By Friday, most students aren’t really learning anymore. They’re focused on getting through the day. Focus fades, motivation is weak, and classrooms become more about endurance than education. As a 15 year old sophomore at East Leyden, I’ve seen students and teachers, including myself, come to school exhausted, waiting for the day to end, only to wake up and have the same routine over and over again. Instead of forcing a fifth day of low energy learning, it’s time for schools to rethink what that day is actually for.
The idea of a four day school week often gets rejected because people assume it means less learning, but what if the fifth day wasn’t completely gone, just redesigned. Turning that day into a flexible space for study hall, tutoring, or catching up could improve both academic performance and student well being. Instead of cutting time, this approach makes time more meaningful and effective.
Research shows that reducing the traditional five day schedule does not automatically harm learning outcomes. Studies found that schools with at least 30 hours per week showed “no differences in achievement” compared to a five day school (Morton). This insinuates that it’s not about how many days students sit in a class, but what that time is used for. By keeping four structured learning days and using the fifth for targeted support, students can strengthen what they’ve learned instead of falling behind.
Both students and teachers recognize that the current schedule isn’t working as effectively as it could. In a survey I carried out, 70% argued we should have a four day school week, multiple students described feeling burnt out, with one explaining that school takes up most of their time and only has two days of break, saying four school days would benefit them as well as teachers. Another student says they want an extra day to work and catch up on their assignments, saying some students have jobs, or just homework they don’t have time to do. Even when I didn’t have enough time, I’ve called in absent a couple times just because I needed an extra day to do my missing work and study for upcoming tests.
Teachers also supported a more flexible model, with one teacher suggesting, Celida Kipp, a Spanish high school teacher from East Leyden, said that Fridays could be used as a “virtual day” for students to work on homework and meet with teachers for extra help. With feedback from multiple different teachers, ranging from Chemistry HN, Geometry HN, Psychology, and AP European History, all have similar concerns and questions about students needing extra help. When both those learning and those teaching agree that change is needed, it strengthens the argument that the current system needs to be mended, not eliminated.
Beyond academics, a redesigned schedule could improve students’ daily lives. Research shows that a four day school week can reduce bullying and increase sleep among students (Dewil), both of which affect mental health and learning ability. Additional research also suggests benefits like fewer disciplinary incidents and improved attendance patterns (Dewil). A schedule that reduces stress and improves rest gives students a better chance to actually succeed instead of just pushing through exhaustion.
Critics argue that fewer school days could reduce learning time or increase problems outside of school. Some research even notes “increased delinquency outside of school on days off” (Morton), while others worry about reduced learning time (Werra). However, these concerns assume the fifth day would be unstructured, a redesigned model solves this by turning the fifth day into supervised study halls, tutoring sessions, or virtual help hours. This keeps students supported while avoiding the burnout that comes with five academic days. Michael Tazic, a social studies high school teacher from East Leyden, brought up the fact in my survey that, “school serves as a safe place for students,” and by not completely removing the school day, school still remains a safe place for students and others.
If Friday already feels like a day where learning barely happens, maybe the issue isn’t the students or teachers, it’s the structure. Schools don’t need to choose between four or five days; they need to choose what kind of learning works well for their students. By turning the fifth day or even middle day into a space for support instead of stress, we can create a system that helps students not just survive the week, but grow. It’s time to rethink the schedule and make it work for the people it’s meant to serve.
