Colorado school district aims for 4-day class schedule

A Colorado school district is reportedly aiming for a 4-day school week. (iStock, File)

A school district in Colorado is aiming for a shorter week in the upcoming academic year, giving students and faculty four days in the classroom rather than five.

District 27J public information officer Tracy Rudnick told ABC News that they filed an official application with the Colorado Department of Education, of which she said they “are pretty confident that it’s going to go through.”

“They have not turned down any other school district that has had applied,” Rudnick said. Word from the department could come in June, she told the outlet. Nearly 100 other districts in the state reportedly operate on the same schedule.

A variety of factors reportedly contributed to the district’s decision to file the application.

"We made this change, one, was for the clean and concise schedule," Rudnick told the outlet. "It was also to recruit and retain highly-quality teachers. This new schedule appeals to teachers because their professional development is built into their day. They were using their personal time to prepare for the day. They'll now have time in the morning before students come to school to either prepare individually or work into teams in educational lessons."

The department of education confirmed to ABC News that the Commissioner of Education needs to approve in advance a district’s ability to have less than 160 days in the school year, in accordance with state law.

The district hopes to begin the modified schedule on Aug. 10, the first day of classes for students in the middle and high schools, ABC News reported. Kindergarteners and kids in elementary school will reportedly start on Aug. 14, while those in preschool will begin on Aug. 28. An average school week will run Tuesday through Friday, the outlet said.

Families will also be extended a childcare option for Mondays, according to the report, which will have a daily charge of $30 for each student and run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Daily class time will reportedly last an extra 40 minutes in order to meet the state mandated 1,080 hours of teaching per year.