South Dakota Schools Cut Costs With 4-Day Week

[alp227]

Source: Associated Press

IRENE, S.D. (AP) — When the nearly 300 students of the Irene-Wakonda School District returned to school this week, they found a lot of old friends, teachers and familiar routines awaiting them. But one thing was missing: Friday classes.

This district in the rolling farmland of southeastern South Dakota is among the latest to adopt a four-day school week as the best option for reducing costs and dealing with state budget cuts to education.

"It got down to monetary reasons more than anything else," Superintendent Larry Johnke said. The $50,000 savings will preserve a vocational education program that otherwise would have been scrapped.

(...)

South Dakota's Republican-controlled Legislature slashed aid to schools this spring by 6.6 percent to help close a $127 million budget gap. Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard said state revenue has not grown in three years while costs have risen for medical services for the poor.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/08/21/us/AP-US-Shrinking-School-Week.html

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I thought Republicans cared about families and children and would support more education...but they'd rather an easily brainwashable populace for Fox News, talk radio, and big business and let China laugh at us.

[newfie11]

1. Custer SD schools have done this for over 5 years

Everyone loves it.

[mindem]

7. I used to live in Custer.

It was back in 2000 - 2001 they were doing it even back then. Before I knew about the 4 day thing I was always wondering why there was a perpetual skip day on Fridays. Color me dumb.

[newfie11]

10. Well hello previous neighbor!

We lived in the limestone area out of Custer from 1992 until 2005. Our youngest daughter graduated from the old Custer HS.

[mindem]

12. I worked in Custer State Park from 1996 to 2002.

I worked at the State Game Lodge and performed on the hay rides out of Bluebell Lodge. Played with the Circle B Cowboys for a couple of years too. I ended up moving back to Minnesota to taking care of my aging parents. I still miss the Hills but wow for right wing land out there. Uffda.

[Bandit]

19. I can't believe all the parents "love" this.

Most households in this modern era are working households where both parents work. Now they either have to leave their child to it's own devices or hire a baby sitter..Either way it is going to cost the parents..

[uppityperson]

2. district will add 30 minutes to each day and shorten the lunch break to provide more class timeM-Th

According to what I've seen, time is lost at the beginning of class getting people to settle down and get working. I can see making each day a bit longer and cutting out one day. Having slightly longer classes will give them more time to work rather than going between classes (for those who do such things).

It will be difficult for some families I am sure, having to figure out what to do for childcare on Fridays.

Johnke, the superintendent, said the district will add 30 minutes to each day and shorten the lunch break to provide more class time Monday through Thursday. In elementary school, recess and physical education classes will be shortened.

The changes won't entirely make up for losing Friday, Johnke said, but the district will still exceed the state's minimum standard for class time and will teach all the required material.
(clip)

South Dakota's state education secretary, Melody Schopp, says schools that have switched to four days haven't suffered in achievement tests.

In Deuel, a 500-student district that shortened its week four years ago, Superintendent Dean Christensen said as much as $100,000 a year has been saved and the failure rate has declined, which he attributed to more time for tutoring and teacher training.

[hlthe2b]

3. You'd think there would be an intense outcry...

Most of these kids will not catch up to those attending GOOD 5 day/week schools nationwide. They will be at a disadvantage when applying to colleges. Parents of these younger kids, likewise, will pay more in childcare.

So, where's the outcry?

[uppityperson]

5. I'd rather my kid at school 4 d/wk and doing homework the 5th.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4968402&mesg_id=4968407

[hlthe2b]

6. Do you think most parents enforce this ("home learning day") as well?

Or are most kids left to their own devices on the 5th day/

[Fearless]

8. As a teacher it is an AWFUL idea... kids have a hard time paying attention

As it is... adding hours to the day will only make it much worse.

[Igel]

16. Dunno.

We had a modified A/B block schedule. 90 minute periods two days a week; kids would get any given class on 4 days during a week. The kids were fine with the long periods, so "hard time paying attention" during a long period isn't an issue.

The day on the SD schedule is only what, 45 minutes longer? That's not so bad. My 7th periods were always antsy. But on early release days it was my 4th period, usually fairly sedate, that was "7th-period antsy."

[aquart]

13. Yeah, that'll happen.

Mom's at work. Kid's at home alone doing homework? SURE!

[aquart]

4. Increasing costs for all working parents on a 5-day schedule.

Or did they take that into consideration and work something out?

[Knight Hawk]

9. Are you kidding?

I sent four kids through the public school system in Fl.Never were the parents considered for anything.

[KurtNYC]

18. and everyone will need a babysitter on the SAME day n/t

[KamaAina]

11. No Child Left Behind*

*-as long as they live in a wealthy suburban district, or won a lottery to get into a corporate-funded charter. :eyes:

[SomeGuyInEagan]

14. Pushing the cost to parents.

Most families - even those with two parents in the home - do not have a stay-at-home adult to monitor the children on Fridays. Most are juggling jobs to support the family. I can't imagine how a single-parent family is going to deal with this. Epic fail by our society.

[ButterflyBlood]

15. Well I can't say the kids will complain about this

Not that that's necessarily the best way to judge this, but as someone who was in high school less than a short decade ago I know how much I would've loved this.

[FBaggins]

17. I'm fine with creative scheduling, but I don't see how this saves much money.

Capital costs are essentially untouched. Few salaries would be any lower (bus drivers/custodial staff I suppose).

I'd imagine that the savings would be smaller than the cost to working parents of providing care for the younger kids one day a week.