Crystal City Schools will ask voters on April 8 to allow the district to continue its four-day school week.
The ballot language for the ballot measure says, “Shall the school board of Crystal City 47 School District adopt the provisions of (Missouri law) Section 171.028, RSMo, establishing a four-day school week for the next 10 years in the district of Crystal City 47 School District?”
The measure requires a simple majority to pass.
If the issue is approved, the district would need to put a similar measure on the ballot 10 years down the road.
Recent Missouri legislation set a deadline for districts with four-day weeks or those asking to change to four-weeks to get voter approval for the four-day weeks before the 2026-2027 school year.
The legislation affects school districts in cities with populations of 30,000 or more or districts in counties with a charter form of government. Jefferson County has a charter form of government.
Crystal City Schools switched from a five-day to a four-day schedule for the 2020-2021 school year after the Board of Education approved the change in January 2020.
Superintendent Crystal Reiter said state legislation calling for financial penalties against districts that do not gain voter approval to move to or retain a four-day week schedule of classes is the reason for the Crystal City Schools ballot measure.
She said the four-day school week has proved to be a boon for the district.
“The only reason the board, faculty and staff still are in favor of the four-day school week is we think it’s good for our kids and our community,” Reiter said. “It helps us stay competitive in retaining and keeping teachers, having the four-day school week.”
She said that if the ballot measure fails, Crystal City Schools would return to a five days a week schedule.
“We would need to go back to a five-day calendar,” she said. “That would hurt teacher retainment and recruitment.”
Reiter said passage of the measure should have no financial impact on the district.
“There is no cost to taxpayers if this passes,” she said.
Reiter said she is not aware of any organized opposition to the ballot measure.
She said if a voter stopped her on the street and asked why the person should vote for the measure, she would point to the importance of maintaining staff levels.
“I want the district to stay competitive in keeping teachers with the four-day week,” she said. “I would say that Crystal City has been doing this for several years and it has helped with staff morale.”
Reiter said a stable faculty assists in aiding academic improvement and achievement.
The district currently has 52 teachers and about 520 students.
The Grandview and Sunrise school district also have four-day weeks, but they do not have a similar measure on the April ballot.
The Crystal City Board of Education voted unanimously in November to approved a motion to put the measure on the ballot.