KSD to stay on 4-day schedule next year

KELLOGG – The Kellogg School District is extending its pilot four-day school week into next school year according to superintendent Lance Pearson.  

In May 2024, the Kellogg School Board unanimously approved the adoption of the shortened schedule for the 2024/25 school year, but on an exploratory, pilot basis. In March, another unanimous decision was made to extend the pilot schedule for another year.  

According to board chairperson Alexa Griffin, the board wants to ensure they collect as much data and input as they can before making the four-day schedule a permanent fixture. 

“We didn’t feel like one year was enough for a permanent change,” Griffin said. “We recognize the importance of improving where we can and continuing to take feedback from our staff, students, and families.”  

The district did enjoy a series of major successes during the first semester of the school year, including better attendance for students and staff, no decline in academic performance, and a positive financial impact.  

In a year-over-year comparison, student attendance throughout the KSD increased 4.4% during the first semester, finishing at 92.72%. This improvement was an important component for the board when they were weighing the pros and cons of the new schedule, due to Idaho’s average daily attendance funding model for schools.  

During the same time frame, staff attendance has reportedly improved 14.2%.  

During their initial information gathering process, the district received a largely positive response from students, staff, and families about changing to a shorter week. In January, they surveyed a similar sized group to see how they felt about the change since it went into effect.  

85% of families, 83.8% of students, and 85% of staff responded positively to keeping the four-day schedule. 4% of families, 8.1% of students, and 9.5% of staff had a neutral opinion about keeping the schedule.  

Among the chief concerns from the small number of negative responses were things like Friday childcare, inconveniences from Friday extracurricular activities, and the risk of condensed lesson plans. These were largely the same concerns presented to the board during the initial decision last year.  

After compiling the survey data, the board was presented with recommendations for the coming school year, including continuing the four-day schedule. According to Griffin, the board will be looking into additional support services for families needing childcare on Fridays, enhancing and streamlining professional development for staff, establish a comprehensive monitoring system for performance metrics, and develop an improved system of targeted interventions for students who are struggling.  

Griffin also said the board would continue to survey students, staff, and families to ensure the district stays in step with the wishes of its patrons. The Kellogg School District’s board-approved 2025/26 calendar is available at www.kelloggschools.org.