A Southeast Alaska lawmaker has made a proposal to help solve rural education budget woes, filing a bill which would allow for a four-day school week.
Under House Bill 21, submitted by House Majority Whip Rep. Peggy Wilson (R-Wrangell), students would still get the same amount of hours in as they would in a five-day week. The three-year pilot program, in certain Southeast Alaska school districts, would also help cut back on heating costs and allow families an extra day for subsistence hunting.
According to Wilson, the move may bolster districts' progress toward meeting Adequate Yearly Progress goals for students, defined in the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
"If they can bring up the AYP numbers and they'll be able to see an improvement -- if it works, maybe we can spread it around to other rural areas,” Wilson said.
Wilson says HB 21 would likely have to go through the House Finance and Education committees before making it to the House floor for a full vote.
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