Eastern Montana Going To A 4 Day School Week, Is Billings Next?

Being a Miles City kid, I stay in touch with what is happening at the old stomping grounds. Recently, one thing that caught my eye was the school district in Miles City voting to transition to a 4-day school week. Good idea? Or expensive for parents?

What does it mean?

175 schools across Montana are going to the 4-day school week for the 2023-2024 school year. This means slightly longer days, from 8 to just after 4 pm, but that three-day weekend saves the day. However, what about parents?

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The parents in Miles City weren't so welcoming of this, as the board voted without input from the residents. It was a 9-1 vote for that to happen. According to the district, via their announcement on Facebook, "community stakeholders" had input on the decision... though those people are not listed.

The difficulty with this school day choice is finding daycare, or a sitter, as I was enlightened to by friends of mine. With the costs of those services also at all-time highs, adding another day (when parents are working) inflates costs for those on tight budgets.

"Let's Try It For A Year"

It seems as if school districts are simply experimenting at this point, based on what they have seen across the country, but I feel input from the actual parents may have been a welcome addition.

What are your thoughts on a 4-day school week? Would you prefer this, or would it cause you financial hardship or other issues? Let us know on AppChat or Facebook.