A Colorado school district switched to a four-day week as of Tuesday in an effort to save money on transportation costs, teaching salaries and utilities, National Public Radio reported.
By dropping Mondays from its schedule, District 27J said it expects to save about $1 million, which could come as a reprieve to the district which has previously attempted, and failed, to raise money through bond elections on several occasions.
The district, which serves nearly 18,000 students, is the 98th district approved by the Colorado Department of Education to adopt a shorter schedule.
To compensate for the missed day, regular classes Tuesday through Friday will be extended by 40 minutes per day. Teachers will still have to work for half a day on one Monday per month.
The district will offer child care on Mondays but parents will be required to pay $30 per child per day, according to a guide to the new schedule posted online.
"I realize this will be a significant change for our students, their families, and the communities we are so fortunate to serve, but our district can no longer be expected to do more with less financial resources," said District 27J Superintendent Chris Fiedler, according to NBC 9 News.
The decision to cut Mondays from the district's school week is not just about money.
Tracy Rudnick, public information officer for School District 27J, told Yahoo Lifestyle that they hoped to attract talented and qualified teachers to the district, which would ultimately provide the students with a better education.
"We are one of the lowest-funded school districts in the state of Colorado, so our teachers are paid very low wages compared to neighboring districts where they can make up to $10,000 a year more," she said. "If we cannot pay them like professionals, we're going to treat them like professionals."
Fiedler added that it was in the students' best interest to "provide high quality, engaged teachers using 21st Century tools for learning four days a week rather than not have them five days a week," NBC 9 News reported.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.