LAFAYETTE, Ind. — An elementary school in Lafayette will be transitioning to a four-day school week beginning next school year, the first in the state.
The Lafayette School Corporation School Board of Trustees voted to approve the change for Vinton Elementary School, which goes into effect starting August 2024, district associate superintendent Dr. Alicia Clevenger confirmed to 13News.
The approval came after the Indiana State Board of Education approved a flexibility waiver in late March.
Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, Vinton's school day will run from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday, for a total of 151 days and more than 64,000 minutes (1,069.6 hours) of instruction. That's more than 10,000 minutes above the state's minimum requirement, Clevenger noted.
Vinton teachers will report for six Fridays for professional development.
"We are excited for this opportunity and will be holding informational meetings for all LSC families in the next couple of weeks to provide more details and address questions and/or concerns they may have," Clevenger said in a message to 13News.
The school corporation started thinking about this idea more than a year ago and spoke with other districts in Missouri and Utah that have already transitioned to a four-day week.
“People implement four-day weeks for various reasons, but for us here at Lafayette School Corporation, it was more about offering a choice,” Clevenger said.
She said the change can bring an academic advantage to the school since the days are lengthened and teachers have more time to dive into curriculum.
But it’s a choice not every parent prefers.
Some commented on Facebook saying, “not all families can afford childcare on the 5th day.” Others were thrilled with idea, saying, “other school districts should follow.”
LSC said parents will be able to opt in and stay at Vinton Elementary or opt out and change schools within the district with transportation still being provided.
Families outside of the district also have the option to opt in because the district has open boundaries.
Once the informational meetings are done, the district will open the transfer request process. Priority will be given to Vinton students and then LSC students.
Being the first public school district to make this change in Indiana, Clevenger said there are still some unknowns being figured out, including schedules, transportation and teacher contracts.
“We know that people are going to be watching us, and that’s great. We are excited to be kind of the innovators in this and see where it goes,” Clevenger said.
The school corporation said the change will last for three years, and then, it will be evaluated.
Here's when informational meetings will be held at Vinton Elementary School:
- Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m.
- Monday, April 29 at 3 p.m.
- Thursday, May 2 at 8:30 a.m.
What about other districts?
The superintendent of Wayne Township Schools said a four-day school week is something district leaders have been planning to discuss as they work on their strategic plan — including "reimagining" teaching and learning.
"We're trying to look at the data. The impacts on student learning, families ... just to make sure we're really thinking through and fully vetting all the different aspects of what that impact would be to the learning environment and our community," Wayne Township Schools Superintendent Jeff Butts said.
Butts said the impact a shortened school week might have will be different in different communities.
"Whether you're looking at a community that's maybe more urban, more rural, more suburban, there are a lot of different factors that play into this," Butts said. "You are looking at transportation systems, child nutrition, you're looking at health care. There are multiple aspects to look at to ensure it's the best decision for children's education and for staff development."
A spokesperson for Hamilton Southeastern Schools told 13News a four-day school week is not something they are actively considering.
“However, we are interested in learning more about this change that Lafayette is doing, and hope they will share outcomes of the switch after this gets underway,” said Emily Lace Abbots, director of school and community relations for HSE.