An Arizona school district is shifting back to a five-day school week, a decision that will result in a decrease in daily pay for teachers. The Cartwright School District defended the change, citing academic benefits for students, but the move has raised concerns about exacerbating the state’s existing teacher crisis.

From Four to Five Days: A Shift in Strategy

The district previously adopted a four-day school week to improve teacher recruitment and student performance. This schedule led to a 3 percentage point increase in student proficiency in both math and reading. However, district officials now believe a five-day week is necessary to improve academic and emotional outcomes for students.

Concerns Over Teacher Retention

A survey conducted last year revealed that 70% of Cartwright teachers indicated they would not return if the schedule reverted to five days. The change comes with a $2,100 salary increase for the 2026-2027 calendar year, but one elementary school teacher expressed concerns about the financial impact. “I love my principal, I love our community and I love teaching at this school, but at what cost?” she said, requesting anonymity. “Can I really work for a loss of money?”

Currently, the teacher earns $434 per day (for the 2025-2026 calendar year), excluding in-service days. This will decrease to $359 per day in the 2026-2027 calendar year. District officials note that teachers may also be eligible for up to $3,000 in “performance pay” based on evaluations and test scores.

District Defends Decision, Cites Funding Issues

Superintendent Steve Watson explained that the district’s decision was influenced by a University of Oregon study indicating that a four-day school week doesn’t benefit students academically, potentially decreasing math and reading proficiencies and increasing absences. District spokesperson, Rodriguez, added that teachers’ pay wasn’t adjusted when the school initially transitioned to a four-day week, meaning they worked fewer hours without a pay reduction.

Rodriguez also stated that teachers will continue to have opportunities to earn supplemental income through tutoring, coaching, and extracurricular activities. He emphasized that teachers will “continue to make more money per hour than those in neighboring districts.” He acknowledged that Arizona faces comparatively low per-pupil funding, but the district is “working to get more dollars into teachers’ pockets and into the classroom.”

Parent and Community Reaction

The decision has been met with opposition from parents. Cecilia Moreno, a parent, voiced concerns at a January school board meeting, stating, “According to your very own survey, 69 percent of your teachers would resign. That would result in an entirely different team of teachers…” Another parent, Eric Rogers, expressed frustration with the board’s perceived unwillingness to listen to the community.

At a January school governing board meeting, President Lydia Hernandez made a controversial statement suggesting that keeping children in school more days was important because minority kids were being recruited by cartels. This comment was deemed “offensive” by board member Denise Garcia and sparked anger among attendees. The board ultimately voted 3-2 to approve the schedule change, prompting many parents to leave the meeting.

Arizona Schools Chief Tom Horne has previously warned about the consequences of continued teacher departures due to low pay, stating the state risks being left without teachers. The most recent data from the United States Census Bureau shows Arizona has less per-pupil funding for schools than all but three states.