Education Committee Studies Longer School Year
Members of the House Education Committee looked at the possibility of extending the school year for Oklahoma students during an interim study at the Capitol on Tuesday.
The committee heard testimony that said Oklahoma students have fewer instructional days than most of their counterparts in the surrounding states. Committee members were also told that many nations outside the U.S. have as many as 200 to 220 instructional days in one year.
Based on data presented by state Secretary of Education Sandy Garrett, Oklahoma public schools have 175 instructional days per year, while Arkansas schools have 178, New Mexico and Texas schools have 180, and Kansas schools have 186.
“This was a very interesting interim study,” said Rep. Tad Jones (above right), R-Claremore, who chairs the committee. “It appears that our students’ classroom time can be improved under our current structure, but we also need to consider extending the school year if we want to be competitive.”
Several officials from the education community testified before the committee today, including Garrett, Phyllis Hudecki of the Oklahoma Business and Education Coalition, Superintendent Marilyn Bradford of Shawnee Public Schools, Stratford School Board member Rick Griffin, and Sabra Tucker of the Oklahoma Education Association, who is also a teacher in Shawnee.
Another teacher, Robert Marshall of Sentinel Public Schools, gave information to committee members that charted all the students who would be gone from his class during a given month due to various school activities. In one particular month, Marshall said there wasn’t one day that he had his entire class in attendance.
Rep. Randy McDaniel, R-Oklahoma City (pictured), requested the interim study. “We want to be competitive with surrounding states and other countries,” he said. “That may very well require more classroom time for our students.”
The committee heard testimony that said Oklahoma students have fewer instructional days than most of their counterparts in the surrounding states. Committee members were also told that many nations outside the U.S. have as many as 200 to 220 instructional days in one year.
Based on data presented by state Secretary of Education Sandy Garrett, Oklahoma public schools have 175 instructional days per year, while Arkansas schools have 178, New Mexico and Texas schools have 180, and Kansas schools have 186.
“This was a very interesting interim study,” said Rep. Tad Jones (above right), R-Claremore, who chairs the committee. “It appears that our students’ classroom time can be improved under our current structure, but we also need to consider extending the school year if we want to be competitive.”
Several officials from the education community testified before the committee today, including Garrett, Phyllis Hudecki of the Oklahoma Business and Education Coalition, Superintendent Marilyn Bradford of Shawnee Public Schools, Stratford School Board member Rick Griffin, and Sabra Tucker of the Oklahoma Education Association, who is also a teacher in Shawnee.
Another teacher, Robert Marshall of Sentinel Public Schools, gave information to committee members that charted all the students who would be gone from his class during a given month due to various school activities. In one particular month, Marshall said there wasn’t one day that he had his entire class in attendance.
Rep. Randy McDaniel, R-Oklahoma City (pictured), requested the interim study. “We want to be competitive with surrounding states and other countries,” he said. “That may very well require more classroom time for our students.”Labels: Longer School Year, Randy McDaniel, Sandy Garrett, Tad Jones
posted by Mike McCarville @ 3:19 PM
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