OKC Public Schools Board Adds More Time To School Day

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – Students in Oklahoma City will be going to class a little earlier and getting home a little later.

The Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education approved a plan Thursday, September 1, to add 20 instructional minutes to each school day. The new schedule will begin Monday, September 12, and continue through the school year.

The extra minutes each day will add an additional seven instructional days to the total school year. Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Karl Springer says the longer days benefit students and teachers.

"This is another progressive and collaborative effort by the American Federation of Teachers, the OKCPS administration and Board of Education to address the needs of the more than 40,000 students we serve. We continue to work together to make decisions that are best for kids," Superintendent Springer said.

Under the plan, elementary and stand-alone middle schools will add ten minutes to the beginning of each school day, and ten minutes to the end. High schools and mid-high combination schools will add five minutes to the start of each day and 15 minutes to the end.

The schedules will be:

• Elementary schools begin at 8:20 a.m. and end at 3:10 p.m.
• Stand-alone middle schools begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 3:50 p.m.
• High schools begin at 7:35 a.m. and end at 2:25 p.m.

OKCPS says the new plan does not affect four schools listed as School Improvement sites because those schools already have additional time built into the school day as part of their federal grants. Those schools are:

• FD Moon Academy
• Douglass Mid-High School
• Centennial Mid-High School
• US Grant High School