Minnesota School District Exploring Four-Day School Week

A school district in west central Minnesota is discussing the idea of switching to a four-day school week in order to save money. The idea was apparently triggered by recent surges in the price of oil and the effect that has had upon transportation expenses.

The district, which serves the communities of Maynard, Clara City and Raymond, has decided to consider a four-day week in response to sharp increases in fuel prices for school bus transportation. Nearby South Dakota permits several rural school districts to operate four days per week.

The idea of a compressed school week has become increasingly popular in rural and low population density areas, especially in areas where school buses travel long distances to transport students each day.

Monday classes would be eliminated. In exchange for the lost day, an hour would be added to each school day.

The four day school experiment would save the district an estimated one hundred thousand dollars per year or more. Most of the savings would be achieved in the areas of bus transportation costs, heating and cooling expense, substitute teacher wages and school lunches. The district has roughly seven hundred students spread out over an area of 350 square miles. School bus fuel, driver wages and maintenance costs are particularly high in rural areas.

If approved by the Minnesota Department of Education, the idea could catch on, especially in other rural school districts.

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