Like most institutions in this struggling economy, school districts are desperately seeking ways to cut costs, prompting some to consider four-day schedules.

In September, the rural MACCRAY schools became the only Minnesota district with the shorter week, and now Rochester educators are considering the idea.

Before jumping on the scheduling bandwagon, school leaders should carefully weigh pros and cons, review the research and make sure the shift is a good fit for their communities. It's a complex set of considerations.

Studies show that exchanging longer days for a shorter week reduces absenteeism and increases staff and student satisfaction. With a weekday off, families can schedule doctor's appointments, take long vacation weekends and enjoy other activities that might take away from school time. Older students can spend more time on part-time jobs and extracurricular programs. And some teachers say longer class periods give them more time to work with kids on lessons.

There are cons, however. Families often bear increased costs for an extra day of child care. Parents who can't afford day care might leave children unsupervised for longer periods, providing more opportunity for them to get in trouble. Teachers and parents worry that students lose focus and "burn out" during longer school days. And the bulk of education costs are in teaching staff, so the savings for most districts are relatively small.

Respected education researchers argue that American students already spend too little time in school. Compared with 40 other developed countries, the United States ranks near the bottom on average weekly instruction time. A recent Brookings Institution study found that more time spent on math, especially, improves achievement.

A handful of Minnesota districts have been down this road before. During the 1980s eight smaller state districts shifted to a four-day week to save on transportation and energy costs. But eventually all moved back to a traditional schedule.

The Clinton/ Graceville/ Beardsley schools in western Minnesota were among them. The 400-square-mile district tried the schedule for a year but found that it resulted in less teaching time. But the Isle district near Mille Lacs operated on a shorter week successfully for nine years, according to Superintendent Michael Conner. The district returned to a traditional schedule because a new superintendent and administration preferred the five-day week.

In the MACCRAY schools in west central Minnesota, officials made the change to save $65,000 in transportation costs and another $20,000 or so in energy costs. That represents less than 1 percent of the budget, but allows administrators to preserve one staff position in a district that trimmed $800,000 last year and another $200,000 for 2008-09. Three months in, school leaders say the new schedule is working well.

Nationally, more than 100 districts in 17 states are on four-day weeks -- about two-thirds of them in Colorado.

But before choosing a shorter week school week, Rochester and other communities should think long and hard. Any school schedule must balance district, financial and family needs with the top priority: successfully educating students.