Switching to a four-day student/five-day staff school week could save the Lawrence school district money and provide more plan time for teachers, according to some staff members, but it raises equity concerns for families and students. School board members said Monday they don’t believe the district in the near future will be ready to consider the switch.
Chloe Anderson/Lawrence Times
By the end of a five-month process of analyzing potential budget cuts for next year, some members of the Lawrence school district’s budget planning committee felt facilitators and district leaders lacked transparency and dismissed their ideas. Others felt the committee achieved its purpose.
Maya Hodison/Lawrence Times
The Lawrence school district’s budget committee’s recommendation for the 2023-24 year remained unspecified at the end of the group’s final meeting Wednesday, but the committee did learn how elementary and middle schools scored on an assessment of district facilities.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
The Lawrence school board on Monday will consider a draft school calendar for 2023-24, which includes a few changes but keeps five-day weeks — for now. A four-day student week proposal will come back to the board next month.
Chloe Anderson/Lawrence Times
The Lawrence school district’s Futures Planning Committee members expressed frustration during their meeting Thursday evening, saying that the process to select and implement a budget cut proposal has felt performative rather than collaborative.
Maya Hodison/Lawrence Times
Lawrence community members are invited to participate in two public input sessions this week to discuss a tentative school district budget proposal that includes four-day school weeks and closures of three schools.
Maya Hodison/Lawrence Times
The Lawrence school district’s Futures Planning Committee on Wednesday in a preliminary vote advanced a budget scenario suggesting a four-day school week, closing two elementary schools and a middle school, and cutting a district administration position.
Maya Hodison/Lawrence Times
Members of the Lawrence school district’s committee for budget and facility planning expressed discontent with a district survey aimed at gaining the community’s feedback on budget cuts.
The Lawrence school district’s committee for budget and facility planning will meet Wednesday to discuss future enrollment, which a consultant projects will steadily decrease.
A public survey is asking community members to share their input on how the Lawrence school district should make budget cuts, including potentially closing and consolidating schools.
