AUGUSTA – Struggling with higher costs to heat schools, and recent news that some state workers can work four-day weeks, several school districts have asked the Maine Department of Education the same question: Are four-day school weeks permitted?

They’re not, now.

Maine law mandates a specific number of class days. The minimum is 180 days, of which 175 must be instructional.

So holding school for more hours four days a week would not meet that law, said department spokesman David Connerty-Marin.

But schools are allowed to change vacation schedules, he said. “If a school district wanted to have a longer winter break and no spring break, they could do that, as long as they have the (minimum) instructional days.”

Meanwhile, Maine Commissioner of Education Susan Gendron “is well aware of the fuel issue,” and is gathering information from Maine school districts. After districts are surveyed, the state may recommend changing regulations, which could include allowing a four-day week, Connerty-Marin said.

“One of the things we’d look at is, is it sound educationally. Other considerations would be sports schedules.” The department now has no position on a four-day school week, “because it hasn’t been investigated,” Connerty-Marin said.

State legislators would have to approve the change in law if a four-day week was recommended by the department.

If that happened, the Lewiston School Department would consider a four-day school week, Superintendent Leon Levesque said Friday.

“There’s two sides. We would save money on transportation” and some on electricity and heating. “But the buildings have to be kept at certain temperatures anyway,” Levesque said.

If school were to begin earlier and get out later, that would mean students coming and going during the dark. “At first glance it seems liked there’d be possible savings, but there are all types of things to consider,” Levesque said.

Levesque said he’s not sure if it would negatively impact students academically. Some students could handle meeting four days a week for longer hours. “Some might not.”

If the law is changed, “we would take a look at the pros and cons.”