Fourdayschoolweekcanimproveaca

　　标题：Fourdayschoolweekcanimproveacademicperformance，studyfinds
　　source：GEORGIASTATEUNIVERSITY
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　　Shorteningtheschoolweektofourdayshasapositiveimpactonelementaryschoolstudents’academicperformanceinmathematics，accordingtoresearchersatGeorgiaStateUniversityandMontanaStateUniversity。
　　Thestudy，publishedinthejournalEducation，FinanceandPolicyinJuly，analyzedtheimpactofafourdayschoolweekonstudentachievementbycomparingfourthgradereadingandfifthgrademathtestscoresfromtheColoradoStudentAssessmentProgram（CSAP）forstudentswhoparticipatedinafourdayschoolweek，versusthosewhoattendedatraditionalfivedayschoolweek。
　　Theresearchersfoundafourdayschoolweekhadastatisticallysignificantimpactonmathscoresforfifthgradestudents，whilereadingscoreswerenotaffected。
　　Thestudysuggeststhereislittleevidencethatmovingtoafourdayweekcompromisesstudentacademicachievement，animportantfindingforU。S。schooldistrictsseekingwaystocutcostswithouthamperingstudentachievement。
　　“Whatinterestedmeaboutourresultsistheywerecompletelyoppositetowhatweanticipated，”saidMaryBethWalker，deanoftheAndrewYoungSchoolofPolicyStudiesatGeorgiaState。“Wethoughtthatespeciallyfortheyounger，elementaryschoolkids，longerdaysonashorterschoolweekwouldhurttheiracademicperformancebecausetheirattentionspansareshorter。Also，alongerweekendwouldgivethemmoreopportunitytoforgetwhattheyhadlearned。”
　　Althoughtheshortenedschoolweekdidnothaveameasurableimpactonreadingoutcomes，“theideathatthechangeinthecalendardidnothavenegativeeffectswethoughtwasanimportantresult，”Walkersaid。
　　AnumberofschooldistrictsintheUnitedStateshavemovedfromthetraditionalMondaythroughFridayscheduletoafourdayweekscheduleasacostsavingmeasuretoreduceoverheadandtransportationcosts。
　　Fourdayweekshavebeeninplaceforyearsinruralschooldistrictsinwesternstates，particularlyinColorado，NewMexicoandWyoming。OveronethirdoftheschooldistrictsinColoradohaveadoptedafourdayschedule。ThealternativeschedulehasalsobeenconsideredinschooldistrictsinOregon，Missouri，FloridaandGeorgia。
　　Thefourdayschoolweekrequiresschooldistrictstolengthentheschooldaytomeetminimuminstructionalhourrequirements。Previously，therewasalackofinformationonwhetherthefourdayschoolweekaffectsstudentperformance，Walkersaid。
　　Theresearchershavespeculatedonwhytheshortenedschoolweekpositivelyaffectedstudentsbuttherearenotenoughdatatodrawdefiniteconclusions。
　　“Wethoughtthelongerdaysmightgiveteachersanopportunitytousedifferentkindsofinstructionalprocesses，”Walkersaid。“Wealsospeculatedthatafourdayschoolweekloweredabsenteeism，sostudentswhohaddentist’sappointmentsoreventsmightbeabletoputthoseoffuntilFridayandnotmissschool。Wethoughttheremightbelessteacherabsenteeism。
　　“Myownpersonalhypothesisisteacherslikeditsomuchtheyweresoenthusiasticaboutthefourdayweektheydidabetterjob。There’ssomeevidenceinotherlaborstudiesthatfourdayworkweeksenhanceproductivity。”
　　Walkernotestheresultsareonlyapplicabletosmallerandmoreruralschooldistricts。Furtherstudiesshouldbeperformedtounderstandtheeffectsonurbanschooldistricts，shesaid。