The Use of a Four-Day School Week to Recruit and Retain Teachers in a Rural District

The purpose of the study was to explore the implementation of a four-day school week policy in a rural district. The research questions driving the study were: (a) How does the transition to a four-day school week affect the well-being of the school district teachers, students, and parents, and (b) how does the four-day school week affect teacher recruitment and retention in the school district? The researchers conducted a mixed-method case study with school administrators, parents, and teachers. The researchers compiled survey results and examined publicly available teacher retention and turnover rates from 2017–2024. Results suggest the new policy had the desired effect in the district. All vacant teacher positions were filled after the creation of the policy, and parents understood the rationale for the change. The implication of the study is that in rural schools, a four-day school week did not negatively affect the well-being of the teachers, students, and parents. Moreover, it also may create new opportunities for recruitment and retention of teachers. The limitations of the study were the use of one rural district, which limits the generalizability of findings to other school districts. Future research would examine the effects of the four-day school week on teacher recruitment and retention in multiple districts, expanding data collection to also include urban and suburban school districts. In addition, the long-term impacts on student achievement could also be explored.