McGuffey exploring four-day school week
McGuffey School District is considering moving to a four-day instructional week.
Dr. Erica Kolat, superintendent, said during Thursday’s school board meeting the district is gathering information and exploring implementing the four-day school week.
The length of the school year would remain the same, but students’ school days would be longer.
Kolat said the district’s initial research has shown several benefits of a four-day school week, including increased graduation rates; improved student and teacher attendance and morale; and improved recruitment and retention of the best teachers.
Approximately 560 school districts in 25 states, including Colorado, Oklahoma, Oregon and Montana, operate a four-day week. School districts also have reduced costs of transportation, utilities and food services by eliminating one school day.
“The proposal, again, is exploratory, just to do more research,” said Kolat.
In upcoming months, the district plans to conduct a survey of parents, residents, district employees and businesses, and form committees to gather input and address concerns, such as child care and how to structure the day for elementary students.
Kolat said if the district converts to the four-day school week, it would not occur until 2020-21 school year at the earliest, and would require approval from the school board, district unions and the state Department of Education.
“It is not a recommendation at this point,” said Kolat. “But I didn’t want us to go down this road of surveying and doing a lot more research if it wasn’t something that we would at least consider.”