Does a Day Lost Equal Dollars Saved? The Effects of Four-Day School Weeks on School District Expenditures

Although four-day school weeks often have financial justifications, researchers know little about whether they save school districts money. This study examines the dynamics of school district expenditures surrounding the adoption of four-day school weeks using a self-collected nationwide panel of four-day school week use from 1999 to 2017 combined with disaggregated school district expenditure data. The study finds that districts use the four-day school week in conjunction with preexisting instructional expenditure reduction policies and that the four-day school week reduces support services expenditures due to decreased educational service provision.