4-day school week is his assignment

Steve Luikart raised a few eyebrows — and got practically no other response — when he first suggested the Pasco County school district explore a four-day week as a way to save money.

But now Luikart, one of five members on the school board, is heading up a task force to research the idea and report its findings to the school board early in 2012.

"It's not something we want to force on anyone, and the task force isn't going to make a recommendation," Luikart said.

But Luikart is hoping the group's work will give the school board the background knowledge it needs to decide whether the monumental change of switching to a four-day school week would work for Pasco the way it has for other districts across the country.

Luikart, who in 2011 was in his first full year as a school board member, is a former teacher and assistant principal whose election campaign focused on his years of experience as a professional educator.

He broached the idea of a four-day week in March during a discussion about how the district could save money to deal with a $54 million revenue shortfall.

Board Chairwoman Joanne Hurley later said her initial unstated reaction was a firm "no way." Later, as it became clear that budget woes would continue to haunt the district in 2012, she softened and said she would at least entertain the idea, although she has concerns.

One of those concerns involves working parents who would need to find child care if schools shut down one day a week.

Even though Luikart showed a willingness to shake things up in a quest for solutions, he admits he did so with reluctance.

"I was hesitant when I first brought it up," he said. "I know people have a sense of what they think is normal."

Parents quickly let him know their thoughts. Some told him, "You must be crazy." He exchanged email messages with them and soothed some nerves by explaining his goal was to save programs for students that otherwise might be cut.

That didn't mollify everyone.

"There are still a couple of folks out there who are dead set against it," Luikart said.

Teachers are more open to the idea; so are many students, he said.

In February, anyone with a question or a concern about a four-day school week will have a chance to sound off to Luikart and other task force members. That's when town hall meetings are planned, though exact dates and locations haven't been set.

Luikart said when the questions come, he and his task force should be ready with most of the answers.