Comparing the Cost Effectiveness of Four-Day vs. Five-Day School Week Schedules in Montana Schools

Abstract

Although cost savings are frequently cited as a key reason for schools adopting a four-day school week (4dsw), findings from this research showed that Montana school districts utilizing the 4dsw schedule in the years 2006 - 2023 did not realize these cost savings, even when adjusting for inflation and school size. In this research, a census of the population was utilized to answer the research question: Is there a difference in cost effectiveness on instructional and non-instructional costs (operations, transportation, and food service) between schools operating on a four-day school week and those operating on a five-day school week?  A census consists of all data related to the population for the research question. In this case, the population comprised every student and every school district in the state of Montana. Findings from the research showed that school districts that utilized the 4dsw schedule spent more on an Average Number Belonging (ANB) basis than school districts that utilized the 5dsw schedule for 2006-2023, in the areas of Instruction, Maintenance, and Transportation. The only area of analysis where school districts that utilized the 4dsw schedule spent less per ANB was in Food Services. Additionally, the specific analysis of per ANB expenditures before and after schools transitioned to utilizing the 4dsw schedule revealed that most school districts spent less while on the 5dsw schedule, even after adjusting for inflation.