State legislators might cut school week to save cash

House Ways and Means Committee chairman, Dan Cooper, is looking for ways to trim the state's budget by $500 million. And he thinks a shorter school week for public school students could do much to help.

South Carolina lawmakers are creating five proposals that would cut the school week and standardize testing, and theoretically not impede students' education.

Read more stories on this subject in our state budget topic page.Along with other cuts, the cut would save the state $240 million, getting them nearly to the halfway mark.

Making these cuts will allow schools to use state money however they need as opposed to being ordered how to spend their budget by state officials.

The Post and Courier discusses the benefits of cutting the school week:
On the potential of moving to a four-day week, (Jim) Rex said school districts immediately would see a 20 percent savings in fuel, drivers' salaries and other personnel costs. Schools would have longer days but not spend as much money in delivering instruction, he said.

But with a less-than average performance by students, one has to wonder if there are better places to look for savings.

If you feel strongly about it contact the South Carolina Department of Education.