Many Denver-area schools are taking a controversial approach to giving teachers more planning time. Lance Benzel, an editor at The Colorado Sun, joined us to talk about the story.
The Sun’s reporting spotlights Teller Elementary School, where parents were recently told that next year classes will dismiss early on Fridays.
“That’s to allow teachers to plan lessons, analyze student performance data, and take time for professional development,” Benzel told KUNC. “Basically, the school pitched it as an improvement. And while the news probably delighted a lot of students, the parents weren’t so happy."
Teller Principal Sabrina Bates received multiple complaints from parents after the announcement. But Teller Elementary is hardly alone in the move to reduce class time to support teachers. Nearly one-third of Denver schools are cutting back on traditional schedules and sending kids home early on some days.
Schools say teachers’ responsibilities are multiplying, particularly since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they simply don’t have enough time in their regularly scheduled day to do everything.
“At Teller Elementary, the principal says the half-day Fridays are an important tool for recruiting new teachers and persuading the teachers they have to stay,” Benzel said. “Burnout is a major part of what drives teachers to leave, and this addresses that.”
Parents, even parents who are understanding, say half-days and other early releases complicate their lives by requiring them to leave work early to pick up kids and pay for extra day care time. They also are concerned that students won't learn enough.
Despite parent concerns, these changes are growing more common across the state. The Colorado Department of Education officials say 128 of Colorado’s 178 school districts have transitioned to four-day school weeks, largely as an incentive to help fill vacant teacher jobs. The four-day school week is gaining popularity across the U.S. as a teacher recruiting and retention tool.
“The state education department requires that schools operate at least 160 days per year, with middle and high schoolers in classrooms 1,080 hours per school year and elementary schoolers spending at least 990 hours learning per year,” Benzel said. “Teller Elementary, which has about 500 students, would easily beat the state minimum with its new schedule.”