LINCOLN, Arkansas — Students and teachers in the Lincoln School District have been adjusting to a new schedule this year, without going to the classroom on Mondays.
With the first semester almost over, 5NEWS checked in for an update on how things are going.
Lincoln is the first school district in Washington County to adopt a four-day week but joins dozens of schools statewide making the switch.
The decision was made back in March when the school district voted unanimously to adopt the four-day week, dropping Monday classes. Having Mondays off means an extra 60-75 minutes of the school day Tuesday through Friday, and at Lincoln High School, principal Stan Karber said he's already seeing tons of positives after the first semester.
Karber said while there has been an acclimation period for students and teachers adjusting to the new schedule and getting the most out of those four days, the change has been a success— specifically, with being efficient and not taking the time in the classroom for granted.
“We have learned how to take advantage of every opportunity and how not to waste any time so that you can optimize your educational experience and turn it up a notch," he said. "You’re going to earn that extra day off. That's pretty much the vow that we all took, we're not going to show up here and have any slack."
Since implementing the four-day week at the high school, Karber said he has seen the highest attendance and lowest behavioral problems in his four years as principal.
“Our students and our staff just being there four days a week, they do exceptionally well. They understand that they've got that extra day to prepare, mentally— physically, emotionally, spiritually, however they've got to— to show up and to give their best effort and I think you can tell,” Karber said.
Other positives, besides an added three-day weekend, include making it easier for students and staff to schedule doctor's appointments without taking paid time off or an absence in the middle of the school day.
On top of that, student-athletes don't miss class when their games fall on a Monday.
Paul Thompson, an associate professor of economics at Oregon State University told the Associated Press back in September that of the more than 13,000 school districts nationwide, nearly 900 operate on a 4-day schedule, up from 662 in 2019.
As far as whether these truncated weeks have positive or negative effects on test scores overall, Thompson said it's too early to tell, although some studies show the schedule doesn’t hurt test scores if the other four school days are lengthened to make up the time.