As energy costs rise, rural school districts across the country may follow the lead of the 100 or so schools in 16 states that offer classes just four days a week. Cutting out a day of heating, cooling, and transportation fuel -- which can be significant in spread-out districts where school buses might travel 100 miles round trip each day -- allows schools to put funds toward valuable programs and staff. Advocates say four-day weeks can also improve student attendance and performance (though at least one district switched back to a five-day week after concluding that effective teaching and learning dropped off at the end of an extended day). Kentucky's Webster County School District switched to a four-day week in 2004, and has cut total costs by 3.5 to 4 percent. "If we were to go back to a five-day week," says Superintendent James Kemp, "the school board and I would be run out of town."
see also, in Grist:State workers in Utah will enjoy mandatory three-day weekends
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Comments
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redboat Posted 2:49 am
27 Jul 2008
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Erik Hoffner Posted 1:35 am
29 Jul 2008
But if we ALL move to a 4 day work week, where the parents are home that same day telecommuting, or growing a garden or what have you, it could be a good thing all the way 'round.
Erik
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anthony11 Posted 3:22 am
29 Jul 2008
The issue of child care for parents is significant. I telecommute and could adapt, but we're not going to see telecommuting rates climb significantly anytime soon. Quite a few jobs don't lend themselves to it, but for the ones that do, corporate reluctance to change, and dependence on telecommuting-hostile tools (eg. Microsoft OS's) are a big roadblock.
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jburkerosser Posted 11:25 pm
29 Jul 2008
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