爱荷华州一个约有1,000名学生的学区自2022年以来实行四天上学制，让学生周一休息，领导层称出勤、行为和心理健康更好。全美已有超过2,100所学校采用四天制，密西西比河以西各州均允许这种做法，堪萨斯城一处郊区还通过投票让14,000名学生继续沿用该安排。

RAND发现，各学区通常把其余四个上课日每日报时延长不到1小时，而第五天的安排从提供辅导或托育到什么也不提供不等。NWEA提到的研究认为测试成绩影响不大但确实存在，约相当于落后两到七周的学习进度，其中农村学校以及保持总教学时长的学校损失更小。

一些管理者报告行为有所改善，包括严重纪律问题减少一半，但RAND的调查显示士气并不高于五天制学校，出勤也未显著改善。预算节省通常不超过2.5%，教师留任提升的证据不一致，而家长与学生支持度很高：十分之九的小学家长表示满意，约95%的高中生也支持该安排。

Research from NWEA indicates that the impact of test scores is modest yet significant, showing about two to seven weeks of learning loss, particularly in rural areas where instructional time is preserved. Some administrators note improvements in behavior, with serious disciplinary issues decreasing by half, but RAND surveys suggest morale does not significantly exceed that of traditional five-day schools, and attendance remains largely unchanged. Budget savings are usually around 2.5%, while parent and student satisfaction levels are high.

One Iowa district with about 1,000 pupils has run a four-day school week since 2022, giving students Mondays off, and leaders report better attendance, behaviour, and mental health. Nationwide, over 2,100 schools use four-day weeks, every state west of the Mississippi allows them, and a Kansas City suburb kept 14,000 pupils on the schedule.

RAND finds districts usually add just under one hour to each of the four days, while the fifth day ranges from tutoring or child care to nothing. Research cited by NWEA suggests test-score effects are modest but meaningful, roughly two to seven weeks of learning behind, with smaller losses in rural schools and where total instructional time is maintained.

Source: More schools in America are adopting a four-day week

Subtitle: Teachers and parents like it, but results for pupils are middling

Dateline: 12月 18, 2025 05:43 上午 | NEW YORK