ARNOLD, Mo. – The Fox C-6 School District is one of many schools in Missouri discussing a potential four-day week to cut costs.
Roughly one-fourth of school districts in Missouri are implementing a four-day school week. The latest ones include Independence and Fair Play R-II School Districts.
Now, the Fox C-6 District may be the next one as it looks to make up for budget problems.
“I worry that we might take a step back,” said Ryan Brillhart, a Fox C-6 parent.
A $6 million budget deficit has left school administrators scrambling. One option being discussed is a four-day school week. If they choose to do so, Fox C-6 would be the second largest in the state to make the switch.
“A lot of people work Monday through Friday, so a four-day work week may be a little challenging,” said Valerie Malone, a Fox C-6 parent.
Other alternatives include eliminating 30 staff members, moving tax funds from debt service to the operations budget, postponing buying new school buses and student laptops, reducing school budgets by $250,000 per building, and raising more funds.
A spokesperson for Fox C-6 School District said in the following statement:
“In order to address a pending budget deficit, Fox C-6 is investigating several methods for reducing expenditures. One option being considered is shifting to a four-day instructional week. Fox C-6 is still in preliminary conversations about transitioning to a four-day instructional week and will need to consider its impact on our staff, students, and families. Moving to a four-day instructional week is projected to provide annual savings of at least $1 million.”
“I feel like we lost time during COVID and now to cut the week back by an entire day,” Brillhart said. “I just do not know if they’re going to get the same amount of education, the same amount of time in front of their teachers, the same amount of instruction time.”
Discussions over a potential four-day school week is just in its beginning stages. The school district said they will be weighing that option and all the other options to see where they can make up the money before the school year starts next year.