Senate Bill 758 heads to Governor: New limits on virtual school days in Oklahoma

A bill that's aimed at reducing the number of virtual school days that Oklahoma school districts could use during the instructional year now moves to Governor Kevin Stitt's desk.

What is Senate Bill 758?

Senate Bill 758, which was authored by Representative Anthony Moore (R-Clinton), would prevent districts from counting virtual days to the required 165-day instructional requirement for the school year, unless it's pre-approved for specific situations. That includes cases like severe weather or building maintenance.

The bill passed fully out of the Oklahoma House of Representatives on Tuesday with a 53-32 vote.

What are the representatives who support the bill saying?

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.”

“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.”

What are the representatives who oppose the bill saying?

Representative 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.

Representative 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.

Here's more stories related to our coverage on the legislation and similar bills:

1. Bill limiting virtual school days advances in Oklahoma
2. Lawmaker Proposes Bill To Limit Virtual School Days
3. State Lawmakers Work To Cut Down On Virtual Learning In Oklahoma Schools
4. Oklahoma's Own In Focus: State Lawmakers File Distance Learning Bill For Schools To Regulate Virtual Learning Days