The Four-Day School Week at K–12 Schools in the United States: A Scoping Review of Empirical Research Evidence

The four-day school week (4DSW) is an alternative schedule gaining popularity among K–12 schools in the United States, with a resultant growing body of empirical research. This scoping review examined the extent and types of published empirical research evidence on the 4DSW. As of November 2024, we located 123 empirical research studies on the 4DSW in U.S. K–12 schools. The majority of studies provided evidence on the effects of 4DSWs (n = 78; 63%), examined 4DSWs in rural communities (n = 91; 74%), and are published in gray literature (n = 92; 75%). We created an online interactive database for interest holders to explore the diverse types of available evidence for studies most relevant to their specific contexts and informational needs.