Rock Ridge could join a number of area schools opting for a four-day school week next year with an eye on more than $257,000 in total savings. The district is facing $2.5 million in budget cuts for 2026-27.

School board members, last year, had little interest in reducing the school week as it considered $2.8 million worth of budget adjustments. It instead shed an early-out Wednesday and stayed at the traditional five-day schedule in hopes of attracting more elementary-aged families to the district.

Superintendent Dr. Noel Schmidt said at a working session Monday that “the sum was flat” across Rock Ridge enrollments, with expected losses in the high school and a break-even rate in younger grades.

An email survey sent throughout the district last week yielded results mostly in support of a four-day week. With about 1,200 respondents, 62% of elementary parents, 72% of high school parents, 90% of teachers and 83% of staff (not teachers) either strongly or mildly supported the plan.

“I was pretty set on, this was last year, five days,” said Director Jennifer Bonner. “It was not negotiable, for myself, and since then I might have wavered a little bit here on the four-day being an option.”

Still, Schmidt said, the research on four-day school weeks is a mixed bag beyond the bottom line.

Student performance did not fluctuate significantly either way, but studies showed reading and math scores trended down the longer districts stayed at reduced days. Attendance for students and staff also did not improve with an extra off day.

“You’re not going to get the savings that logic might dictate you’re going to get,” he said, referencing substitute teacher costs. “You might, but the researchers aren’t finding it.”

Rock Ridge would need to strike a balance with its scheduling to reach the required number of school days and instructional hours set by the state, he added, without sacrificing the educational aspect.

A day structured under a four-day week with the same instructional hours could result in start times 30 minutes earlier, and end times an hour later at schools across the district. On the other end, start times could stay the same and school end 30 minutes later. In the middle, start times could remain the same and the day end an hour later.

The board can ultimately structure the day how it wants, Schmidt said, but cautioned that the research showed reading and math performances slipped more often with the shortest day option.

“Whatever we do, I don’t want the kids’ learning to go down,” said Director Jodi Westby. “So if it has to be a longer day, it has to be a longer day.”

Behind the numbers

Estimated savings for the district on a four-day week plan is about 10% of the total reductions needed, and take a three-path approach to the $257,000.

Transportation costs on a four-day school week would save a projected $219,712, according to the district, but would require a union agreement. Same for the $17,600 in reducing junior high coaching pay under a four-day week. Rock Ridge also estimated $20,000 in overtime savings from the buildings and grounds department.

The district is in the midst of negotiations with the teachers union that expands well-beyond the four-day week discussion. Part of budget cut proposals are 0% pay increases, estimated between $400,000 and $500,000, and redeploying seven teachers into special education at a projected $792,400 savings.

Rock Ridge recently approved a three-year contract extension for Schmidt with a 0% increase.

If the school board wants to stay at five days, Schmidt said, it would add three teachers into mix of cuts, but money could be taken from other places. Teacher reductions could go as high as 14 if it stays at five days, and other reductions are also set aside.

Directors would need to decide on exploring the four-day week further before April, 1, he added, since the district needs to inform tenured teachers of potential reductions. Either way, teachers will be cut by the board at a meeting, with the idea of reassignment call backs.

Board Chair John Uhan said he was one of the elementary parents in the survey strongly against the four-day week.

He cited the potential for long days and lack of educational instruction, but questioned if the district could use it as a “bargaining chip” with the teachers union on reducing high school prep periods from two to one.

“I don’t think it’s right for the kids,” he said. “If we could rework the schedule, it’d be a big undertaking in a short amount of time, but if it was all-inclusive I could be persuaded. The savings are real.”

A continuing trend

Four-day school weeks were adopted by Mountain Iron-Buhl and St. Louis County Schools last year as Greater Minnesota and metro districts alike faced steep budget crunches. Ely is also considering the move for 2026-27.

While enrollment was relatively flat at Rock Ridge, declines have remained an issue throughout the Iron Range region.

In Hibbing, administration said enrollment was down 47 students more than expected and the district faces a $2 million budget shortfall. Its board voted unanimously to begin the process of closing Greenhaven Elementary.

St. Louis County Schools last month voted to approve a $1.75 million budget reduction, and could enter operational debt territory, where a recovery plan is required by the state.

The district is comprised of Northeast Range, North Woods, Cherry, South Ridge and Tower-Soudan Elementary. Enrollment district-wide fell each year since 2022, reaching a peak of 2,016 students in the 2019-20 school year, and was projected at 1,722 next fall.

“I thought it was going to quit this year, but we’ve seen another loss this year,” said Finance Director Kim Johnson. “We’re at the point now where they’re going to be uncomfortable cuts.”

Enrollment numbers are not the only factor in play for schools.

Increases in the state funding formula, which distributes a base per pupil payment to districts, fell behind inflation rates for multiple years since the early 2000s. There are also unfunded special education transportation costs statewide.

Some districts on the Range are not able to collect seasonal property taxes, placing more of a burden on local residents for referendums and operations. St. Louis County Schools estimated 40% of its district is seasonal recreation. A bill was introduced in the Minnesota Legislature this year to address the issue.

At Rock Ridge, Schmidt said the district’s state formula funding was more than $3 million short of inflation since 2000, but it is also faced with unique challenges of its own beyond the cyclical mining industry and despite a recent land sale.

PSEO classes offered in conjunction with Minnesota North cost the district $700,000, though the district could see savings next year through its online offerings. Rock Ridge was also forced to repay nearly $190,000 to the state Department of Natural Resources, due to an over payment on mineral royalties.

There is some positive outlook on the horizon.

A bill in the Legislature would modify the Permanent School Fund for schools throughout Minnesota. It distributed $58 million in 2024-25 and contains more than $2.3 billion.

Schmidt was one of 16 superintendents supporting the bill, but said Monday he had no indication how much Rock Ridge could receive, if passed.

“I wouldn’t balance your budget on it,” he said.

Accessing the Rock Ridge School Board

Working sessions of the Rock Ridge School Board are not typically live streamed or video recorded. A video recording of the full board meeting held afterward can be found on the district’s website. An unofficial minutes summary of the full board meeting was not posted as of publishing this story.