STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2nd Session of the 52nd Legislature (2010)

SENATE BILL 1607	By:	Brown

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2001, Section 1-109, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 103, O.S.L. 2009 (70 O.S. Supp. 2009, Section 1-109),which relates to the length of a school year; establishing a starting date for the school year; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2001, Section 1-109, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 103, O.S.L. 2009 (70 O.S. Supp. 2009, Section 1-109), is amended to read as follows:
Section 1-109.  A.  For all public schools in Oklahoma, the school year shall begin on any day after Labor Day and school shall actually be in session and classroom instruction offered:
1.  For not less than one hundred eighty (180) days; or
2.  For not less than one thousand eighty (1,080) hours each school year, if a district board of education adopts a school-hours policy and notifies the State Board of Education prior to September 15 of the applicable school year.
B.  Not more than thirty (30) hours each school year may be used for attendance of professional meetings and teachers may be paid for a length of term in excess thereof, under conditions hereinafter outlined.  Subject to district board of education policy or collective bargaining agreement, additional professional leave days may be granted for individual teachers to attend or participate in professional meetings, staff development training, or National Board certification portfolio development as provided for in Section 6-204.2 of this title.
C.  A school district may authorize parent-teacher conferences to be held during a regular school day.  If authorized by the school district, parent-teacher conferences shall be counted as classroom instruction time for no more than six (6) hours per semester, for a total of twelve (12) hours per school year.
D.  A school district may maintain school for less than a full school year only when conditions beyond the control of school authorities make the maintenance of the term impossible and the State Board of Education has been apprised and has expressed concurrence in writing.
E.  The State Board of Education shall establish criteria for an extended-day schedule for schools subject to paragraph 1 of subsection A of this section.  The criteria shall:
1.  Prescribe a lengthened school day within limits determined not to be detrimental to quality instruction; and
2.  Ensure that the schedule is equivalent in annual hours of instruction to the one-hundred-eighty-day school year specified in paragraph 1 of subsection A of this section; and
3.  Be consistent with the provisions of this section and Sections 1-111 and 1-112 of this title, but may result in fewer annual days of instruction.
F.  The State Board of Education may authorize school districts to implement an extended-day schedule for instruction pursuant to the criteria developed.  The State Board of Education shall require the participating school districts to prepare a report of the impact of the extended-day schedule.
G.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections E and F of this section, a school district board of education subject to paragraph 1 of subsection A of this section may adopt and implement an extended-day schedule for grades nine through twelve subject to the following requirements:
1.  The annual number of hours of instruction shall equal or exceed one thousand eighty (1,080) hours, which is the equivalent of one hundred eighty (180) days of instruction as specified in subsection A of this section for six (6) hours each day as specified in Section 1-111 of this title;
2.  The annual number of days of instruction shall equal or exceed one hundred eighty (180) days as specified in subsection A of this section;
3.  The schedule adopted shall be consistent with the provisions of Sections 1-111 and 1-112 of this title, except that for not more than one (1) day per week, a school day shall consist of not less than five (5) hours devoted to academic instruction in a regular classroom setting;
4.  The district shall hold a public hearing prior to the adoption of an extended-day schedule authorized pursuant to this subsection; and
5.  The district shall document the impact on student achievement as determined by the academic performance index score and any other relevant factors that are a result of implementation of an extended-day schedule authorized pursuant to this subsection and provide an annual report to the State Board of Education of the results.  If improvement in student achievement cannot be documented in the report, the district board of education shall revoke authorization as provided by this subsection.  If the district does not revoke authorization after student achievement is not documented in the report, the State Board of Education may deny accreditation of any school in violation of this subsection.
H.  If subject to paragraph 2 of subsection A of this section, a district board of education or designee may elect to close a school during the school day for inclement weather purposes.  In such an event, the number of hours incurred in classroom instruction time prior to school closure shall be counted toward the one thousand eighty (1,080) hours per year requirement.
I.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the Fair Labor Standards Act status of any school district employee.
SECTION 2.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2010.

52-2-3523	KM	1/7/2010 11:41:39 AM