Four-Day School Week Said Not To Produce Many Savings

In the "State EdWatch" blog of Education Week (6/2) Sean Savanagh writes that one strategy to save money tried by as many as 120 school districts in 17 states is a four-day school week. However, a new analysis by the Education Commission of the States found that there are "a maximum savings of only 5 percent from school systems' total budgets -- and that districts that moved to a four-day week experienced actual savings of only between .4 percent and 2.5 percent." This is because "the savings on teacher salaries and benefits tend to be minimal," as the staff still work the same number of hours. Additionally, "some school activities, such as those involving extracurricular events of special needs students, still require busing on the theoretical off day."