Small Rural School in North Utah Goes to Four Day Week

GROUSE CREEK, Utah (AP) — A small rural school in a ranching community in the northwest corner of Utah just south of the Idaho state line is set to begin a four-day school week, a move that three other outlying counties in the state have already adopted.

The Standard Examiner reports the switch allows students and families to make long-distance trips for doctor's appointments, shopping and extracurricular activities. The state board of education unanimously approved the change Friday. Box Elder County schools can now put together the new schedule to start in the fall.

Utah State Office of Education spokesman Mark Peterson says there was little conversation about the topic before it passed. The school day will be lengthened by 45 minutes to reach the required amount of instructional time for the entire school year.