Four-day School Week

The Board has been discussing the District response to the pending state funding shortfall we anticipate for the 2010-2011 school year. One of the topics of interest to the trustees is the four-day school week. This concept has been discussed at public meetings during the past two years. While there were some financial savings from transitioning to a four-day school week in prior years, a change in the way school bus transportation is now funded has almost doubled the savings which would result from the schedule change. Idaho now reimburses allowable bus transportation at 50% of the cost versus the prior 85%. Saving twenty percent of our regular transportation is now 10% saving versus 3%. In addition kindergarten would likely transition to two full days which would eliminate the noon bus routes further increasing the savings to the District.

The Board appointed a committee under the direction of Mr. Caldwell which will include four staff members and several parents to go visit a school district currently on the four-day school week. A public meeting will be held in February to provide information regarding the four-day school week and committee members and Mr. Neumann will be available to answer questions.

It should be noted that there are other positive educational reasons to consider the four-day school week in addition to the financial benefits which will be discussed at the meeting. There are challenges as well, but the track record of schools transitioning to this form of schedule has, for the most part, been very positive. The school board plans to make a decision in March