Time Reform Task Force Recommendations

The task force chaired by Dr. Lucy Smith to study all aspects of increasing class time instruction for Oklahoma K-12 students presented its findings to the State Board of Education on 11-29-07. (The link above takes you to the SDE's website - click on View all News Releases, then November 29-Time Reform Task Force Recommends...)

Dr. Smith described how the task force managed its charge. First they asked for an accounting of the range of days that schools in the state are in session, have classroom instruction, etc. From that point, the members of the task force explored many possibilities for ways for Oklahoma to increase actual instruction time. The SBE will have a formal vote on these recommendations at its next meeting, December 18, at the Hodge Building in OKC.

An action by the SBE at its November meeting was directly related to the presentation of this task force's recommendations: The SBE voted unanimously to enact emergency rules for the school year 2008-09 that limit the number of parent-teacher conference days that can be substituted for a day of instruction to one per semester. These rules are awaiting the Governor's signature.