IL Legislative Committee Turns Down 4-Day School Week

An Illinois Senate panel has rejected proposed legislation that would allow Illinois school districts to hold classes only four days a week.

Only two of the 11 members of the Senate Education Committee voted Tuesday in support of the plan to allow local districts to give students a full school year of three-day weekends.

Although the measure received widespread backing in the House, committee members expressed concern that a third day off school would cause problems for working parents.

The bill's sponsor, Democratic State Sen. Michael Frerichs of Champaign, said the measure would simply allow districts to move to four-day school weeks, not mandate them to do so.

A number of rural districts had lobbied for the option in hopes of saving money.