Missouri House Budget Committee Discusses Four-Day School Weeks with DESE

The Missouri House Budget Committee has been in discussions with the the state’s various departments. This included a discussion with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Ranking Minority Member of the House Budget Committee, Kip Kendrick, says the discussion included the topic of four-day school weeks.

Lathrop became the first Missouri school district to switch to a four day school week in 2010. There are currently 61 school districts on four day weeks, with more districts looking to make the same switch. Kendrick says legislators are working to better understand the pros and cons of a four-day week.

A significant amount of local school districts are on four-day weeks. These include Harrisburg, Higbee, Novinger, and Keytesville. In addition, the Sturgeon School District announced last month it will go to a four-day week beginning in the 2020-21 school year.