Bill limiting virtual school days advances in Oklahoma

A new bill aims to tighten regulations on virtual learning days in Oklahoma, with Republican lawmakers pushing to ensure students are physically in classrooms unless remote learning is absolutely necessary.

How the bill would limit virtual school days in Oklahoma

The legislation, authored by Rep. Anthony Moore (R-Clinton), would prevent schools from counting virtual days toward their annual instructional day requirement unless the day is pre-approved for specific reasons like severe weather or building maintenance.

“The main goal behind this is to get kids in classrooms to only do virtual days when it's actually needed,” Moore said.

Moore and other supporters argue that the overuse of virtual days is contributing to declining educational outcomes for students.

“The reality is a lot of these kids are going home with no access to any teacher, no access to learning,” Moore said. “There are school districts that had 43 days or more virtual days last year. That is not a way to increase the education in our students.”

The bill passed the House committee with only two lawmakers voting against it. Moore emphasized that the legislation is about prioritizing student success.

“At the end of the day - we either are serious about moving forward the state and the education of our children or we're not,” he said. “If we're serious about actually educating our kids they need to be in chairs with qualified professionals to help them with their learning.”

Opposition to the bill limiting virtual school days in Oklahoma

But not everyone supports the proposal. Rep. Michelle McCane (D-Tulsa) expressed concerns about limiting local control over school operations.

“The language in this bill is a bit too narrow. I can think of numerous situations that would quickly put a district over the limit,” McCane said.

Rep. John Waldron (D-Tulsa) kept his comments brief during debate, instead calling attention to a larger issue.

“We’ve got to address the teacher shortage problem first - fix all other problems after that,” Waldron said.

What's next in education legislation

The legislation to limit virtual days now heads to the full Appropriations and Budget Committee.

Meanwhile, the Senate Education Committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday morning to discuss additional education-related bills, including proposals to eliminate cell phones in schools, increase teacher pay, and improve school safety.