Sean C. Morgan
Survey results show a close split on support for a four-day school week and a five-day school week.
School District 55 adopted a four-day school week for the 2012-13 school year, looking to save more than $400,000, while increasing opportunities for professional development on Fridays.
The School Board reviewed and discussed the results Monday night during a work session preceding its regular meeting. It will place the four-day school week on its agenda on May 13, although it will only need to take action to change the calendar if it chooses to quit using the four-day week.
Chairman Jason Redick said he would contact each board member and find out whether the board should meet in a work session prior to the regular meeting on May 13 to discuss the four-day and five-day week further.
According to those surveyed, 53.2 percent, 192 persons, preferred the four-day school week. Some 46.8 percent, 169 persons, preferred the five-day school week.
The survey had 361 respondents. It had approximately 50 more with paper surveys Monday morning, and those were not included in the count yet. Supt. Don Schrader said the numbers were split down the middle like the rest.
Among those responding were 22 students, 160 parents, 75 classified staff members, 81 licensed staff members, 1 confidential employee, nine administrators and 51 community members.
Of those, 62.4 percent of the license staff preferred the four-day week, and 56 percent of classified preferred the five-day week.
Among parents, 50.6 preferred a five-day week, while 81.8 percent of students preferred the four-day week. From community respondents, 58.8 percent preferred the five-day week.
A breakdown wasn’t readily available for administrators, Schrader said, but he believes all nine preferred the four-day week.
Throughout the survey, responses about the impact of the four-day were largely that it had a negative impact.
Asked how it affected students in kindergarten through sixth grade, 123 said they didn’t know, while 154 thought it had a negative impact and 84 thought the impact was positive.
The same question at grades seven and eight returned 207 “don’t know” responses, while 89 said the impact was negative and 65 said it was positive. Results were similar about high school students.
Among a list of seven items that may have improved under the four-day week, 43.5 percent said “none of the above, while responses ranged from 9.7 percent for parental involvement to 26.6 percent for student attendance.
Some 41.6 percent said that staff morale has declined since the implementation of the four-day week, while 28 to 29 percent say student morale and discipline have declined among seven areas listed.
A majority, 224, believed that teachers are not able to cover the curriculum effectively, while 115 said teachers could.
In context of the four-day school week, attendance is down slightly this year, from 92.81 percent to 92.6 percent districtwide. The Junior High was down to 92.1 percent from 93.64 percent.
Principal Hal Huschka cautioned against drawing conclusions about the four-day week and attendance based on those numbers. Attendance was impacted by a rumored shooting threat and a flu outbreak.
Attendance is up at the high school, Schrader said.
Staff absence was down by 14.8 percent to 2,497.56 equivalent days, Schrader said. Substitute costs are lower by about 16 percent.
Academic achievement hasn’t shown drastic changes, Schrader said. And some schools are just starting spring testing.
Based on the best information the district can get now, the state legislature is expected to pass a $6.55 billion funding package with retirement system reforms, said Business Manager Kevin Strong. That could translate to $300,000 to $500,000 more in funding next school year.
“Likely, for the first time in a few years, we’re not looking at making reductions next year,” Strong said.
Board member Jenny Daniels noted that despite the negative results on many questions, respondents still narrowly supported a four-day week.
But for a major change, “one year just isn’t enough to get a good feel,” she said. She wondered if there were a “happy medium.”
Supt. Schrader did share a “hybrid” calendar, that would provide mostly five-day weeks, with days scheduled for professional development. The four-day week has 148 school days, while the hybrid would provide 160. the five-day week last year had 173 school days minus four furlough days as part of budget cuts.
The hybrid would cost about $155,000 to $160,000 to operate. A regular five-day schedule would cost about $315,000.
Mike E. Adams, board member, wondered if that hybrid schedule might be combined with bringing on new teachers to cut class sizes, which are projected to reach as high as 34 at Foster next year. The combined cost could be around $300,000.
“My biggest concern is we’re spending money we don’t have,” said Chairman Jason Redick. “Until the number’s set, we’re spending a paycheck we haven’t earned yet.”
After eight years on the board, he’s feeling a little gun-shy about committing to that kind of spending at this point.
“Even the hybrid’s better than strictly a four-day,” said Chance Keeney, board member. The hybrid would put children back into school.
Dave VanDerlip agreed with Keeney, noting that the four-day school week is difficult for poor families, where both parents must work.
He thought that perhaps the hybrid could serve some of their needs, noting that the survey showed a lot of opposition to the four-day week.
“I agree with Jason,” said Kevin Burger, board member. “I don’t think we have a luxury of making a decision at this time. Are we out of the woods yet?”
There is no quick fix, Keeney said. “we’re just going to have to chart a course.”
Present at the meeting were Adams, Jan Sharp, Keeney, Dale Keene, Redick, Mike Reynolds, VanDerlip, Daniels and Burger.
In other business, during the regular board meeting:
n Approved the new personal communications policy 8-1, with Keeney voting no.
Under the new policy staff can text students about school-related issues in a professional manner. Texting that isn’t school related while at work is prohibited, while doing it after hours is strongly discouraged.