Dallas County district adopts four-day school week

The Dallas County R-1 School District is the latest in the Springfield area to switch to a four-day school week.

The Board of Education recently made the decision to reduce by one the number of days students are in class each week.

A list maintained by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education showed more than 190 districts – including many in southwest Missouri – will be operating on the shorter school week during the 2026-27 year.

Ash Grove R-IV School District, Fair Grove R-X School District and Walnut Grove R-V School District in Greene County are on the four-day week; along with Billings School District, Chadwick School District R-1, Clever R-V School District, Sparta R-3 School District, and Sparta R-VII School District in Christian County.

Dallas County Superintendent Laura O’Quinn declined an interview request, but the district, through communications specialist Max McKinney, provided written answers to questions from the Springfield Business Journal.

The 1,600-student district said several area districts made the switch to a truncated week and so its officials started to explore the option.

Preliminary discussions started in December, and a survey was sent to parents, staff, students and community members.

The district said more than 1,300 responded, and 70% were in favor of the change.

In the statement, the district said a calendar committee developed two options, and a final Board of Education vote took place in February.

Asked what swayed the board to make the change, the district said community backing, more time for staff training and improved employee recruitment and retention were the primary factors.

“While budget savings are neither the primary nor secondary reason for this transition, the district anticipates meaningful cost reductions in transportation and daily operational expenses,” the district wrote in a statement. “As the 10th largest school district in Missouri by geographic area, we expect to see savings in travel costs, as well as a reduction in wear and tear on buses and district vehicles.”

Starting in August, students will go to school Tuesday through Friday. The first Monday of each month will be designated as a professional development day unless it falls on a holiday.

The district will also lengthen its school day to add 30 minutes of instructional time. Employees will not experience a pay reduction as a result of the new calendar, according to the statement.

In the statement, the district said it is exploring program options before and after school and working with childcare providers in the area.

The district decided last month to close its Bison Daycare program at the end of the 2025-26 year because it was operating at a significant financial loss, according to past SBJ reporting.