KSD reporting strong numbers following schedule change

KELLOGG –– The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. And the Kellogg School District is happy to report that through more than a quarter of the 2024/25 school year, the gamble to move from a traditional school week to a pilot 4-day week is paying off.  

According to KSD Superintendent Lance Pearson, the change, which was met with some criticism from the community, has led to increased student and staff attendance. Saving the district money, and effectively making the district money. 

“An analysis of the data regarding the 4-day week looks extremely promising,” Pearson said. “Student attendance is up approximately 5% at all of our schools in the district.”  

According to Pearson, Idaho is among seven states in the country that don’t use enrollment numbers for funding, but instead rely on average daily attendance. This reported 5% increase in attendance could have huge ramifications beyond just the increased classroom time and for the district’s funding.  

Regarding staff, previously the district had struggled to attract and retain employees. With things like pay, class sizes, and benefits being better in neighboring districts. The change to the 4-day week keeps teachers at their buildings but gives them a day to work on grading, lesson planning, and professional development, without sacrificing personal time or trying to do it with a full classroom of students.  

“Our staff work-related absences are down almost 50% from the previous year,” Pearson reported.  

Aside from the benefit of consistently having the same teachers in class daily, the district is saving thousands of dollars that had been previously paying substitutes – Creating a strain on the limited supply of subs in the Silver Valley.  

“We chose to utilize two Fridays per month for departmental training, building-level meetings, and staff preparation time,” Pearson explained. “We have found those days to be booked solid well in advance and that time has been highly sought after by our principals.”  

The community has also taken advantage of the additional free day, with businesses like Silver Mountain offering a special “Friday Pass” to area kids and adults to give them something to do on their days off during the winter.  

Pearson understands that no system is perfect and even with the new schedule trending very favorably for the district, there will always be some who find it more challenging.  

“Making the decision to pilot a 4-day week was heavily based on the importance of strengthening and supporting Kellogg School District families,” Pearson said. “We look forward to hearing feedback from patrons at the end of first semester when we offer a follow-up survey to the one we used at the end of the 23-24 school year.”