South Dakota School District Cuts Costs — With a 4-Day School Week!
- Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:11pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Irene-Wakonda School District Superintendent Larry Johnke stands in the lrene-Wakonda High School school library in Irene, S.D. This district, in the rolling farmland of southeastern South Dakota, is among a growing number that have adopted a four-day school week as the best option for cutting costs as state funding for schools is reduced. (AP Photo/Chet Brokaw)
IRENE, S.D. (AP) — When the nearly 300 students of the Irene-Wakonda School District returned to school this week, they found a lot of old friends, teachers and familiar routines awaiting them. But one thing was missing: Friday classes.
This district in the rolling farmland of southeastern South Dakota is among the latest to adopt a four-day school week as the best option for reducing costs and dealing with state budget cuts to education.
“It got down to monetary reasons more than anything else,” Superintendent Larry Johnke said. The $50,000 savings will preserve a vocational education program that otherwise would have been scrapped.
The four-day school week is an increasingly visible example of the impact of state budget problems on rural education. This fall, fully one-fourth of South Dakota’s districts will have moved to some form of the abbreviated schedule. Only Colorado and Wyoming have a larger proportion of schools using a shortened week. According to one study, more than 120 school districts in 20 states, most in the west, now use four-day weeks.
The schools insist that reducing class time is better than the alternatives and can be done without sacrificing academic performance. Yet not all parents are convinced.
“The kids are going to suffer,” said Melissa Oien, who has four children in the school and serves as vice president of the parent-teacher organization. “Of course they will. They’re missing a whole day of school.”
The downsizing comes as schools in some larger cities are moving in the opposite direction. In Chicago, school officials hope to add school days so students will learn more and have better employment prospects.
Irene-Wakonda’s predicament, like those of many other rural districts in the Great Plains, is compounded by declines in population and enrollment. The two towns, which are eight miles apart, combined their school districts in 2007 to save money. Wakonda got the elementary school and Irene the middle and high schools. Farming is the largest share of their economies, though some people commute to jobs in Yankton or Vermillion.
Johnke, the superintendent, said the district will add 30 minutes to each day and shorten the lunch break to provide more class time Monday through Thursday. In elementary school, recess and physical education classes will be shortened.
The changes won’t entirely make up for losing Friday, Johnke said, but the district will still exceed the state’s minimum standard for class time and will teach all the required material.
“We feel they’ll get the same instruction. It’ll have to be done a little bit differently,” he said.
South Dakota’s Republican-controlled Legislature slashed aid to schools this spring by 6.6 percent to help close a $127 million budget gap. Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard said state revenue has not grown in three years while costs have risen for medical services for the poor.
He ruled out revenue increases. “I believe in shared sacrifice,” Daugaard said earlier this year. Education groups hope to put a tax proposal on the 2012 ballot.
Facing budget shortfalls in the sour economy, many other state Legislatures also cut public education spending this year — some, like Texas, sharply.
In South Dakota, the cut comes in a state that, according to recent census data, already ranked 44th in state spending per pupil. The Associated School Boards of South Dakota estimates another $233 million a year is needed to adequately fund schools.
Many districts reduced staff or eliminated programs to make up for the lost money. The number of districts going to four-day weeks has nearly doubled in just two years.
Wayne Lueders, the recently retired director of the Associated School Boards, said a four-day school week won’t actually save much because schools still must pay salaries and benefits, “but every dollar counts in this current situation.”
Schools can save on busing, food and other operations.
South Dakota’s state education secretary, Melody Schopp, says schools that have switched to four days haven’t suffered in achievement tests.
In Deuel, a 500-student district that shortened its week four years ago, Superintendent Dean Christensen said as much as $100,000 a year has been saved and the failure rate has declined, which he attributed to more time for tutoring and teacher training.
“It’s not something to be scared of,” Christensen said.
Woonsocket, a tiny eastern South Dakota district of just 185 students, plans to drop one Friday per month as an experiment, saving about $4,000 annually.
“I’d kind of like to put my feet in the water a little bit and see if this four-day week is as positive as everybody is talking about,” Superintendent Rod Weber said.
James Hansen, former head of the state Education Department, is among those who worry that less schooling will put students at a disadvantage in a global economy.
“I think the students should be in school more than they are now,” Hansen said. “The other countries are doing a far better job of making sure their students are prepared to meet the competition of the world.”
While studies have confirmed the value of extending classroom time, no substantial research yet exists on academic achievement when it’s shortened, said Michael Griffith, a senior policy analyst for the Education Commission of the States and author of a recent report on the four-day week.
In Irene-Wakonda, which had already dropped an arts teacher and several aides to cut costs, teachers and students said they’ll make the best of the situation.
“I think it‘ll be fun for students because you’ll get an extra day to do whatever you want,” said Melissa Hessman, a 16-year-old junior. But, she added, “The longer the weekend, the more the brain’s going to slow down, I think.”
Farmer Don Logue said he accepts that there are few options.
“Nobody wants change, but where there is, usually you adapt to it,” Logue said.
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Comments (104)
conservative_teacher
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:14pmRead through all the comments on this one…not sure whether to laugh or cry. Ignorance is alive and well on the Blaze! If you are not or have ever been a brain surgeon, then you don’t know dick about brain surgery and should keep your ignorance to yourself. The same goes for teaching. Never done it, then you don’t know dick about it. It’s that simple.
oriondma05
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:25pmThat’s some nice language for a “teacher”.. How come we’ve never had a problem affording education until the past few years?
Maybe we should take exempt tax money going to schools and let families pay for it themselves. Then we’d see some real changes.
Report Post »Gamaliel
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:41pmHey, I haven’t been a “certified” teacher but worked within the public school system for 12 years as a classified employee. Also, I have seen plenty as a parent. I am now homeschooling my grandchild to save her from your precious brainwashing centers. As an employee I saw damn well what the schools are about: IT’S ALL ABOUT FANTASTIC WORKING CONDITIONS AND NOT ABOUT “THE CHILDREN”. Get an honest bone! (however you too have been brainwashed.
Report Post »becker88
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:16pmYou‘ve got to do what you’ve got to do.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
Report Post »positive1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:32pmMost teachers these days are fat and lazy, in the public cruel system, and Most of us have been thru the system and have seen the incompetence first hand. It’s that simple YOU DICK!
Report Post »YepImaConservative
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:39pmLmao. Thing is we’ve all (hopefully) seen teaching up front, close and personal… either as a student or a parent. We’ve been around the education system for many years of our lives, and can make opinions based on these experiences.
Can’t say as much about brain surgery.
Report Post »coindexter
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 7:10pmignorance is alive and well…and you’ve gotten it off to a great start. i’ve never flown an airplane before but i bet i could tell if the pilot was flying poorly. i’ve never been a teacher but as a student i could tell if the teacher was any good or not…by, oh, say seventh grade. and stop saying that word. me thinks you enjoy it too much.
Report Post »conservative_teacher
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 7:21pm@YepImaConservative – being a student and/or a parent of a student may give one a narrow perspective of the educational system, but it does not give one insight into the profession of teaching or all that it entails. My analogy is intact.
@positive1 – Eat me, you moron.
@Gamaliel – Your narrow perspective from an apparent bad experience in the educational system neither means it is the same everywhere or that being a secretary at a school makes you an expert on teaching.
@oriondma05 – All you would see is 20% of the parents involved and making the decisions for the rest. The other 80% are the ones who will get on a forum like this one and spout off about the public educational system, but then never take time away from the 6-pack, the smokes, and nascar to get involved in their child’s education. All in all, you’d be right back to where you are now, only with less qualified teachers who would choose another career to pursue where they can make more money with a Masters degree.
Report Post »B_Will_Derd
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 7:57pmI may not be a brain surgeon, but if I see brain dead victims of brain surgeons wandering the streets I reserve the right to comment on the topic.
What worries me is that if they cut the school week down to 4 days it may cut into DVD sales by teachers who show them to their classes while they grade papers on Fridays.
Report Post »positive1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 9:02pmThe greatest improvement in any classroom would be a participating teacher assistant that moved around the classroom helping the weakest children not fall thru the cracks and be a extra pair of EYES. Like a high school graduate, college student, a parent or a grand-parent. This simple solution would help and protect K-12 children, share this at your next PTA meeting.
Report Post »DarkFire
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 9:33pmLooks like the school got sick of being a glorifided babysitters and wanted to save tax payers money. PUBLIC SCHOOL ARE A JOKE! nothing more then goverment daycare at best.
Report Post »Gamaliel
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 12:33amI still say the public education system is about employee benefits and scheduling the school year with plenty of time without students, tons of sick and personal leave time. Not to mention the benefit packages that private sector employees can only dream of. As for how hard you have it, teachers generally have a pretty big chip on the shoulder. Try being a nurse and running your ass off and being mentally, physically and emotionally pushed to the absolute limit in life and death situations on a daily basis. (Also no June, July, and August, spring and winter breaks to look forward to. Try being a cop for a day or two. Now there’s the underpaid lot.
I was not a secretary. I was a classroom assistant and was in every kind of class in elementary, junior and high schools, special ed., honors and alternative ed settings.
Get honest with yourself. You know you have a pretty damn good deal and that is why you are there. The government schools advance their progressive agenda and “the children” are held as ransom.
Report Post »Oh, God!
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:28amInstead of cutting, where there needs to be cuts, which is usually at the administration level, they cut where parents are aware of them. Cut the classes and school days where is will hurt the kids the most. That way when the state asks for higher taxes, people are going to be more willing to do it – nudge. Both of my parents were educators and my mom saw a lot of waste in the administration, and she was a liberal. She saw the politics and was so glad when she retired. They aren’t going to cut from above, they will do it from below, to make it hurt.
Report Post »Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 10:32amTeacher at Forrest Hills told my son that tenure allowed her to do what she wanted and the only thing she had to do was be black and die black. Yes she was racist but the problem was you couldn’t pay her according to her performance. She terriified kids and was a total idiot. Sometimes teachers degrees means they have a larger amount of brainwashing. She was a waste of skin. My son fell from an honor student to making D’s. The principal, Mr. Dollar, told his hands were tied. I hate public education.
Report Post »Brannigans Law
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 5:53pmJohn Adams wrote, “I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.”
Let’s get back to the basics with education. Concentrate on reading, writing, arithmetic, unrevised history and civics.
http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/
Report Post »Ready2Rumble
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 9:24pmIt’s OK, given the curriculum foisted upon the kids, they aren’t learning much any how – it’ll be one less day of indoctrination. What heartens me is that they have decided to save the vocational training program, which is where many of our engineers cut their teeth so to speak.
BTW, I learned more from my late grandparents than I ever could have in the pooblik idukaton sistum.
Report Post »hauschild
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:13pmThis is brilliant because there‘s less government control of the kids’ minds the less they’re in school.
Kinda wild how when you’re young and dumb, you actually believed school was good for you. Then you age and gain knowledge and wisdom and watch how the unions destroyed the American public school system and then realize school isn’t really the end-all, be-all it once was thought to be.
Report Post »PASSIONFORCHRIST
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 7:17pmhauschild YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! ABOUT THE UNIONS! I’VE WORKED IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IN A CLASSROOM W/BOTH GENERAL ED & SPECIAL ED! IT’S ALL ABOUT TENURE AND THEIR PENSIONS(WHICH WON’T BE AROUND). THE UNION ITSELF(PEOPLE IN CHARGE) DON’T CARE ABOUT EITHER OF THEM(TEACHERS/CHILDREN). HOME SCHOOL YOUR CHILDREN, THAT WILL BREAK THE UNIONS!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »ifiperishtheniperish
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:07pmMaybe then could cut some administration positions! Folks are paying to see their children educated, (well, kind of) not for a bunch of pencil pushers.
Report Post »ortho40
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:49pmAgreed!
Report Post »spirit of freedom
Posted on August 22, 2011 at 8:15amI have been working for a “school” district for goin on 15 years. i have watched millions in tax payer money flushed down the toilet in the name of “if we dont spend it ALL they will cut our budget next year. the way public schooling is completely setup is destined for finanacial failure. not to mention teachers who could give a hoot. its all about the money and worse yet they are a MONOPOLY!!!
Report Post »wordweaver
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:06pmIf districts cannot afford to hold school for the same number of hours a week, then it is definitely past time to consider new paradigms, new ways of teaching. With a multitude of technological tools available now that weren’t around a few years ago, we can now structure teaching and coursework differently than in the past. That missing fifth day of the week need not be a day off for kids. Done properly, with assigned project work and online educational tools, it could end up being their most productive day of the school week. Our educational model has been stuck in the same mold for too long. It needs to be reshaped for the 21st century, and afterward we may find that the kids learn better, the kids learn more, and it cost a whole lot less. Kids don’t have to be sitting in those little school desks in neat little rows in tidy classrooms receiving information from the teacher. There are many other ways to learn.
Report Post »Redistributor
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:59pm@therightsofbilly…agreed. I wish there was a movement where parents start to send their kids to private schools in droves. I realize that a lot of parents can’t afford this though. I would love to see the public education system in this country collapse so we can start over and rebuild. Real change will never happen just by tweeking or cutting here and there.
Report Post »Gamaliel
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 6:07pmI am totally for school choice. Howerer as a grandparent whose used private charter and public school systems I would caution parents that progressivism is endemic in most schools and that most schools mimic the current fads from the public school system.
Report Post »Just in time
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:57pmIf the youth of America were to find out about this. They would saying,Mom, Dad can we move to South Dakota. Please, please, please
Report Post »ScottIvlow
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:57pmHere’s what these students should do. Learn like home school students do read more or do school projects and or homework asignments. There is no reasons why teachers should let this issue from keeping kid uninvolved on their extra day off from learning anything outside the classroomn. With online learning websits this should not hamper a child’s education if kids have access to public libraries.
Report Post »BonnieBlueFlag
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:33pmFreakin sweet. People of normal intelligence with a decent work ethic could learn what they teach at the public schools in 4 days a MONTH. More time in school is just government daycare. More time at home means more time to help out on the family farm or family business. Good for them!
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:43pmOne less day a week of liberal brain washing.
Report Post »Weiners Wiener
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:54pm@Drattastic — Normally, I would agree. But this is South Dakota – a very conservative state where family values and individual responsibility are still taught and lived by the large majority. Having lived there for a few years, I can tell you those people are some of the best Americans we have.
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:17pm@Weiners Wiener
Report Post »Liberal “creep” or “nudging” has infiltrated ALL public school systems to a small or large degree and yes even in S. Dakota. Liberalism is like a virus and no PUBLIC GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED SCHOOL is immune.
HD Veteran
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:21pmObviously the schools costs nationwide are OUT OF CONTROL .
Return on investment is non-existent.
Look for the union label.
Report Post »Marci
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:33pmSeems to me that the unions are the ones most likely to be pissed above all. They have to do what they have to do—don’t see the problem here.
Report Post »HD Veteran
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:20pmSmarter than Detroit, now giving 2 squares and a snack to ALL KIDS.
http://www.detnews.com/article/20110816/SCHOOLS/108160385/1026/DPS-students-to-get-free-breakfast–lunch-during-school-day
Way to indoctrinate.
Report Post »Ron_WA
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:17pmOur school district & several others here in WA have reduced the # of days in the school year to cut costs. We’re sticking w/ 5 days a week but by adding a few extra minutes/day we save money by keeping the same amount of time learning but going fewer days.
Times are so tough even though WA is a very pro Democrat state & our Governor is a Dem the legislature & unions agreed to cut the education budget & cut teacher & support staff pay 2%, for principals & administrators it’s 3%
Report Post »claycopolitics
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:14pmLove some of the comments on here, the only thing worse than uninformed people on the left, are the uninformed people that surround me on the right. Some of you don‘t have a clue how public education works and it’s highly apparent. While many budgets are bloated in the inner cities rural districts continue to struggle and scrape buy. I can only imagine how few of you actually attend school board meetings and know much about the districts you’re patrons in. I’m an educator and taught in a rural school district that did this last year. I was not a fan, though many of the other teachers were. Some parts are good, some parts are bad. I would much rather see year round school with 4 day weeks, fifth day being a work day for teachers. Doubt it happens though.
Report Post »Just in time
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:48pmFor being such an intelligent person and an educator. You sure can’t spell. Buy the way
Report Post »powhatan
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:10pmSeems to me some administrators both in state and in DC could be let go before the kids are short changed…DOH! That would make sense…
Report Post »mrmikejohnson
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:04pmApparently we have plenty of money to educate all the illegal immigrants. We just don’t have the money to educate Americans.
Report Post »powhatan
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:10pmtrue that!
Report Post »My2
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:59pmWill teachers and administrators be receiving only 4/5th’s of their pay?
Report Post »Sicboy
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:04pmYou know that won’t happen. Teachers union won’t let it. So much for no child left behind. Good luck to all those kids. And to their parents that vote democrat. Not that I would say voting for a repub would do much better.
Report Post »megansmom
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:06pmStop making me laugh. I’m about to pee myself.
Report Post »powhatan
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:11pmnah…teachers and admin will want a raise on their four day work week.
Report Post »Hillbilly Tim
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 5:33pmNo, because top pay for teachers in rural South Dakota is less than $35,000 and administrators routinely make less than $60K. Admins are serve as principal AND superintendent. In addition, adminsistrators often teach several classes, coach, and drive school buses. MY2, get your horse manure right before you embarrass yourself.
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:50pmThis also means that parents will have one more day they have to be home and watching their kids…or paying day care. Two income families (who will need this most) might be able to afford it…one parent families will have a tough time.
I hope the PTA of that area is getting together to discuss something they can chip in and do…like Friday Library day, or “work on a farm day” for the older kids…something. Maybe some of the parents home schooling their kids can step up and help out.
Report Post »Homeschoolmama
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 11:36pmThe home schoolers still have school on Friday. And not to sound selfish but the home school parents have already taken responsibility for their own kids why should they take responsibility for other kids too?
Report Post »positive1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:47pmSound reasonable if you are ignorant! The reality is, the citizens are STILL paying TAXES for a 5 day school schedule… The money/taxes are going to retired teaches, overhead, blotted pensions, or poor decisions of the past…. NOT THE WELLBEING of the children.
Report Post »powhatan
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:12pmYup!
Report Post »SolidusRaccoon
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:41pmJust extend the hours of each school day then.
Report Post »mikenleeds
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:40pmyou should closed down all public schools since they are worthless and go to charter schools
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:40pmSo I’m sure the teachers in question will be taking a @20% pay cut to “share the sacrifice” too, right?
Report Post »barber2
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:38pmThink that school curriculum should be focused on “learning basics well” rather than “feeling good” about yourself. Everything went to hell in the 1960′s when charges /lawsuits of “discrimination” replaced discipline and learning in the schoolroom.
Report Post »csamgo
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:35pmSoDak may be 44th in student spending yet the education received there, at least for myself, was far better than a certain southern state. SoDak has been above the national average in every subject and year shown: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states/ 4 days a week?? I would’ve loved that! More time to farm…haha.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:30pmOur school district was talking about going to a 4-day school week, but with only two weeks off in the summer rather than two months.
Report Post »Netsurfer2
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:29pmHow about change the educational system in getting back to the truth in history, emphasizing English, Math, Physics and Chemistry as the heart of our educational system. We need to look at how other countries are beating the pants off of us in all these studies and figure out a way that we can employ our children in doing better for their future. We need to get the influences out of our system that only make our children weak without any encouragement to do better in life. Drugs, violence and other influences that only downgrade the way our children are growing up to be.
It’s the unions, the parents, the two working society, the system and the government that has let everyone down. When will they wake up???
Report Post »Just in time
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:53pmRight on brother!
Report Post »walkwithme1966
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:21pmIt is my opinion that when we cut money for education we are defeating ourselves because one of the answers to our future getting better is our children having the best education that we can provide. I don’t understand why we as a country would rather take from the oldest, youngest and sickest of our people instead of having the wealthy among us paying more – this simple principal makes more sense to me. http://wp.me/pYLB7-1vg
Report Post »barber2
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:34pmThe American public is sick of paying taxes for school which don’t teach. Raising taxes without raising the moral standards to go with it just doesn’t work. The Democrats believe that by throwing more money ( taken so freely from the pockets of those who have any) at any problem, that problem can be solved. Doesn‘t work and we’re tired of being taken advantage of.
Report Post »82dAirborne
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:35pmPlease show us where simply spending more on education has EVER worked. In New York? Nope. In D.C.? Nope. The districts with the highest achievements are not the ones who spend the most per pupil. Great teachers and parental involvement are the keys.
I am the first in two generations of my family who is NOT a teacher or professor. I know a little about it. Pay great teachers well and fire the poor ones. Simple.
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:37pmYou are a fully-indoctrinated, Democrat fool.
Report Post »Grasshopper42
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:40pm“the oldest, youngest and sickest of our people” pay little to no taxes at all. Go crawl back into your hole WALKWITHME! Enough with this class envy BS. The unions have to go so our kids will be the priority and not teachers benefits and pensions.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 3:43pmThe less time kids spend in a public school, the better off they will be.
Report Post »megansmom
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:05pmThis is an old school political trick. There are several areas that can be cut but no one would notice the cuts and the politicians would have nothing to point fingers at each other with.
Report Post »megansmom
Posted on August 21, 2011 at 4:08pmThe rich already pay for 95% of everything how much more should they pay?
Report Post »