News - Local
4 day week could hurt students
Posted: Jul 26, 2010 1:06 PM by Letitia Walker
COLUMBIA, La. (AP) - Four-day school weeks in Caldwell Parish
are a favorite of students and teachers, but a comparison of test
scores before and after shortened weeks show student achievement
could be suffering.
With funding in short supply statewide, many local school
districts are researching the viability of four-day school weeks -
weighing the financial savings against the effect on student
achievement.
Caldwell Parish Schools adopted the four-day week two years ago
and plans to continue for the upcoming school year. Union Parish
recently made the decision to consolidate schools and reduce the
school week to four days to save money.
A comparison of Caldwell Parish fourth-grade LEAP scores from
2007 before the shortened week to those of the 2010 spring scores
shows that the percentage of students scoring basic and above
dropped in three out of four subject areas.
The number of students scoring basic and above in English
language arts increased 5 percent, but fell 4 percent in math, 7
percent in science and 8 percent in social studies.
Eighth-grade scores also were down in three out of four subject
areas. The percentage of students in eighth grade scoring basic or
above was down 2 percent in English language arts, down 9 percent
in math, down 9 percent in science and up 1 percent in social
studies.
Students qualifying for promotion from grade four to five has
remained the same as in 2007, but students meeting promotional
standards in eighth grade are down four points.
Superintendent John Sartin said the district's larger picture
shows increases in district performance scores from 2007. District
performance scores are a combination of a school district's
individual students scores on LEAP, iLEAP and Graduate Exit Exam,
as well as attendance and dropout rates and graduation outcomes.
The district performance score in Caldwell Parish has increased
from 92.8 in 2007 to 96 in 2009. Scores for 2010 have not yet been
released.
A Louisiana State Department of Education comparison of the
average percentage of students scoring basic and above to include
grades three through 12 ranks Caldwell Parish among the bottom
eight in the state for percentage of change. Ouachita and Jackson
showed a 1 percent reduction and Avoyelles Parish showed no change.
Beauregard, Caldwell, Catahoula, St. Landry, and Webster Parishes
grew 1 percent.
Sartin said he believes the shortened school week is
"absolutely not" adversely affecting student performance.
"We certainly are looking at that very carefully," he said.
"If we felt like it was overall adversely affecting our score, we
would have to look at changing."
Ouachita Parish and Monroe City Schools have researched the
financial impact of reducing the number of days per week.
Lincoln Superintendent Danny Bell said the four-day week is not
something he believes would be well tolerated by his community.
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