Commissioner Okays 4-Day Week for 5 Minnesota School Districts

ST. PAUL (AP) - Six Minnesota school districts will be allowed to continue a four-day school week next year.

Department of Education Commissioner Brenda Casselius this week approved requests from five requests to continue a shortened week through the next school year. Those districts are Blackduck, Lake Superior, Ogilvie, MACCRAY and Pelican Rapids. An earlier request from the Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City district will last through the year.

The state is pushing schools away from four-day weeks, arguing they don't boost student learning. But lawmakers in both the House and Senate have introduced bills to allow them to continue.

Minnesota Department of Education spokesman Josh Collins says the commissioner OK'd four-day weeks through next year due to uncertainty over the legislation.

Just seven of Minnesota's 336 school districts are currently on a four-day week.