Leave the School Week Alone

To the Editor:

According to the March 11 issue of The Fayette County Record the La Grange ISD is considering a hybrid option of four-day and five-day school weeks in an attempt to encourage more teacher applications. The hybrid option would have five-day weeks during August – February and four-day weeks during March – May. Of course the teachers and staff prefer the fourday school weeks. What is the impact on the students? Common sense says that it would not be good for students to have longer days and shorter weeks. An old axiom is “The mind can absorb no more than the seat can endure.”

A recent study by the Texas Education Agency found that indeed the four-day week produced lower test scores than the five-day week. Our school superintendent dismisses the finding by saying that anytime there is a change there is a learning adjustment. Therefore, he is comfortable with the hybrid option. Schools would have a change in the school week followed by a learning adjustment in the middle of every year with the hybrid option. Where is the logic in that?

Aside from the academic issues of a four-day school week is the probability that some students will be left unsupervised all day on their Friday off.

What could possibly go wrong there?

Let’s do what is best for the students and keep the fiveday school week for all of the school year.

Parks Tilly La Grange