Missouri’s legislative effort to restrict four-day school weeks is dead – for now

The Missouri Legislature’s session has ended without passing restrictions on four-day school weeks. 

Roughly 160 of Missouri’s more than 500 school districts have the shortened weeks in class. 

Most of the districts operating four days a week are rural ones, but larger districts are beginning to do the same to help recruit and retain teachers. 

Senator Doug Beck, a former Affton school board member, attempted the restrictions, but the effort died in the House.

Senator Beck said:  “I think the conversation has started and unfortunately we didn’t get it done this year, but I am determined to get it done next year. I have, we have a path, I believe, to go for. It’ll be my number one bill that I file,”.

He says the path forward next year could be similar to this year’s proposal to require districts with more than 30,000 residents to hold school five days a week.