Hutchinson ? Some Kansas schools are preparing for additional cuts in state spending by cutting to four-day weeks.

The Cunningham school board in south-central Kansas earlier this month decided to adopt the four-day week in an effort to save about $45,000 on busing, utility and labor costs. It’s one of at least 11 districts in the state that have adopted four-day school weeks.

Cunningham’s schedule for next year will include several five-day weeks for such events as homecoming.

Superintendent Glenn Fortmayer the change is due to less money from the state and declining district enrollment, which currently is about 170 students.

A survey conducted before the board’s April 13 meeting, when the new schedule was approved, showed parents overwhelmingly supported a four-day week with the school day beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 3:50 p.m., meeting the state’s minimum requirements of 1,116 hours.

Besides saving money, the schedule offers other advantages, Fortmayer said, including giving teachers an extra day for planning on the weekends, and allowing for medical and other appointments to be kept without missing school.

Before deciding on the new schedule, Fortmayer said, the district looked at others of similar size in the state and across the country that have adopted the four-day week.

“All the districts we talked to said, regardless of the money, they wouldn’t go back,” Fortmayer said. “The quality of instruction increases because of planning and fringe benefits.”