Report shows shortened schools weeks neither harm nor help Missouri students

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The state’s education department found four-day school weeks have little to no effect on academic achievement, according to a new report released Tuesday.

Roughly 30% of all Missouri school districts are only in session four days a week this year. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) said the shortened schedule is being used as a perk to hire and retain teachers but according to the new study, there’s no indication if it’s actually helping.

“If all schools go to four-day school weeks, is it still a recruitment and retention strategy for us and does it provide us great teachers for our kids,” DESE Commissioner Margie Vandeven said.

The full article is available at ozarksfirst.com.

(Story by Emily Manley, Kevin S. Held, ozarksfirst.com)