|
Schools
dismiss 4-day week option
Drawbacks outweigh financial benefits of proposed
legislation.
by Adam Emerson, Chris Andrews, James McCurtis Jr.
and Dan Kittle, Lansing State Journal, May 13, 2003
For more articles like this
visit
https://www.bridges4kids.org
Fewer days in school? Kids head to their buses home Monday from
Oakwood Elementary School in Portland. Portland is one of two
area districts that has expressed interest in adopting a
four-day week.
Cash-strapped school districts could soon have the chance to
switch to a four-day school week, but few in the Lansing area
seem eager to do so.
A bill moving quickly through the state Legislature would allow
schools to hold classes fewer days as long as they lengthen the
school day.
Portland Public Schools is considering a shorter week to save
$300,000 a year by running buses and operating buildings one
less day a week.
Only Portland and Eaton Rapids districts seem to be even
thinking about adopting the measure if it passes. Other
mid-Michigan districts, while agreeing on its benefits during
tight economic times, claim too many drawbacks including:
Longer days for easily distracted students.
A quagmire for working parents who would need to find another
day of child care for their children.
And problems for schools scheduling their extracurricular
activities and interdistrict programs.
Even Portland school officials are quick to see the bill's
shortcomings.
"Dollarwise it's attractive," said Charles Dumas, superintendent
of the 2,000-student Ionia County district, which has to close a
$725,000 deficit next school year.
"But the key thing is what type of educational impact this could
have on our youngsters."
The Republican-sponsored measure passed the Senate last week
38-0. It's part of a package of bills that supporters say will
give school officials flexibility in managing schools and
resources. It now goes to the House.
Schools still would be required to offer 1,098 hours of
instruction each year, the same number required now. The
requirement of 180 days of instruction would be eliminated.
Any change in the school week would be left to local school
officials. And many say they would leave the week the way it is.
Many drawbacks
Longer days, some argue, could affect a child's attention span.
"As it is now, the younger students particularly fall asleep on
the way home," said Dean Atkins, superintendent of Dansville
Schools. "Educationally it's unsound. Research shows that
smaller doses given at more frequent levels are better for
student learning."
Nancy Zamiara, who has four children in DeWitt Public Schools,
has mixed feelings about the proposal, but agrees that extending
a child's day later in the afternoon will only hurt learning.
"As you extend the day ... I don't know that you'd get that
quality time and attention of the children," Zamiara said.
The measure could hurt working parents, too, most argue. A day
away from school means more child care - and the typical $25- to
$30-a-day expense that goes with it.
In the early 1990s, Williamston Community Schools Superintendent
Gerald Stinnett was a principal at an Oregon school that
featured four-day weeks. Oregon is one of at least six states
trying four-day weeks.
The schedule there affected the broader community, Stinnett
said. Day care, for example, was difficult for some parents to
arrange for one day a week.
"It would not be something I'd recommend,'' he said.
Kathy Fagan has two children in Okemos Public Schools. The
graphic designer would have to readjust her 30-hour-a-week work
schedule if the measure was adopted in her district.
"That would create a real difficulty for a lot of parents,"
Fagan said, "especially for a single mother who is struggling to
pay for child care right now."
Worth looking at
State Sen. Valde Garcia, R-Howell, who sponsored the bill, said
the idea came up in a discussion earlier this year with
superintendents from Livingston County.
He said the idea may be attractive in northern Michigan
districts with high transportation costs.
And he laughed at the idea that students would be unable to keep
attention for a longer school day. Younger children, for
instance, could study longer if their days were broken up by
recess or other physical activity.
"I'm a little surprised at the lack of faith that some people
have in our children," he said.
Eaton Rapids schools Superintendent David Gray said the idea is
at least worth looking at. He said it would probably take a year
of study to assess the financial impact as well as the impact on
education and get input from the community.
"It's good the Legislature is trying to help the schools out,"
he said.
Officials from the Michigan Education Association, which opposes
the measure, said Republicans are avoiding the real problem:
inadequate state resources.
"They're ducking the issue and changing the topic," MEA lobbyist
Al Short said. "We've got a revenue problem. They cut too many
taxes, they didn't provide enough dedicated funding (for
education), and we've got a huge gap."
The proposal clearly would save most districts money on
transportation costs and food services. But other advertised
savings - such as building heat and electricity bills - could be
negligible.
Many buildings may have to remain open for athletic practices,
games and other extracurricular events on days that classes
aren't scheduled.
"You haven't saved anything at that point,'' said Robert Kudwa,
superintendent of St. Johns Public Schools.
Districts would face other challenges if they tried to switch to
four-day weeks alone. Many athletic events - especially in the
spring and fall - are scheduled for early- to mid-afternoon,
which would pose scheduling headaches for districts with longer
school days.
"Those students would miss more class than they do now,'' Kudwa
said.
What the bill allows, supporters say, is greater freedom for
schools.
"It gives them flexibility to run their schools in a way they
see fit," Garcia said. "It will be a local decision."
Staff writers James McCurtis Jr. and Dan Kittle contributed to
this report. Contact Adam Emerson at 377-1058 or
aemerson@lsj.com.
Contact Chris Andrews at 377-1054 or
candrews@lsj.com.
Contact Tim Martin at 377-1061 or
tmartin@lsj.com.
On the Web - Michigan's
Legislature:
www.michiganlegislature.org
|
