80% of Teachers Support a 4-Day School Week for Better Work-Life Balance

Could a four-day school week make life easier for parents, students, and teachers? With buzz around shorter workweeks growing, many wonder if schools could benefit from the same schedule. We recently surveyed over 1,000 parents and teachers for a close look at support levels, perceived benefits, and concerns about this possible change.

Key Takeaways

• 56% of parents support a 4-day school week.
• Gen Z parents (67%) are the strongest supporters of a 4-day school week compared to millennials (57%) and Gen X parents (51%), with their top reasons including increased family bonding (85%) and reduced student burnout (80%).
• To enroll their children in a 4-day school week program, over half of parents (56%) would consider changing jobs or work schedules, and 40% would consider switching schools.
• 81% of teachers support implementing a 4-day school week, with the top reason being better work-life balance (91%).
• 89% of teachers believe a 4-day school week would increase teacher retention due to reduced burnout.
• 80% of teachers would consider switching schools to teach at an institution with a 4-day school week.

Parent Opinions on 4-Day School Weeks

Interest in a four-day school week is growing among parents. Many see it as a way to strengthen family connections, reduce student burnout, and improve social dynamics in schools. Here's a look at how different groups prioritize activities for the extra day off and why they support a shorter school week.

More than half of parents (56%) supported implementing a four-day school week. Gen Z parents were the strongest advocates, with 67% in favor, followed by millennials at 57% and Gen X at 51%. Gen Z parents were especially motivated by the opportunity to increase family bonding (85%) and reduce student burnout (80%).

Gen Z was also the most likely to believe a four-day school week could help reduce bullying (25%), compared to 18% of millennials and 15% of Gen X. Women (21%) were more likely than men (11%) to view the shorter school week as a potential way to decrease bullying among students.

When asked what activities they would prioritize on an extra day, 67% of women and 56% of men said they would focus on family bonding. Men were more likely to prioritize child care, with 27% listing it as a top activity compared to 17% of women.

Digital learning tools also emerged as a priority for many parents, with 22% of women and 13% of men favoring educational games and apps to extend learning beyond the classroom. Younger parents, particularly Gen Z (23%) and millennials (18%), were more likely to prioritize educational apps for their children on an extra day.

Work-Life Balance and Child Care Concerns

Balancing work responsibilities with child care needs is important for parents when evaluating the potential impact of a four-day school week. Here's how parents think their work-life balance and family dynamics would change.

Over half of parents (56%) said they would consider changing jobs or adjusting their work schedules if a four-day school week were implemented, while 40% indicated they might switch schools to enroll their children in such a program. Women (63%) were more likely than men (45%) to be open to altering their work arrangements to accommodate the new schedule.

Even though many parents were interested in a shorter school week, there were still concerns about increased stress and family dynamics that might result. Men (45%) were more likely than women (32%) to believe that a four-day school week could lead to higher stress levels. Additionally, 38% of men versus 25% of women feared the new structure could negatively impact family dynamics.

On the positive side, 61% of parents felt the extra day off would help them better support their child’s education at home. Women were more likely to share this sentiment (65%) than men (46%).

Educator Opinions

Teachers overwhelmingly supported the idea of a four-day school week, with many citing its potential to improve their professional and personal lives. This section highlights how teachers view the shorter week’s impact on work-life balance, workload, and teacher retention, along with strategies for adapting curricula to fit the new schedule.

A majority of teachers (81%) supported the idea of a four-day school week, with 91% stating that better work-life balance was their top reason. Additionally, 89% of teachers believed that a shorter week could help retain more educators by reducing burnout. In fact, 80% of teachers said they would even consider switching schools if it meant they could work a four-day school week.

However, not all teachers were without concern. Nearly one-third (32%) felt that a four-day school week might increase their workload, prompting many to consider new strategies for managing class time and assignments.

To adapt lesson plans and curricula, 51% said they would assign independent activities for students to complete on the fifth day. Group projects were also a popular solution, with 32% favoring this approach. Other strategies included reducing the frequency or length of tests and quizzes (29%), incorporating pre-recorded lectures or interactive videos for at-home study (28%), and assigning additional work to make up for reduced in-class instruction time (23%).

Support and Concerns for 4-Day Schedules

Support for a four-day school week is significant, with many parents and teachers seeing it as a way to improve work-life balance, reduce burnout, and increase family engagement. However, concerns about stress, workload, and adapting lesson plans highlight the challenges of such a change. As conversations continue, these insights offer valuable perspectives on what it could take to make a four-day school week successful for both families and educators.

Methodology

Prodigy Education surveyed 1,015 Americans to understand their perceptions of the four-day school week. Of the respondents, 80% were parents, and 20% were teachers. Among the parents surveyed, 59% were women, and 41% were men. The generational distribution of parents was Gen Z (4%), millennials (65%), Gen X (30%), and baby boomers (2%). Figures not totaling 100 are due to rounding. This data was collected in January 2025.

About Prodigy Education

Prodigy Education is a global leader in game-based learning. Our mission is to help every student in the world love learning, motivating millions worldwide via fun, secure, and accessible curriculum-aligned gameplay experiences. At Prodigy Education, we believe maximizing student motivation helps develop a lifetime love of learning. Prodigy's approach to fun, game-based learning means kids no longer have to choose between homework and playtime. Visit www.prodigygame.com to learn more.

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