Multiple Bills Seek To Reign In Four-Day School Week

With the Missouri General Assembly back in session, bills are being filed that would reign in four-day school weeks.

Going into the 2023-24 school year, more than 30 percent of districts — mostly in rural areas — have gone to a four-day calendar.

Sen. Doug Beck (D-Affton) has filed a bill that would allow towns with fewer than 30,000 residents to adopt a four-day calendar by a vote of the school board, while districts in larger towns would have to put it to the vote of the people.

In the Missouri House of Representatives, Rep. Aaron McMullen (R-Independence) has filed a bill that would force a school board to adopt a resolution including the reason for the change in number of days and demonstrate that a four-day week is in the best interest of the students.

The resolution must then be voted on during the next municipal election.

If the resolution is defeated, the district may not propose a four-day week again for one year.

Rep. Robert Sauls (D-Independence) has filed a bill that would incentive districts that go 169 days or more. 

Districts would receive an additional 2 percent of state funding, provided it goes towards teacher salaries.

Sauls’ bill also says that districts with a minimum of 175 days may allow an earlier start date to the school year.

Current state law says no public school district can select an earlier start date than 14 calendar days prior to Labor Day.

Missouri legislators approved allowing a four-day week back in 2010 in the aftermath of the Great Recession. 

Lathrop was the first district to make the switch. 

Crawford County R-1 was one of many that switched in the 2021-22 school year.

The district was eyeing a switch for the 2020-21 year, but the COVID-19 pandemic tabled that.

When Bourbon conducted a parental survey, more than 74 percent of families were supportive.