SPRINGFIELD — The Jamaica school district in southern Vermilion County could save as much as $100,000 a year by moving to a four-day school week, Superintendent Mark Janesky said Wednesday.
Janesky and state Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, appeared before the House Education Committee to promote Black’s bill that would allow school districts to lengthen their school day while shortening their school week.
The bill is being held in committee, Black said, while the State Board of Education reviews it.
He said, though, that several other states already allow school districts to operate just four days a week in order to save money.
“A lot of rural Illinois districts, especially, could use this,” Janesky added.
Although the committee did not act on the bill, one lawmaker expressed skepticism.
“Speaking as a parent and as a legislator,” said state Rep. David Reis, R-Olney, “how can we add 20 percent more hours to a school day? Our kids are exhausted by the time they get done with school and homework.”
Reis also said the legislation would create child care problems for parents and could mean that children would walk home from school in the
dark.
Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services