Mandatory Friday-Off (School Furlough)

[JuNii]

Wow, I would not want to be a student in Hawaii. They'd make the school days longer to offset the Friday day off. No thank you.

defeats the purpose of a Layoff.

so no. no longer days, not even a longer 'school year' because it again, defeats the purpose of the furlough.

Would it translate into more homework? Given that there is less classtime, would it mean more work for students on the days they are not in class?

yep. possible. I remember my teachers piling on the homework for three day weekends... heck, spring break was practically a study hall.

[Sarkhaan]

It would still save money on heating/cooling costs, the cost of afterschool janitorial staff (4 days of cleanup instead of 5), transport costs, electricity (fewer hours of people being there before and after school), etc

Heating/cooling costs would be about the same, given that they would run on the extended hours. Janitorial staff depends on whether they are kept on call for the duration of the school period and after school cleanup, and whether they are paid by the hour. Electricity comes to about the same, what with people being there for longer periods on the normal days. Transport, maybe.

Heating and cooling costs would be reduced because the school would have more time in session during non-peak hours...that is, if operating in the summer, more hours outside of the heat of the day, and if operating in the winter, fewer hours within the coldest part of the day.
Janitorial staff is an hourly position in most districts. Standard high school runs lets say 7-2. 7 hours, times 5 days a week. 35 hours. Afterschool cleaning occurs after school each day, taking about 2 hours, again times 5. 10 hours. Total for the week, 45 hours.
Now, a shortened week with longer days... school runs say....7-3:45. Still 35 hours. Afterschool cleaning occurs the same way...takes about 2 hours, but now only 4 times a week. 8 hours. 43 hours. Say the janitorial staff is three. That's 6 hours of savings every week, times 36 weeks. 216 hours of work saved. Janitors in my town made 18-24 dollars an hour. That's nearly $4000 in savings for a bare bones staff.
Electricity is reduced in a similar way. After-school events occur...well, after school. Teachers hold "office hours" and meetings on school days. No matter what, after school, there is someone there. Suddenly, on fridays, there aren't. That would result in savings.
Transportation? Definatly. Two fewer bus trips per week for every bus route operated.