Gov. Kevin Stitt signed House Bill 3151 into law requiring schools to increase their minimum days from 166 to 173, starting in the 2027-2028 school year. The law applies to schools using hours-based calendars and takes effect in July 2027, giving districts time to adjust their schedules.
Inola and Wagoner Public Schools, both of which operate on a four-day schedule, expressed concerns about the school year extension.
Inola Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Unrau said the district already starts early, on Aug. 4, and the additional days make it difficult to continue operating the way it has for over a decade.
"At this point, I would forecast that it's the end of our four day weeks. Especially as we know it. To get in the number of days to get in the time frame, it's just not feasible, the way that we figured it up. When you talk about spring break, and Christmas break and stuff like that. There's just not enough days in it," Unrau said.
The new law is not the only challenge facing Inola.
Next year, the district will already have to switch to a partial five-day schedule due to a separate law that excludes virtual days for four-day scheduled Oklahoma schools.
Wagoner Public Schools also pointed to its success with the four-day schedule, noting last year's senior class earned over $6 million in scholarships. Superintendent Randy Harris addressed the legislation directly.
"There are other things our legislators could focus on to make our schools and state better, without taking away local control of the school calendar, especially when there is no research that supports the idea that a 4-day school week is harmful to students," Harris said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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