Oklahoma lawmakers consider 4-day school weeks to combat teacher shortage
Lawmakers Wednesday considered allowing school districts to return to 4-day school weeks, as a way to combat the teacher shortage in the state.
In Wednesday's interim study meeting at the capitol the question was asked, are four-day school weeks harmful or innovative?
"There's certainly research to show that more instructional time does in fact help student outcomes," said Carolyn Thompson, State Department of Education.
There was a lot of information and debate at an interim study with the Common Education committee meeting.
Lawmakers revisited, 2019's Senate Bill 441, which didn't eliminate 4-day school weeks, but set a minimum day threshold, making it harder for districts to switch to 4-day weeks.
"There was concern for academic outcomes in some districts that had switched to a 4 day school week and there were some concerns from community organizations that some of those areas might have seen higher crime as a result cause you got kids out of school and they don't have anything to do on the 4th day," said Thompson.
Back in March, Professional Oklahoma Educators asked their 1,600 members if they believed local school districts should have the authority to choose a four-day school week.
Over 79% said yes.
"A lot of these districts realized they liked it, so the narrative changed. In one instance it was we can't run schools and once money started coming back again then it was, 'We want to have our four-day school weeks because we all understood the argument,' then it dealt with the teacher shortage. This is a way we keep our teachers and their not leaving us for other four-day school weeks," said Rep. Rhonda Baker.
And lawmakers are waiting for more information ahead of the next legislative session.
"I don't know I can necessarily say why there's a negative connotation to a four-day school week. There will be report cards this fall and that will be our first opportunity since the labor requirements went into effect to see where schools are," said Thompson.
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