I have been seeing a lot of stories about how school lunch prices are going up because of food costs. Still, for my kids at least, school lunch is practically the biggest bargain of the day.
Here are stories from New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Nebraska and elsewhere.
I also am interested
in this story from Minnesota, where a school district decided to go on a four-day-a-week schedule to reduce bus fuel costs. The school board voted to close on Mondays and extend each of the other school days by an hour to make up for 23 lost Mondays. Teachers would be paid the same, and the school system would save $100,000 in bus costs, heating, substitute teachers and such.
You have to wonder what will happen to kids who depend on free lunches at school. What problems will this cause for parents? I don't know what the heck they will do with kids on Mondays -- stick them in day care? Who pays for that? How many kids will be sitting at home alone?
The story says four-day school weeks are not all that uncommon in rural areas of South Dakota. And the idea
has been around a long time.
The National Conference of State Legislatures has summarized various attempts around the country to shift to four-day school weeks:
Supporters of the shortened week also boast of improved morale and
increased attendance (by both students and teachers), open Fridays for
sporting events and doctor appointments, and more time to spend with
loved ones. Opponents of the four-day school week cite problems with
long, exhausting class days and finding day care for children whose
parents work outside the home. Additionally, educational experts worry
that increased time outside of the classroom could lead to a digression
in learned concepts while also making it more difficult to offer
elective classes. However, the jury is still out, as there is a lack
of comprehensive studies.
It's interesting that Mondays were chosen to be nixed--Fridays have...
