June 7, 2009 in City

Cost-cutting’s complex equation

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BONNERS FERRY, Idaho – Cash-strapped school districts nationwide are considering a four-day school week to reduce expenses.

About 100 districts in 17 states are operating on the shortened week, according to the National School Board Association.

One of those is the Boundary County School District in North Idaho, which adopted a four-day school week in 2005. With seven schools and nearly 1,600 students, it’s the largest of Idaho’s 14 districts that use a four-day schedule.

Bonners Ferry resident Kathy Palmer said she initially was leery about the alternative schedule, concerned that a four-day school week would mean more day care expenses.

“But now, I like it,” the mother of two said. “It’s worked out really well.”

Palmer’s daughter, Emily, just graduated from kindergarten. Her son, Bobby Goad, is in middle school.

“He likes having that extra day off every week,” Kathy Palmer said. “Also, because they are in school longer, he comes home with less homework.”

The Boundary County School District saves about $108,000 annually on the four-day schedule through decreased transportation costs and food services, a reduction in staff expenses and fewer substitute teachers, officials said.

Other Idaho school districts have considered the option, including the Coeur d’Alene and West Bonner districts, officials said.

A new law in Washington will allow flexible school schedules for the first time. The law, signed by Gov. Chris Gregoire last month, is a pilot program and is restricted to five school districts, which must have fewer than 500 students each. Washington Rep. Dave Quall, D-Mt. Vernon, chairman of the House Education Committee, said if student achievement is good and the plan cuts costs, lawmakers could consider expanding the option to more districts.

“I would think the more flexibility, the better,” Quall said.

Used by rural districts

Four-day school weeks typically are adopted by small, rural school districts as an alternative to cutting programs, according to an Idaho Board of Education study done last year.

The savings on transportation costs are higher in rural districts because students are more spread out; in addition, a four-day week saves on salaries for school bus drivers.

The school day is usually extended by an hour, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and schools are closed on the fifth day, typically a Friday.

Having Friday off helps student athletes, who often travel to away games that day and miss classes, school officials say.

Administrators use the students’ off day as a time to catch up on paperwork, said Curt-Randall Bayer, principal at Bonners Ferry High School. Teachers – whose pay wasn’t affected by the change – work some of those Fridays, either on administrative chores or in professional development.

Classified staff – aides, food workers and office assistants – had their hours reduced by 20 percent, which saved the district $52,924, officials said.

And officials said that even though utilities are being used on that fifth day, the bills dropped about $9,400.

Majority like it in Bonners Ferry

A school district survey of parents showed a majority of respondents favor continuing the four-day week.

More than 80 percent of parents who responded said they believed their children are getting an adequate education and approved of continuing the shortened schedule. When asked if their children liked the shorter school week, 91 percent responded yes.

“I think most kids here wouldn’t like it if we went back,” said 16-year-old Kendra Fisher, a sophomore at Bonners Ferry High School. “I’d rather go an hour more per day to get an extra day off.”

But Anna Prentice, whose daughter just graduated from kindergarten, said parents’ feelings about the schedule are “a split decision up here,” despite the survey results.

“As a parent with older kids, I love it, but if I had younger kids, I’d hate it,” said Bonners Ferry resident Barb Aubrey. “It’s too long of a day.”

The Idaho Board of Education study said the response of very young students to a longer day is a common concern. “As a result, many schools structure the day so the afternoon is composed of less academic work than the morning, thus allowing students to have some ‘down time,’ ” the study said.

But the No. 1 concern is child care, the study found.

“While some parents like the four-day week because they prefer having to find good child care one day a week, others dislike it for the same reason and prefer to arrange for child care in smaller increments of time,” according to the study. “Some schools have alleviated this concern by using high school students as baby sitters for those in need.”

Bonners Ferry Middle School opens on Friday to offer child care for a small fee.

But even discounted child care can be difficult for a family, said Ingrid Pavia, an opponent of the four-day week.

“The money for day care takes its toll on people,” Pavia said. Also, “some classified employees (whose hours were cut) have to work two jobs” now to make ends meet. And “children who don’t bus have to walk home in the dark during part of the school year.”

Boundary County district Superintendent Don Bartling said the shortened week has improved school attendance, which translates to more money because enrollment numbers are consistent throughout the year.

“Parents do errands with their children on Friday – haircuts, doctors appointments and shopping,” he said.

Those surveyed said other positive aspects of the four-day week are a decrease in teacher absences, more uninterrupted teaching time and a decline in dropout rates. Also, the four-day schedule has not affected students’ test scores.

People in Bonners Ferry – even those who were initially opposed to the four-day week – admitted it would be hard to go back to the traditional format.

“I love the extra time with my (own) kids,” said Julie Johnson, a fifth-grade teacher in the district.

Washington program not ready for fall

Washington school districts considering the four-day school week – which the state calls a flexible schedule – include Kahlotus, Bickleton and Lyle; the biggest of the three has 360 students.

None has officially applied, but that’s because the state board of education must first develop criteria for the program, said Brad Burnham, policy and legislative specialist for the Washington Board of Education. “We are looking at July or September before adoption (of the criteria), but it’s up to the board members how that progresses,” Burnham said.

It could be January before the board reviews applications, officials said.

Ric Palmer, Bickleton School District superintendent, said the cost-saving option is huge for his district, which has 104 students spread over 500 square miles. Bickleton is located about 225 miles southwest of Spokane across the Columbia River from Arlington, Ore.

“The places where we can cut the budget are limited compared to other school districts,” Palmer said. “We don’t have a lot of fat.

“From crunching numbers, we think it will save us money,” he said of an alternative schedule. He said one day fewer of transporting students could save about $40,000. Palmer plans to ask for a 154-day schedule; most would be four-day weeks, but there would be some five-day weeks, too. School would be extended by an hour and a half during the four-day weeks.

“Let’s give it a shot,” Palmer said. “This is a pilot. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll drop it.”

The Coeur d’Alene School District, which has about 10,300 students, also considered the four-day school week, at the direction of the district’s finance panel, said Superintendent Hazel Bauman. The conclusion was that it wouldn’t result in the kind of savings realized by rural districts.

“We wouldn’t save on the transportation because we are a pretty compact school district,” she said.

“It’s still a remote possibility,” Bauman added. “I wouldn’t say it’s entirely off the table. If things get worse, or they don’t get much better, we will look at it again.”

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