Small, rural school districts could transition to a money-saving, four-day school week if a bill proposed by Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, becomes law. Senate Bill 6242 would make permanent a 2009 pilot program set to expire this year that allows up to five school districts with fewer than 500 students to condense their school week.

“The communities of Bickleton and Paterson have taken advantage of this pilot program and found it to be an excellent cost-saver,” King said. “In talking with the superintendents of these school districts, they have found the shortened week has not affected their educational standards and they’ve been able to maintain the same level of quality education as before. It’s really working well for them, and my bill will allow them to keep going.”

King added that the Bickleton school district has reported a 100-percent graduation rate and a zero percent dropout rate since changing to the four-day school week. King also noted that there are still three other slots available for school districts with fewer than 500 students to participate in the program, and those slots will remain open if SB 6242 is approved by the House of Representatives.

“Now that my bill has passed the Senate unanimously, I’m looking forward to helping it make its way through the House committees and finally to a vote of the full body,” King said.

SB 6242 has already been scheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Education at 8 a.m. tomorrow.