Oklahoma lawmaker says some schools are relying on virtual learning days too much
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For years, Soper Public Schools had four-day school weeks. It still does, in a way, but its unique method might become outlawed.
The southeast Oklahoma district has students complete assignments from home on Fridays. Soper calls them “back to basics” days where students reinforce fundamental lessons, like multiplication tables, the cursive alphabet and reading an analog clock.
The district’s academic results are similar to the year before when students attended school five days a week, Superintendent Scott Van Worth said, and discipline issues have decreased.
He said families prefer the schedule, and so do his teachers.
“Parents are way happier,” Van Worth said. “Kids are happier. Teachers are happier. It’s a good deal. I think all schools should try it to be honest with you.”
But in the eyes of some lawmakers, no district should use virtual school days to this extent.
Sponsor of bill to ban most virtual instruction days says families can't afford to miss work for remote learning
A bill that advanced to the Senate floor last week would prohibit traditional public schools from using virtual instruction days except in cases of inclement weather, building maintenance issues or lack of staff due to illnesses.
Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, said a pre-planned virtual school day was disruptive for her family and ineffective for learning.
She said her older children finished their schoolwork in 15 minutes. Meanwhile, she had to take a day off of work to help her kindergartener complete his online assignments.
Since filing Senate Bill 1768 to limit virtual school days only to emergency situations, Thompson said she’s heard from other parents across the state who have had to spend weeks of paid time off from work because their children’s school scheduled a high number of remote learning days.
“I would hope that we minimize our use of virtual days,” Thompson said during a committee hearing Tuesday. “I don’t think that they’re effective. I know there are situations that we need them, but we have got to look at what this is doing to our current workforce.”
Not all school districts use virtual days as often as Soper. Many include five or fewer in their school calendars, sometimes overlapping with parent-teacher conferences or days where staff have professional development.
But some schedule dozens of remote learning days throughout the school year. It’s unclear how many school districts made this a practice, but Oklahoma Voice found five, including Soper, who included 20 or more remote learning days in their academic calendar this school year.
Parents enroll their children in traditional public schools because they expect in-person instruction, said Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, a co-author of SB 1768.
“If a parent chooses to put their kids into a virtual environment, that choice is out there for them,” Paxton said. “If they choose to homeschool their children, that choice is out there for them.
“I expect those (public school) buildings to be open to educate my children.”
What's next for Soper Public Schools if virtual learning bill passes
If the bill becomes law, Soper schools will comply, Van Worth said. But teachers at retirement age will likely leave, and it won’t be easy to replace them, he said.
The school district had a four-day school week for eight years until recently, when the criteria to keep that schedule became significantly stricter.
That’s why Soper tried a five-day week last school year and realized its community roundly preferred the four-day schedule. Forcing the district to reverse course would be a “huge mistake” by lawmakers, Van Worth said.
“More is not always better,” he said. “More is sometimes just more. Getting breaks actually lets you come back and get more done. I think we’re missing that in American culture.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma lawmakers look to limit virtual learning days for schools
