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Show Four-Day School Week Would Save Garfield $44,347, Claims UEA Garfield School District can save an estimated $44,347 by changing the class schedule from five to four days a week, according to the Utah Education Association. "Schools will be critically underfunded un-derfunded next year, and this is the best way we can find to save substantial sub-stantial sums of money with the least amount of damage to our children's education," said UEA President Betty Condie. She said UEA wishes such a change were not necessary, but cost-cutting alternatives such as eliminating kindergarten or the 12th grade "are not acceptable." Governor Norm Bangerter and legislators asked UEA to propose ways of trimming programs and restructuring schools in light of the funding crisis, and Mrs. Condie said the four-day school week "is the most promising of them all." Thirty-six school districts in Colorado have the four-day school week, and they realize substantial savings in heating, electricity, student busing and substitute teachers. Besides that, a Colorado State University study shows that more than 90 percent of the students, parents and teachers favor the four-day four-day schedule over the five-day school week. Schools on the four-day week lengthen the school day so that students get the same amount of class time as those who attend class five days a week. The Colorado study said achievement scores of students on the shorter week compare favorably with those on the five-day schedule. "Utah schools will be in deep financial trouble next year, and I urge boards of education and superintendents to study this plan closely," Mrs. Condie said. "It could be one of the best things they can do for their schools at this time." |