Some school districts are exploring a new approach to saving money and improving educational outcomes: 4-day school weeks. Both urban and rural school districts throughout Colorado are trying out 4-day school weeks and observing how the change is impacting budgets, teacher retention, and student achievement. Listen to learn about the logic behind the 4-day school week and how this schedule has affected Colorado schools so far.
Story Length: 5:35
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March 4, 2019
4:09
Teachers across the country have been striking this year, asking for support in the form of smaller class sizes, more school nurses and counselors, and pay raises. While their specific demands differ somewhat across school districts, there are common themes. In addition to asking for higher pay for the work that they do, teachers are asking for improvements that would better meet the needs of students. In some cases, they are protesting policies that they believe are not helping students. Listen to this story to learn more about the recent national trend of organized teacher protests.
Read MoreOctober 3, 2018
4:37
There is so much flooding in Bangladesh that many students cannot travel safely to school. In order to ensure that students in isolated villages have access to education, a nonprofit organization has created floating schools that pick students up at their homes and hold class right on the boat. Listen to learn about how and why these special schools are helping students in Bangladesh.
Read MoreAugust 25, 2015
2:56
Sleep is important for everyone’s health, but it’s particularly important for children and teenagers, whose brains are still growing. Teenagers are biologically inclined to stay up later, resulting in two-thirds of young people being seriously sleep deprived. Lack of sleep can lead to obesity, depression, smoking, drinking, lower grades, and can contribute to car crashes. To prevent these things, health experts recommend that middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. School districts are not following this recommendation, however, as five out of six schools start before then. Listen to more about this ongoing public health issue.
Read MoreSeptember 1, 2014
2:10
High School students often begin class between 7 and 8 a.m. despite medical recommendations that schools start later to give student more time to sleep. The negative effects of sleep deprivation, including lower academic performance, has pushed some experts to argue that this is one of the least expensive ways to increase student performance. However, efforts to push back start times have a big roadblock: bus schedules. Listen to today’s public radio story to learn more about why the economics of an earlier school day might not work.
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