Four-day School Week to Counter Rising Fuel Costs
July 24, 2008 – 10:34 am by Nick
Raising fuel costs have forced some rural U.S. schools to ponder a move to a four-day week. The National School Boards Association fears for rural school districts, where buses travel several miles round-trip each day.
More than a hundred schools in Kentucky, New Mexico and Minnesota have already adopted the four day school week to save on utilities and fuel. Parents have protested against the change because of the high cost of day-care.
James Kemp, the superintendent of the Webster County School District said there is no going back to a five-day week. He reveals that the benefits are not only monetary. School attendance and performance has increased significantly.
The MACCRAY Public Schools in Minnesota are expecting to save 10% on transportation (roughly $65,000) just by dropping Friday classes.
Shortfalls in state funding have made the shift inevitable. The New Mexico school district sees the four-day week solution as the only way to keep staff and programs.
