The Money Crunch

The Long Weekend

The Beatles needed love eight days a week, but increasingly, rural schools are finding that when it comes to education, four is plenty. Idaho’s Bear Lake County School District joined the trend last year by moving its 1,240 students to a Monday–Thursday schedule.

Motivated largely by finances—its student population keeps dwindling—Bear Lake saved about $130,000 with the four-day schedule. Utilities represent the biggest savings, but a big chunk of change was also saved by not paying custodians or bus drivers for their “day off.” (And to that idea, like John and Paul, we say: Help!)