Senate approves bill returning schools to five-day weeks

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – A plan to force more Oklahoma school districts to return to five-day school weeks has cleared the Oklahoma Senate.

The Senate voted 31-17 on Thursday for the bill that now goes to the House.

According to the state Department of Education, 92 of Oklahoma’s more than 500 school districts currently are operating on four-day school weeks. In those cases, instructional hours are extended each day to reach the required number of hours.

The bill by Republican Sen. Marty Quinn would allow schools to continue operating four-day weeks if the district meets minimum guidelines for student performance and cost savings.

Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister praised the Senate’s passage of the measure.

Supporters of the four-day school week says it helps districts save money and recruit teachers.