Four-Day School Week

  • Fox C-6 is currently investigating the feasibility of the four-day school week as a budget reduction method. On this page, stakeholders will find a timeline for Community Conversations, video of those meetings, and answers to frequently asked questions regarding the four-day school week. 

Community Conversation - 2/26/24

  • The District held its first Community Conversation around the four-day school week on Monday, February 26 at the Fox C-6 Service Center. The guest speaker was Dr. Jon Turner of Missouri State University. Dr. Turner is an expert on the four-day school week and shared a variety of information on the topic. The video of the entire Community Conversation is below. To access Dr. Turner's website of four-day school week resources, use THIS LINK.

Community Conversation - 3/6/2024

  • On March 6, 2024, Fox C-6 held the second in a series of Community Conversations regarding the possibility of the four-day school week. At this meeting, Fox C-6 welcomed Dr. Dale Herl, Superintendent of Independence School District in the Kansas City area. Dr. Herl spoke about his experience leading ISD through their first year of the four-day school week this year. The full video is below. 

Community Conversation - 4/4/2024

  • On April 4, 2024, Fox C-6 held the fourth and final community conversation of the 2023-2024 school year on the possibility of a four-day school week. Attendees heard a short update from Dr. Paul Fregeau and then had an opportunity to ask questions about the potential four-day school week. The archived video of the event is below. 

Four-Day School Week Survey Results

  • Following the March and April Community Conversations about the possibility of a four-day school week, Fox C-6 sent a survey to staff, families, and students in grades 6-12. The purpose of this survey was to give the District some additional feedback about the possibility of a four-day school week. Items on the survey were created based on the likes, concerns, and questions that you have shared with us throughout this process. The anonymous survey was open from April 5 - April 15, 2024. The survey results will be taken into consideration as we determine the next steps with the possible adoption of a four-day school week. Below you will find the results from all 3 surveys. 

Community Conversation Timeline

  • Monday, February 26
    Community Conversation with Dr. Jon Turner
    6:30 pm, Fox C-6 Service Center

    Wednesday, March 6
    Community Conversation with Independence (MO) School District Superintendent, Dr. Dale Herl.
    6:00 pm, Fox C-6 Service Center
    NOTE: Dr. Herl will be joining us via Zoom. Stakeholders are invited to attend in person and will have an opportunity to share likes, concerns, and questions following Dr. Herl's presentation. 

    Wednesday, April 3
    Community Conversation - Four-Day School Week Frequently Asked Questions*
    6:30 pm, Seckman High School small gym

    Thursday, April 4
    Community Conversation - Four-Day School Week Frequently Asked Questions*
    6:30 pm, Fox C-6 Service Center

    Following the April 3 and April 4 Community Conversations, staff, families, and students will be sent a survey to further gather information regarding the four-day school week.

    *The content of these meetings will be identical. Stakeholders are encouraged to attend the evening that works best for their schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Hundreds of Fox C-6 Family members have attended community conversations in person or by watching the live stream. Additionally, our staff and community members have provided us with valuable feedback by sharing likes, concerns, and questions surrounding the four-day school week following each of the community conversations. The frequently asked quests that have been asked by our staff and community are below. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Student Achievement and the Four-Day School Week

  • How would the four-day school week benefit elementary students?

  • How will you handle children focusing on Mondays/Tuesdays after a long weekend off every week?

  • What does the research show on the impact of this on gifted children?

  • Could looping help retain academic progress at the elementary level?

  • Would the four-day school week impact the A+ program?

  • How do longer school days impact student achievement and discipline?

  • Would teachers be available to help students on the fifth day?

  • What is the graduation rate for students in 4 days vs. 5 days?

  • What about AP classes?

  • Have suburban/urban districts with four day weeks seen an increase in teens getting into trouble when not in school and extra day a week?

  • What will my 8th grader do, he was supposed to take math/science, will it be math only now?

  • How does academic enrichment on the 5th day not exacerbate academic disparity across economic lines?

  • Will teachers be given more opportunity to teach using what is effective rather than what is state prescribed?

  • Is attendance better with a 4 day week?

  • Would there be a change to the MAP and NWEA testing results?

Frequently Asked Questions about the School Calendar and the Four-Day School Week

  • Is Fox Considering the Four-Day School Week for the 2024-2025 School Year?

  • What day would be the day off on the calendar?

  • What might the school calendar look like in a four-day school week?

  • Would inclement weather days be forgiven as they are now?

  • How would school start and end times be impacted by the four-day school week?

  • How many instructional hours do we have currently?

  • How many Mondays are truly off?

  • Will there be professional development (PD) on Mondays?

  • Would the District send a survey and calendar for staff and families to review?

  • Could we have AMI days on snow days to keep from making them up?

  • Could the school year start earlier in August and eliminate spring break to help with instructional minutes?

  • Why would the day off be Monday and not Friday?

  • Would election days still be days off school?

  • Is Fox C-6 considering extending the school year rather than extending the school day?

  • If Fox C-6 shifts to a four-day school week, would there be no more days off for PD/conferences to avoid four-day weekends?

Frequently Asked Questions about Childcare Services and the Four-Day School Week

  • Single parents can barely make ends meet now, by going to 4 days, this would force those to find another day of childcare or forfeit the day of work, how will we be able to afford this? what impacts will this have on a lower income community?

  • Would CKC be available for staff at a discounted rate on Mondays?

  • Can existing staff work for pay on Mondays in a child care position?

  • Do you know that Missouri has a two year wait list for child care?

  • Would the Building Blocks Preschool program be four days a week or five days a week?

  • What about students watching themselves while parents work?

  • What would be the cost of CKC on Mondays? What about families who can't afford it?

  • What options for community daycare would be offered on Mondays?

  • Would child care provided for younger students on Mondays?

  • What options is Fox C-6 exploring for families who work five days a week?

Frequently Asked Questions about Logistics Around the Four-Day School Week

  • Has Fox C-6 finalized plans for the four-day school week?

  • What steps need to be taken before implementing the four-day school week?

  • Has the District made a decision about the four-day school week already?

  • What is the District's primary reason for considering a four-day school week?

  • How late and how early would buses be on the road?

  • Where will elementary students go on day off?

  • Would administrators only work four days a week?

  • Would the school day be longer if the District shifted to a four-day school week?

  • Where can we find the most reliable and unbiased data on 4 day weeks?

  • Will the District host meetings for individual work groups to discuss the four-day school week?

  • What are some potential benefits of the four-day school week?

  • How does the four-day school week impact dual credit courses at the high schools?

  • Is the four-day school week what is best for kids?

  • Will Fox C-6 share other options so that community members can vote?

  • Will the four-day school week be up for a public vote?

Frequently Asked Questions about Special Education Services and the Four-Day School Week

  • How would the four-day school week impact students with IEPs?

  • Would SPED teachers be paid to rewrite their IEPs if Fox adopts a four-day school week?

  • Would IEPs need to be amended for a four-day school week?

  • Would IEP meetings be held on Mondays?

  • How would we support students with special needs?

  • How does the four-day school week impact SPED evaluations and timelines?

  • Would special needs students attend class five days a week?

  • Would TAs' take home pay be the same in a four-day school week?

  • What would happen to services provided by OTs, PTs, and other specialists?

  • How would the four-day school week impact ESY?

  • What about the impact on SPED bus schedules?

  • Will paraprofessionals work with teachers on Mondays for training?

Frequently Asked Questions about District Finances and the Four-Day School Week

  • Where does the projected savings come from?

  • How will the projected savings be utilized by the district?

  • How will Fox C-6 fix its budget?

  • Is this the only option for saving 2% without a tax increase?

  • Is the projected cost savings from a four-day school week worth it?

  • Are you worried about a decrease in enrollment with a four-day school week?

  • Do you know this is a financial burden on families?

  • If the four-day school week is implemented will other cuts also need to be made?

  • What is the cost to keep a building open for child care?

  • What is being done at state level to advocate for more school funding?

  • Why is Missouri ranked so low for teacher salaries?

  • If Mondays are for PD and meetings, how is that saving money?

  • The State Adequacy Target is projected to increase has that been taken into consideration?

  • How will the four-day school week impact home values in the district?

  • What financial impact will the four-day school week have on city taxes? Any changes because of this?

Frequently Asked Questions about Staff Compensation and the Four-Day School Week

  • I am a classified staff member. Would my salary decrease with the four-day school week?

  • Would the four-day school week reduce bus driver hours or pay?

  • Will benefits such as health insurance decrease or be taken away with a shift to a four-day school week?

  • Will staff pay be frozen?

  • How would the four-day school week impact overtime?

  • Would sub pay increase if Fox implemented a four-day school week?

  • Would teachers be paid the same in a four-day school week?

  • Can teachers sell back days? How much is spent on that?

  • Does the four-day increase teachers income?

  • Does the four-day school week impact PSRS, PEERS, or benefits?

  • Would vacation time change?

  • If immediate pay cuts are off the table, will staff members still get their steps?