Three small rural school districts in Montana and Wyoming used alternate school day scheduling to make time for staff and curriculum development inservice programs. The schedule of one short and four long days delivered the instructional time of 175 6-hour days each year. Benefits of alternate scheduling included time for regular inservice activities at no additional cost and without intruding on activity or private time, time for staff and student "necessary" absences, and increased family time for students. Disadvantages included time limits of 2 hours on inservice programs, scheduling of inservice programs during late afternoon after a nearly full teaching day, staff resentment that they also did not have a short work day, and additional child care needed on early dismissal days. Adoption of the programs required local hearings where concerns were voiced about lengthening days for children bused long distances and other work commitments of bus drivers. Community cooperation resolved most problems. During the 2-year inservice program staff members chose among programs in elements of instruction, teacher welfare, Teacher Expectations and Student Achievement, and thinking skills. Total cost for the successful program was $2,000. (LFL)