The Wall Street Journal (3/7, Herring) reported that an increasing number of school districts around the U.S. are shifting to four-day weeks amid major budget shortfalls, but critics say education quality will suffer if instruction days are reduced. The Journal noted that more than 100 districts in about 17 states are currently using a four-day week, according to Education Commission of the States data. An ED spokeswoman is quoted saying in an e-mail that "generally, we are concerned about financial constraints leading to a reduction in learning time."
The Macon Telegraph (3/8) reports Ray Markwalter of the Baldwin County Board of Education "plans to move forward with a proposal for a four-day school week for the district." He first heard the idea "during the Georgia School Boards Association conference in December after listening to Peach County Superintendent Susan Clark present her school system's results." He said that "the drop in disciplinary incidents, as well as fewer teacher absences, were among the appealing aspects of adopting a four-day school week."
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