The Bakersfield School District plans to join a growing list of Missouri schools moving to a four-day week. The school board voted earlier this month to make the change with the 2018-19 academic year.Bakersfield’s Superintendent, Dr. Amy Britt, says Missouri’s 518 school districts have had the four-day week option for at least a decade. During this time, only one district has opted to return to a five-day week after trying the four-day schedule.
Britt says the shift comes after conducting two surveys, with the second mailed to the home of every Bakersfield student. The results show 84 percent favor the move, with 16 percent opposed.
She says school officials knew day care would be an issue for some working parents. However, with the new schedule, students will attend classes from 7:50 until 3:40 Tuesday through Friday from August 14th through May 17th, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and spring breaks. In the past, school was not in session on random days throughout the year for needs such as teacher in-service, which could be challenging for working parents.
To aid parents in need of securing day care, the elementary school will provide a list of available resources in the area.
Britt says food insecurity is another concern that will be addressed with the shorter school week.
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In addition, Britt says some parents of elementary age students expressed concern more homework and outside projects could be assigned to be completed during the day classes are not in session. She says this is not the intent of the compressed schedule. However, for high school students, Mondays will be used to schedule job shadowing opportunities, interviews and college visits, making these activities less intrusive in a five-day schedule.
Britt says research shows a number of positive outcomes are expected from the change.
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The $70,000 represents about 2 percent of the school district’s annual budget. Savings will come from items such as reduced transportation and food costs.
Britt says school officials are considering utilizing the savings to secure additional staff members if needed, to update the bus fleet or to paydown on the bonds utilized for the construction of the new high school.
She notes if it is decided the new schedule is not working, the district could opt to return to a five-day week.
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