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Highlands Today

School Bill Would Allow 4-Day School Week

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands Today

Published: February 13, 2009

SEBRING - School districts could opt for a four-day school week under a measure proposed by an Ormond Beach lawmaker.

A bill filed by Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, would give school districts the flexibility to have a four-day week with longer days instead of their regular five-day schedule.

Lynn said that school superintendents have been looking for leeway in the school week to cut costs. Her bill would require schools to be open a certain number of hours a year instead of the 180 days they have to now.

At a budget workshop last month in Sebring, someone asked if the Highlands County School Board had looked into a four-day school week.

Superintendent Wally Cox said he had discussed it with teacher's union president Steve Picklesimer.

It would require legislation to change the 180 days that school districts are required to have classes or schools would be in session year-round, he said.

Cox said that Picklesimer told him that since teachers would work more hours, their salaries would not be cut.

Bus driver salaries would be cut and some of the lowest paid employees in the district could lose 20 percent of their salary, Cox said, but he is not sure how significant those savings would be along with cutting utility costs.

"If you cut everybody who works here 20 percent it would be huge savings," he said. "If you only cut bus drivers and food service workers, then I am not sure it would be a big savings."

Carol La Perriere of Lake Placid said "as a parent of adult children and a former teacher, I have had experience with four-day school weeks. When our children were in school, we lived in rural Colorado where the four-day week was implemented to save money and improve attendance."

Both goals were accomplished, she said. Test scores were comparable to that of five-day schools. The school day ran from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.

Parents were strongly encouraged to schedule doctor appointments, dance lessons, swimming, etc. on Monday (the day off), La Perriere said. Monday was also the primary extra practice day for sports and extracurricular.

Teachers appreciated the extra day for preparation and grading; parents knew that their schedule included childcare for Mondays and the students knew the drill, she said.

Parent Jeff Alexander of Lake Placid, who has a daughter in kindergarten, doesn't think a four-day school week is a good idea.

"I don't think the kids are going to stay focused for that long of a school day," he said. "I think the quality of education would suffer."

The school board would save money by having that day off, but would daycare be provided for those of us who work five days a week, Alexander wondered.

Many schools began toying with the idea of a shorter school year last year as gas prices skyrocketed, and transportation costs increased exponentially. Some school officials argued they could save on transportation and other costs by instituting a four-day school week.

Education Commissioner Eric Smith said he has not reviewed the legislation but some schools have asked for permission to schedule a four-day week with longer days. None of those requests have been approved, he added.

Bill Montford, chief executive officer of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, said while several districts have discussed shortening the school week, it was unlikely every district would change its schedule. However, if the measure passed, it would give districts the flexibility to do so.

Montford said it was likely that some parents would oppose the plan because they would have to re-evaluate their child care needs, but it would give schools more options.

"What's clearly an issue is how we can help school districts in Florida survive and protect the integrity of our programs because we are in serious trouble," he said.

A spokesman for the Florida Education Association said union officials are still reviewing the measure and have not yet taken a position on it.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.

Highlands Today reporter Marc Valero can be reached at 863-386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com

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