SLAYTON — The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) has denied Murray County Central’s application to implement a four-day school week on Friday. MCC will continue with the traditional five-day school week next year.

“Our proposal was designed thoughtfully, provided community input and included thought out solutions to concerns,” MCC Superintendent Joe Meyer said. “The school board believed the four-day model could be a proactive solution to help us better support students and staff, while managing operational constraints and budget concerns.”

The MDE cited the main reason to deny MCC’s application came down to concerns of the district’s ability to still provide essential services, specifically regarding daily meal access for students and having a reliable childcare option available for students needing supervision on the non-school weekday.

According to the district’s website about its proposal, MCC had plans to continue the back-pack program that is currently in place to provide students in need with extra meals and snacks.

A child care shortage continues to be a challenge in several regions, including Murray County, which currently has one child care facility in Wonder World, however may be closing in July 2026 due to an expiring lease. The center is currently licensed for 76 children.

Meyer, and according to the district website, said they had a working option partnering with Shetek Environmental Education Central to provide a day program for Kindergarten to 6th graders.

In a community survey MCC conducted prior to sending in an application, 46.6% of people acknowledged a concern of needing to find child care if a four-day school week was approved. The survey revealed 47 responses that said they would need resources for child care, and 82 said they potentially would.

“We understand the MDE’s concerns and recognize the importance of equitable access to services for all students,” Meyer said. “That said, we believe we could have addressed these needs effectively through partnerships and local solutions.”

MCC initially pursued a four-day school week option in sight of facing financial challenges.

“The board was looking for feedback from all of the stakeholders in the school, as far as employees go, on budget reductions,” Meyer told the Independent in February. “We’ve had a little bit of declining enrollment, and one of the things that came to the surface was the four-day school week.”

According to the district’s website, MCC saw a significant drop in enrollment for the 2023-24 school year, which resulted in a loss of $210,000 in revenue. Also noted was facing a financial hardship with increased inflation, which the state aid formula has not kept up with the rate of inflation, putting school districts into a budget deficit.

If approved, MCC would have added 30 minutes to each school day to still complete the 1,020 state required instructional hours.

There are currently seven Minnesota school districts operating on a four-day school week, including MACCRAY in Clara City, which has been on four-day weeks since the fall of 2006 with Mondays off.

Meyer told the Independent in February that if the four-day school week application is denied, “We’d have to make some other budget reductions.”

Detailed on the district’s website, the school board and administration will look to cut approximately $350,000 from operations, which could include reducing staff positions, affecting class sizes.

“All options are on the table for the board to consider like reduction to administration, teaching staff, classified staff, student activities,” the website states.

The board and Meyer will now plan the 2025-26 school year with the five-day school week, and move forward in engaging with stakeholders on pursuing next steps.

“We’ll keep working with our school board and community to find creative, student-centered solutions,” Meyer said. “Our focus remains on educational excellence for every learner at Murray County Central.”