UNDATED (PNS) – The number of North Dakota school districts using a four-day academic week has doubled in the past year – and more districts have applied to alter their schedules next year.

The trend has surfaced primarily in rural parts of the state. Superintendent David Goetz runs the Wing Public School District, with one small high school. He says they’re testing the approach in March and April to see if it’s worth trying out year-round.

In a state known for its brutal winters, Goetz says students and faculty tend to hit a wall in the second semester.

The district’s plan isn’t meant as just another day off – failing students still will need to come in on the fifth day for one-on-one work with teachers. Goetz says they also hope this might help with teacher recruitment, because it gives them more face time with those students. So far, 11 public districts have been approved for the waiver. Those concerned about the overall approach cite the effect it will have on child-care needs for parents.

State education officials say that’s an issue districts will have to work through as they try the alternative schedule. They also say other districts are using the fifth day as an opportunity for students who want or need extra help, so learning isn’t affected the rest of the week.

Goetz says when they did an initial experiment with the schedule last month, the extra day was useful.

North Dakota has allowed districts to use the waiver for 20 years, but schools only started applying recently, when the law was modified to provide more flexibility in meeting instructional requirements.