Ed board denies requests for 4-day weeks

Standing its ground, the State Board of Education denied two four-day school week requests Friday.

Despite the turn-down, officials with East Hollywood High School and Garfield School District say they plan to gather more data and pitch their case to the state board again, possibly next month.

"We will show we are unique," said Garfield District Superintendent George Park.

School leaders are up against a new state board decision to deny a four-day week unless there are extreme circumstances.

East Hollywood High, a charter school in West Valley City, wants to implement extended days with longer class periods since their curriculum is project-based. They also want to cut one day of travel for students, some of whom come from as far away as Park City, Ogden, Provo or Tooele.

East Hollywood is the first charter school in Utah to make such a request.

The rural Garfield District wants to cut Fridays to reduce student absences due to athletic activities and also to decrease transportation time.

Last year the state board granted permission for the isolated Boulder School in Garfield School District to do the four-day week.

The state board has developed a new get-tough attitude toward four-day week requests.

In January, the board stated they will only consider waiver requests in "the most extreme circumstances of distance, isolation and small school size."

The state board's Law and Policy Committee Friday morning voted unanimously to not recommend approval and the full board followed suit in the afternoon full session.

Board member Denis Morrill told Garfield officials, "We said rare circumstances. I don't think you have shown this is a rare circumstance."

Then to East Hollywood, Morrill said, "You heard us talk to Garfield. You have to show me what is rare and different. You're going to have a hard time convincing me."

The committee encouraged East Hollywood to come up with a solution different from a four-day week.

"You guys are creative. If you can't solve the problem, who can?" said board member Leslie Castle.

Board member Janet Cannon said, "Do something fabulous and innovative and tell us how it works."