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Prescott Unified trustees weigh four-day school week after survey shows strong staff and parent support; no vote taken
Summary
A district survey showed roughly three-quarters of both staff and responding parents favor a shift to a four-day school week, but the governing board raised concerns about child care, transportation, hourly workers and potential enrollment effects. Trustees directed staff to develop concrete schedule models and options for further review rather than moving immediately to adopt the change.
The Prescott Unified School District governing board heard an extended discussion Wednesday on whether to pursue a shift from the district’s current 4.5-day schedule to a four-day school week.
Superintendent Tenney and administration summarized survey results gathered following board direction: approximately 77–82 percent of responding staff said they supported a four-day schedule, and roughly 75–76 percent of responding parents also indicated support. Administration emphasized these were self-selected survey responses and recommended careful follow-up work to model schedules and impacts for different sites.
Board members said they found the raw support in the surveys notable but urged caution. Concerns raised during the nearly two-hour discussion included:
- Child-care burden for families—especially single parents, hourly workers and families without access to alternate day-care options. - Potential enrollment consequences (including families exercising ESA options or transferring to nearby districts that keep five full days), which could reduce state funding. - Operational questions about transportation routes, bus driver schedules, and whether savings would primarily come from hourly positions. - Instructional design: whether longer daily blocks could offset lost Fridays and how elementary schedules (young learners) would be affected.
Several trustees noted that other Arizona districts have adopted four-day weeks and reported long-term staff satisfaction, but they also said the local context matters and urged a careful, evidence-based approach before any vote.
Rather than a final decision, the board gave direction for staff to develop schedule models and concrete proposals for what a four-day program could look like (sample daily start/stop times, block lengths, transportation options, and Friday programming options such as enrichment, childcare or CTE opportunities). Trustees suggested a summer work window (June or similar) to analyze logistics, pilot options and refine community-facing materials so families and staff can make informed choices.
What happens next: Administration will prepare scheduling models and impact estimates (including transportation and child-care cost scenarios) for further board review; the board indicated it might convene a deeper dedicated session to examine a developed model before any formal vote.
