Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 70-1-109

Extended-day schedule - Closure for inclement weather.

A. For all public schools in this state, school shall actually

be in session and classroom instruction offered:

1. For not less than one hundred eighty-one (181) days;

2. For not less than one thousand eighty-six (1,086) hours each

school year, if a district board of education adopts a school-hours

policy and notifies the State Board of Education prior to October 15

of the applicable school year;

3. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, for not less than

one thousand eighty-six (1,086) hours with a minimum of one hundred

sixty-six (166) days of instruction each school year, if a district

board of education adopts a school-hours policy and notifies the

State Board of Education prior to October 15 of the applicable

school year; or

4. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, for not less than

one thousand eighty-six (1,086) hours each school year, if a

district board of education adopts a school-hours policy, notifies

the State Board of Education prior to October 15 of the applicable

school year, and meets the requirements established by the State

Board of Education pursuant to subsection H of this section.

B. A school district may not count more than thirty (30) hours

each school year that are used for attendance of professional

meetings toward the one hundred eighty-one (181) days or one

thousand eighty-six (1,086) hours of classroom instruction time

required in subsection A of this section.

C. Teachers off contract with an employing district shall not

be required by the employing school district to attend professional

meetings unless the teacher is paid additional compensation for the

additional time. Teachers may be paid additional compensation for

attending professional meetings in excess of their contract term.

Subject to district board of education policy or collective

bargaining agreement, additional paid professional days may be

granted for individual teachers to attend or participate in

professional meetings, staff development training, or National Board

certification portfolio development as provided for in Section 6-

204.2 of this title.

D. A school district may authorize parent-teacher conferences

to be held during a regular school day. If authorized by the school

district, parent-teacher conferences shall be counted as classroom

instruction time for no more than six (6) hours per semester, for a

total of twelve (12) hours per school year.

E. A school district may maintain school for less than a full

school year only when conditions beyond the control of school

authorities make the maintenance of the term impossible and the

State Board of Education has been apprised and has expressed

concurrence in writing.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 93

F. The State Board of Education shall establish criteria for an

extended-day schedule for schools subject to paragraph 1 of

subsection A of this section. The criteria shall:

1. Prescribe a lengthened school day within limits determined

not to be detrimental to quality instruction;

2. Ensure that the schedule is equivalent in annual hours of

instruction to the one-hundred-eighty-one-day school year specified

in paragraph 1 of subsection A of this section; and

3. Be consistent with the provisions of this section and

Sections 1-111 and 1-112 of this title but may result in fewer

annual days of instruction.

G. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection F of this

section, a school district board of education subject to paragraph 1

of subsection A of this section may adopt and implement an extended-

day schedule subject to the following requirements:

1. The annual number of hours of instruction shall equal or

exceed one thousand eighty-six (1,086) hours, which is the

equivalent of one hundred eighty-one (181) days of instruction as

specified in subsection A of this section for six (6) hours each day

as specified in Section 1-111 of this title;
ection may adopt and implement an extended-

day schedule subject to the following requirements:

1. The annual number of hours of instruction shall equal or

exceed one thousand eighty-six (1,086) hours, which is the

equivalent of one hundred eighty-one (181) days of instruction as

specified in subsection A of this section for six (6) hours each day

as specified in Section 1-111 of this title;

2. The annual number of days of instruction shall equal or

exceed one hundred eighty-one (181) days as specified in subsection

A of this section;

3. The schedule adopted shall be consistent with the provisions

of Sections 1-111 and 1-112 of this title, except that for not more

than one (1) day per week, a school day shall consist of not less

than five (5) hours devoted to academic instruction in a regular

classroom setting;

4. The district shall hold a public hearing prior to the

adoption of an extended-day schedule authorized pursuant to this

subsection; and

5. The district shall document the impact on student

achievement as determined by the academic performance data score and

any other relevant factors that are a result of implementation of an

extended-day schedule authorized pursuant to this subsection and

provide an annual report to the State Board of Education of the

results. If improvement in student achievement cannot be documented

in the report, the district board of education shall revoke

authorization as provided by this subsection. If the district board

of education does not revoke authorization after student achievement

is not documented in the report, the State Board of Education may

deny accreditation of any school in violation of this subsection.

H. Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, a school district

board of education may adopt a school-hours policy as provided for

by paragraph 4 of subsection A of this section only if it meets or

exceeds the minimum guidelines for student performance and school

district cost savings established by the State Board of Education.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 94

The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules, subject to

approval by the Legislature, establishing the minimum guidelines for

student performance and school district cost savings.

I. If subject to paragraph 2 of subsection A of this section, a

district board of education or designee may elect to close a school

during the school day for inclement weather purposes. In such an

event, the number of hours incurred in classroom instruction time

prior to school closure shall be counted toward the one thousand

eighty-six (1,086) hours per year requirement.

J. 1. Except as provided for in paragraph 2 of this

subsection, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year a school

district or charter school shall not count days or portions of days

when school is closed and virtual instruction is provided toward the

one hundred eighty-one (181) days or one thousand eighty-six (1,086)

hours of classroom instruction time required by subsection A of this

section. For the purposes of this subsection, "virtual instruction"

means the use of the Internet or other digital information

transmission systems as a form of instruction.

2. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, a school district

or charter school may count up to two (2) days or twelve (12) hours

when school is closed and virtual instruction is provided toward the

one hundred eighty-one (181) days or one thousand eighty-six (1,086)

hours of classroom instruction time required by subsection A of this

section only if:

a. the Superintendent of Public Instruction has approved

the virtual instruction plan submitted by a school

district board of education or charter school

governing board. A school district board of education

or charter school governing board shall approve its

virtual instruction plan, publish the plan on the

website for the school district or charter school, and
A of this

section only if:

a. the Superintendent of Public Instruction has approved

the virtual instruction plan submitted by a school

district board of education or charter school

governing board. A school district board of education

or charter school governing board shall approve its

virtual instruction plan, publish the plan on the

website for the school district or charter school, and

submit it to the Superintendent of Public Instruction

by November 1, 2025. The Superintendent shall approve

or disapprove all submitted virtual instruction plans

by January 31, 2026. A school district board of

education or charter school governing board shall

review its virtual instruction plan annually and

approve any necessary revisions for submission to the

Superintendent of Public Instruction by November 1

each subsequent year, and the Superintendent shall

approve or disapprove submitted plans by January 31

each subsequent year. If a plan is disapproved, the

school district board of education or charter school

governing board may approve a revised plan, publish it

on the website for the school district or charter

school, and submit it to the Superintendent. The plan

shall include a virtual needs assessment which shall

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 95

address availability of technology infrastructure to

deliver virtual instruction. The plan shall also

address how the school district or charter school

plans to provide:

(1) instruction to students on an Individualized

Education Program (IEP),

(2) child nutrition services, and

(3) transportation for students enrolled in

technology center school courses or programs,

b. a state of emergency or proclamation has been issued

by the Governor for a specific reason relating to

school district or charter school operations, and

c. the school district board of education or charter

school governing board approves the use of virtual

instruction.

3. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to

statewide virtual charter schools or full-time virtual education

programs operated by a school district.

K. By June 30, 2027, and by June 30 each subsequent year, the

State Department of Education shall publish on its website and

electronically submit to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of

the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report

with information regarding the use of virtual instruction as

authorized by subsection J of this section. The report shall

include, at a minimum:

1. The school districts and charter schools that closed school

and provided virtual instruction as authorized by subsection J of

this section and the length of time virtual instruction was

provided; and

2. The reason for which school was closed and virtual

instruction was provided.

L. Nothing in this section shall be construed as affecting the

right of an employing school district to require teachers as defined

in Section 6-101.3 of this title to work in excess of the one

thousand eighty-six (1,086) hours required for student instruction.

In addition, nothing in this section shall be construed to affect

the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 status of any school district

employee.

M. The provisions of this section shall not prohibit the

Oklahoma School for the Blind or the Oklahoma School for the Deaf

from adopting an alternative school-hours policy if the Oklahoma

School for the Blind or the Oklahoma School for the Deaf notifies

and receives approval from the State Board of Education prior to

October 15 of the applicable school year.