BY JOSH HAZLETT

About 30% of Missouri’s schools and the ISD have now transferred over to a four-day school week. The districts hope that this measure will help resolve the shortage of teachers and other school facility workers. This new schedule seems like a significant change, but when it comes to school attendance time there isn’t too much change within the hours. 

Teacher shortages are becoming more and more of a problem every year, so the Independence School District decided to use the new four-day week schedule as a remedy to this situation. Their ultimate goal is to recruit and retain qualified groups of teachers. The bus driver shortage is also very influential on the ISD’s decision as the district stated, “would only be able to provide transportation to middle and high school students who live more than one and a half miles from their school because it cannot find enough bus drivers.”

While most people would think all students would be excited about the new four-day week, the two sides split about 50/50. Many students would happily have an extra day off of school, but some students need school as much as possible. School is an escape from home for some kids and this new schedule is the last thing these kids want. In a survey regarding benefits for students enrolled in a four-day school week students responded with a variety of answers. One of the students surveyed said, “I don’t see anything beneficial, in fact I think it would worsen my situation” and another was quoted as “The process of school is perfectly fine the way it is now. Doing this can affect many families, school is a great escape for students who want to get away from home while they can. I think this needs to have more thought to it rather than just being a ‘break.’” 

It’s evident that opinions and viewpoints vary among the students and the rest of the community, but the ISD is just taking one step toward fixing a growing problem. The real question is will this new schedule remain in schools forever?