The Oklahoma Senate approved Tuesday a measure to limit how public and charter schools use virtual instruction days. Senate Bill 1768 would restrict virtual instruction to inclement weather, staff shortages, illness, building maintenance issues, or if deemed necessary by the school administrators.
SB 1768 also requires at least five and half hours of instruction for K-8th grade students and six hours for high school students on virtual days. More than half of the online instruction must be synchronous.
Senator Kristen Thompson is the bill’s author.
“It is alarming that some schools across the state are engaging in remote learning for 20 to 30 days out of the school year,” Thompson said. “This is not only a misuse of the taxpayer dollars that are intended to fund quality in-person education, but it is also a disservice to students as they are receiving little or no instruction on virtual days.”
SB 1768 now moves to the House.
