In 2013, the Iowa Legislature passed a law that changed calendar requirements for school districts, allowing them to change their schedule from five days of classes to four. In the years since, more rural school districts have adopted this schedule as a more affordable way to attract and retain teachers. On this episode, we talk about this trend and the impacts that have been seen nationwide. (This episode was originally produced Aug. 21, 2025)
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The Midwest Newsroom is examining the effect that shorter school weeks are having in communities across Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. We invite you to share your opinion using the form in this article.
