fridays when schools are not in use, utilities savings are estimated around $50,000.
• Savings in custodial supplies for facility cleaning based on 21 fewer operational days is estimated to be between around $5500.
• Less wear and tear on the facility could result in the facility lasting longer and less funds required to maintain. 

Transportation Savings 

• Students would be transported 23 fewer days, resulting in savings on school bus fuel of approximately $69,000 savings.
• Less wear and tear on buses could result in repair and maintenance savings of approximately $34,000 annually.

Staff Savings

• Moving Divisional meetings and professional development (such as Joint Health & Safety Committee; Professional Development Council; First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Working Committee, SIVA (Supporting Individuals through Valued Attachments) training, Literacy & Numeracy Leads meetings, and Administrative Council) to non-instructional days could save approximately $143,000 in substitute support staff and teacher costs. One study found that, “Although it is unclear whether the four-day week has reduced turnover, many school districts have reported fewer teacher absences after switching to the alternative schedule” (Chamberlin, Molly, and Jonathan Plucker. 2003. The four-day school week. Education Policy Briefs 1(2):1–3.)
• Moving teachers closer to the maximum 916 hours of instruction per year creates efficiencies that could potentially save up to $247,800 per year.
• While we are looking to maintain compensation for all staff, some may voluntarily choose to reduce their hours, which could result in savings. 

There are other potential savings that may not be quantifiable at this time.

No. Granum School looked at multiple solutions to address declining enrolment in their community and ultimately the families voted to proceed with a 4-day school week. This happened independently of exploring a 4-day school week across Livingstone Range School Division. 

In the case of a division-wide move to a 4-day school week, the Board of Trustees will make that decision based on their determined criteria of student success, budget efficiencies, and staff retention and recruitment; it will not be a stakeholder vote. As part of their broader engagement plan for the Division, the Trustees will consult with Granum families and staff in late 2024 to understand the initial impact of a 4-day school week for that community.

Our staff are essential to the success of Livingstone Range School Division. One of the Trustees’ three criteria for evaluating a 4-day school week is the effect on staff retention and recruitment. As we consider staff scenarios, we understand that wages and compensation are a major factor for staff retention. We are looking at options to maintain current wages and compensation, and options for staff who choose to reduce hours voluntarily.

Our research indicates that a 4-day school week may be attractive to new staff. 

“In places where schools have made the change, school district leaders have marveled at the resulting spikes in applications from teachers and other job seekers. The number of teacher applications that we’ve received have gone up more than 4-fold...” (“The four-day school week: Research shows benefits and consequences”, The Journalist’s Resource, September 6, 2023

https://journalistsresource.org/economics/four-day-school-week-research/

We are proud of Livingstone Ski Academy (LSA) and this unique outdoor classroom opportunity for students. We are currently looking at the complexities of all our alternative programming (including LSA) related to student scheduling, third-party providers, and staff schedules. We will work closely with parents, staff, and contractors to find the best solution, should a 4-day school week be implemented.