Pasco Schools Will Explore A 4-Day Week

While not all Pasco County School Board members are sold on the idea, the possibility of a four-day week will be explored the 2012-13 school year.

Board member Steve Luikartearlier this year and reintroduced the issue again at on the 2011-12 budget.

“I’d like the opportunity to look at that more,” he told other board members. “(The) $21 million next year is going to be extremely hard to cut.”

Superintendent Heather Fiorentino had told board members to expect further funding reductions next year on top of this year’s anticipated $65 million deficit.

“(There is) $21.4 million we will have to look at that will be nonrecurring dollars for this year,” she said. “I kind of warn you, the board has always been looking at long-term progress.”

To plan ahead for that loss and any others, Luikart said the district should explore the potential savings a four-day week would provide. He disagrees with the savings of $3.2 million the district has already estimated.

“I know the figure that’s here is not correct,” he said.

Luikart said he has been checking with other school districts that operate on a four-day schedule.

“The criminal rates don’t change,” he said. “Substitutes (teachers) are almost nonexistent. Grades rise, attendance rises and they haven’t found anything that’s a negative effect.”

While other board members agreed to look into the idea, they had their reservations.

“My concern while we’re looking at this (is) the impact on student achievement,” said board member Alison Crumbley.

Board member Cynthia Armstrong pointed out that actual instruction time would not change.

“They still would get the same number of hours,” she said. “I also think if we did something like this we would really have to look at our PLACE program. I would really have to ramp up.” PLACE is a before-and-afterschool program that provides childcare for younger students.

Board chairwoman Joanne Hurley has eased back on her position against the four-day proposal somewhat.

“When you first brought this up Mr. Luikart, my first impression was never, no way,” she said. “I’ve now softened that position to say I would at least like to explore it.”

If the district did decide to go to a four-day week, no changes would take place until 2012-13 at the earliest.