There has been public concern about a new bill that would allow Pennsylvania schools to move to four-day weeks, with some worried about the impact on working parents.

Those concerns are valid — child care is expensive, and finding it isn’t always easy. But as we learned in the Thursday, April 25, edition of the Butler Eagle, the real purpose of the law isn’t to change school schedules statewide, but to give students and school districts alike flexibility when it comes to vocational and technical training.

The bill, which Gov. Josh Shapiro signed into law in December, gives school districts the ability to meet state instructional requirement using hours instead of full days. Students in elementary school would be required to attend school for 900 hours a year, with 990 hours required of secondary school students.

State Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-8th, was one of the bill’s co-sponsors and he explained why he supported it.

“We have heard from a lot of — primarily — trade schools that there are certain circumstances in which … students were working and then receiving credit for that work, and it was not necessary for those students to be in a classroom setting over a five day period,” he said. “Sometimes they’re going to be working on-site for that (fifth) day and (are) able to earn money while doing so.”

He also pointed out that the vast majority of schools would likely remain with the current, five-day, school week. That makes sense.

For most students, and for most families, there isn’t a reason to change from a five-day to a four-day week. But as state Rep. Jesse Topper, R-Bedford, the bill’s primary sponsor, noted it also gives districts the chance to adjust the school schedule as needed, and would also allow districts to track remote learning by the hour, instead of by the day.

“Longer days and shorter school years or longer school years with shorter days will allow accommodation for weather conditions, professional development and community events,” Topper said.

A four-day school week isn’t likely to become the norm any time soon, but it’s good to see the state finding ways to offer more flexibility for both school districts and individual students.

— JK