NAMPA, Idaho — To help their students succeed, Rebecca Pizarro said teachers are constantly working outside their contract hours.
"We have to teach 25 students, 25 different ways, and that's not a joke," the Nampa School District fourth-grade teacher said. "It is more work than I have ever worked in any job in my life."
To prevent teacher burnout, the district moved to a four-day school week this year. The Emmett School District did, too. Both districts largely made the decision in hopes of improving retention and recruitment numbers.
Lindsey Adams, who teaches third grade in the Emmett School District, said the switch has improved her mental health. She also frequently takes work home.
"It's really allowed me to spread out my time and manage my time better," she said, "and I honestly think it has made me a better teacher."
Already, Adams' principal said the switch has made Emmett more competitive with hiring.
"We've gotten some more applicants," he said. "Some were willing to come over the hill this way rather than going the other way ... sometimes get paid more in the bigger districts."
However, all the teachers KTVB talked to said there are some drawbacks.
Adams worries about fitting all the curriculum into a shorter week. Pizarro worries about the longer days for students.
"Stretching [the day] out another hour, I don't know if it gives us enough time to get them refocused for that hour and finish the day off strong," Pizarro said.
Paula Nelson, who teaches second grade in American Falls, said it is a tough balance. She has been working a 4-day week for several years. Her district has the same length school day as it did with a 5-day week.
"We cannot fool ourselves into saying the learning is the same," she said. "You definitely have to choose and focus a little more than you did if you had the extra day."
Pizarro also worries about the parents who struggle to find childcare for their children and also said the professional development days on various Fridays are not being utilized to their fullest potential.
Despite the challenges, Pizarro still thinks the pros outweigh the cons.
"Any good thing comes with its bumps in the roads," she said. "It's not always going to be as hard as it is now."
Four-day weeks are becoming more popular in Idaho every year. An Idaho Department of Education spokesperson said there are now 74 school districts and 20 charter schools on the schedule. A decade ago, data shows there were 53 districts and charter schools in total.
It is a controversial change Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield said in a letter to districts and charters in 2024 that said they should only make if it is what is best for their students.
As for how Emmett is measuring success in the short-term, a spokesperson said the district just sent out a survey to parents asking how the switch is impacting their student(s), if their student is receiving adequate care and/or activities on Fridays, and what activities and programs the community could offer on Fridays like sports, arts, tutoring, etc.
"Our hope is that by April we don't see that downshift that we've heard from other school districts sometimes having ... some lower scores," Adams said. "You don't know until you try it. So, here we are trying it, and we'll see how this first year ends.
The Nampa School District does not have any immediate plans to send out a survey. However, a spokesperson said they will collect feedback throughout the year and make any needed changes next year.