Illinois Legislators Consider Bill to Create Four-day School Week as Means of Easing Expenses for Schools
Proponents of the plan believe that a shorter school week would save money by cutting utility bills and diesel fuel expenses for bus routes.
The Illinois House voted 81 to 21 on March 22 to allow individual school districts throughout the state to put the four-day school weeks into place if they so choose. Each school district would need to hold a hearing about the plan in order to implement it.
Opponents of the measure cited concerns about how working parents would find child care for the day left out of the weekly school schedule. Other questions opponents have brought up was why should schools switch to a four-day school week instead of cutting staff and teacher salaries to save money and whittle away costs.
School districts who switch to the four-day week will have to prove to legislators that their students will be in session for the standard number of hours.
Currently, schools in southern Illinois are feeling the pinch of expected budget cuts and lack of promised funding as many schools are laying off staff and teachers. Frankfort Community Unit School District in West Frankfort, Illinois (Franklin County) made severe cuts after expecting to be $1.5 million dollars in the hole beginning next school year. The school district eliminated three teaching positions and issued reduction force notices to about 40 non-certified staff. Three teachers were also given RIF notices.
Harrisburg School District in Harrisburg, Illinois (Saline County) has already stated they will be eliminating one art teacher and one music teacher as well as cutting the school's agriculture department and firing a number of the school's coaches. Harrisburg will be making more staff cuts at a future meeting of the school board.
Other local school district teachers and staff are anxiously waiting for school board meetings where budget cuts and staff change decisions will be made.
Published by Tammy Lee Morris - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Tammy Lee Morris is a lifelong resident of southern Illinois where she enjoys a quiet life in a rural area. After working for a local newspaper while studying journalism at a local community college, she dev... View profile
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12 Comments
Post a CommentI wonder if using the internet can help them cut the costs and increase the educational experience?
Good article-not sure how this can work and maintain quality
And Ohio is trying to extend the school year. I bet they haven't run the numbers on the cost of that since we've been operating in the red for years. Excellent reporting!
What are RIF notices? Good article. I understand the schools need to do something & this saves jobs, which I'm in favor of, but its shifting a new burden onto parents, many of whom are economically stretched as it is and now they need day care. Not sure this is the answer.
I dont know about this plan... I think shortening the days would be better for the students than cutting out a whole day. Many kids have too much crammed in at once. But I guess we'll see how it pans out...
Another serious money problem for us. I am thankful that our school is still doing well at this time. Good article.
Interesting. I've heard of this being applied to businesses but not schools. It may not be a bad idea for high schoolers. They'll have extended classes but also more time for homework. It'll be nice to see how this goes.
It'll be interesting to see what happens with this. I just wonder if the kids will learn all they need to with even less time. My kids are homeschooled and even if my state shortens school weeks for kids in public school, we won't shorten ours. I would have to study it more to know for sure, but it sounds like this would be more in the interest of budgets than the kids.
Great article. We have this some places in my state. You either love it or hate it!
The kids will be delighted, I'm sure, unless they have to attend from dawn to dusk. Oh, wait....my kids already get up at the crack of dawn and come home just before dark (in fall and winter). They get a few extra hours of daylight just before summer break :) Super article, wonder how it will play out?