This bill amends Section 1-109 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, which governs the length of the school year for public schools. It allows school districts and charter schools to count certain days or hours toward the required instructional time under specific conditions. Notably, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, schools will not be able to count days or portions of days when closed for virtual instruction toward the required 181 days or 1,086 hours of classroom instruction, except for up to two days or twelve hours under certain conditions. Additionally, the bill introduces provisions for counting virtual instruction days during statewide assessments for high school students, provided that specific criteria are met.

The bill also establishes that the State Board of Education will set guidelines for school-hours policies and virtual instruction plans, which must be approved by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Furthermore, it mandates that school districts report on the use of virtual instruction annually, detailing the reasons for closures and the duration of virtual instruction provided. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and includes an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage and approval.