5 Reasons The Wagoner Public Schools Superintendent Says A 4-Day School Week Works

In an effort to recruit and retain teachers, Broken Arrow Public Schools (BAPS) is exploring the possibility of adopting a four-day school week. The district has formed a 130-member committee to research the pros and cons of the schedule, including input from other districts already using the model, such as Wagoner Public Schools (WPS).

Wagoner Superintendent Randy Harris highlights five key benefits his district has seen since implementing a four-day school week:

1. Easier Teacher Recruitment and Retention

Wagoner adopted the four-day schedule in part to address challenges with hiring and keeping teachers. According to Harris, the change allows the district to reallocate budget savings to retain additional staff.

"You know, three to four percent of a budget is not a tremendous amount, but when your budget is $17 to $20 million, that was two to three teachers every year we got to keep," Harris said.

2. Improved Student Attendance

The shortened school week has contributed to better attendance rates, Harris noted. This effect has helped students stay more engaged and focused during the four instructional days.

3. Decreased Student Behavior Issues

Wagoner has observed a reduction in disciplinary issues among students. Harris credits the extra day off for providing students with more time to decompress, which positively impacts their behavior during the school week.

4. Cost Savings for the District

Harris said the schedule saves the district about four percent annually in operational costs. These savings stem from reduced utility expenses, transportation costs, and other operational efficiencies.

5. Improved Academic Outcomes

Student performance and scholarship earnings have significantly improved since the schedule was adopted. Harris pointed out that seniors who graduated last year had experienced a four-day week throughout middle and high school, earning a combined $5 million in scholarships—a significant increase from the $750,000 awarded a decade ago.

"I love it actually because you know, you have four days, but that Monday you have anything to do, like a doctor's appointment or anything you need to catch up on," said TJ Warren, a senior at WPS. "Especially with work falling behind, like a huge project, you have that time to come up and get everything done."

Addressing Childcare Concerns

One initial concern for WPS was childcare for working parents. The district partnered with a local daycare, but the low demand—only six children participated—ended the program. Now, WPS collaborates with a local Boys and Girls Club and offers another innovative option:

"We provided babysitting classes and infant classes to get certified for CPR, trained [students], and then if a parent called up, we just tell them to call the high school," Harris said. "We have some high school kids that are willing to work."

What’s Next for Broken Arrow?

Broken Arrow Public Schools sent parents a survey with three mock schedules. Some schedules have Monday or Friday off, different school day start and end times, and different school year start and end dates. Parents have until Dec. 22 to complete the survey.

BAPS says parents will be sent another survey in Jan. 

The committee will make a final recommendation on whether they believe the district should move to a four-day school week in Feb.