Legislature to vote on reducing school week to four days

A bill in the state legislature could give children a shorter school week.

State Rep. Gayle Kingery, R-Poplar Bluff, Mo., has proposed legislation that would allow school districts to shorten the school week to four days. The bill would extend the school day to eight hours.

If passed, Missouri would join at least 23 other states who have considered such a measure. The bill is scheduled for a vote next week.

"In today's economy this is an option other states are using and it appears to be a good option for them," Kingery said. "Where it has been implemented it has brought about as a cost-saving measure in heating, cooling and transportation. The climate and morale of the schools seems to improve, mainly in the rural areas.

"We wouldn't put the whole state on the four-day week, but we would like to present it as an option for school boards."

State Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, said that while the proposal is an interesting idea he's still uncommitted.

"I have requested meetings and feedback from parents, school teachers and administrators and will rely heavily on how they view the idea in my determination of whether to support or oppose the proposal."

Reaction to the bill is mixed among area school superintendents.

"This would be something that wouldn't appeal to me," said Jackson School District superintendent Ron Anderson. "The length of the school day plus the fact that youngsters are involved in after-school activities are reasons why the proposed bill isn't appealing.

"In a different setting it might be a different story," Anderson said. "Just like across the country everyone is concerned about the economy and it could help those who are hurting financially."

Oak Ridge School District superintendent Gerald Landewee said he would have to study the bill more closely before reaching an opinion.

He said districts would have to make adjustments because of the shortened work week on their regular school day.

"There are pros and there are cons to this bill," Landewee said. "Some pros indicate you could have some savings in transportation and utility costs by running fewer days in the week.

"On the other side you have issues of food programs that in some cases provide the two most nutritious meals of the day they'll get in lunch and breakfast," he said. "That would eliminate that option for one day each week. And then some parents may have trouble finding child care for that one day."

While Scott City superintendent Diann Bradshaw-Ulmer said she is also undecided on the issue, she said the elimination of one school day each week could save the district thousands of dollars in fuel costs on the district's buses and 36 days' worth of wages for hourly school employees. Bradshaw-Ulmer said a 2008 survey conducted by the Missouri Association of School Administrators indicated $5,000 could have been saved on diesel fuel on buses alone when diesel fuel was above $4 a gallon by eliminating one school day per week.

"The option would be nice for local districts to help them make ends meet," Bradshaw-Ulmer said. "But the shortened school week should be left up to a local district because each one has different needs.

"It may be difficult finding baby sitters for parents," she said. "And a longer day could be more difficult for elementary kids because it's more difficult for their attention span."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

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