(Radio Iowa) – The superintendents of two Iowa school districts operating on a four-day school week say the change has helped the districts find and keep staff. James Craig is the superintendent of Cardinal Community in Eldon, which is in its third year of having classes Tuesday through Friday.

Dan Maeder is superintendent of Moulton-Udell Schools, which meet on Mondays-through-Thursdays. Maeder, who was not at the district when the switch was made four years ago, says Moulton-Udell was struggling to get retain staff.

In Colorado, two-thirds of school districts operate four days a week and about a quarter of Missouri’s school districts have changed to a four-day-a-week calendar. There are just 17 public school districts in Iowa that hold classes four days a week. Maeder says it may take a while to catch in Iowa, where there’s a five-day-work-week culture.

And, in terms of student achievement, Craig says at Cardinal Community, test scores have been going up since the change for a four-day week.

The superintendents made their comments during taping of Iowa Press.