re: Chattooga HS students walk out of class, protesting return to 5-day school week

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Why did they go back to the old schedule if the new 4 day schedule showed improvement?

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BOE election. Three Democratic incumbents were up. A group of candidates seeking to unseat the incumbents ran as Republicans and campaigned as a group. As an outsider, no longer living in the county, I thought it was clear what was at stake (4 day v 5 day). Some of the statements made by the Republican candidates were a bit dodgy on the issue (we'll take a look at it at the appropriate time following a thorough evaluation type answers). Apparently uninformed, many voters saw Republican and unseated the three incumbents by thin margins (52/48; 51/49). I say this as somebody who votes red.

Predictably, immediately following their swearing in, a 4-1 vote returned the school system to a five day week. No public input, no notice and no discussion of any study / evaluation of the four day school week. The public is losing it. BOE meetings are becoming a spectacle culminating in this and the protest cited in OP.

Why did those three newly elected members specifically decide to return to five day? Beats me. I believe that there was a vocal minority for it and voters did not pay enough attention. At least one member cited concerns about absences leading to missing more instructional time.

Additionally, there is a city school system in the county that is separate from the county. Plenty of kids that attend the city school system have parents that live in the county and can vote on the BOE election.

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Seemed to improve? Can you be more specific and concrete?

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Some discussion of finances.

A brief breakdown of the school system at 4 day v 5 day.

The athletic program, as a whole, was also much more impressive than ever in my lifetime. It's minor in the grand scheme of things, but improves the general attitude of the student population in a rural school, in my opinion.

To my knowledge, there is no consensus as to whether there is academic benefit or academic detriment to the four day week. The few studies are either split or indicate no significant change. With that said, it unquestionably saves money and the public in this county unquestionably desires it. If academics are marginally improved as well, then why not?

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Which day was the off day?

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Monday

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How did transportation for extracurricular activities work out, if that day was Friday?

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If I'm reading your question correctly, not really applicable given that the day off was Monday. With that said, I believe basketball and baseball played very little on Monday, if at all. However, I am sure the rare Monday event was handled just like any other rare Saturday event.

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What about childcare on days off? Did you notice more children roaming the streets?

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Was a big concern for some parents at first, but I am unaware of any spike in truancy, delinquency or dependency cases in the county. I do not live in the county any longer, but I'm usually there a couple Mondays per month. No, I've not noticed any children out roaming the streets.

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What about running buses for the free breakfast and lunch programs? Was that day skipped?

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Given that I'm no longer a resident, I cannot answer with certainty, but I assume that day was skipped.