OKLAHOMA CITY – The House of Representatives this week passed legislation increasing the minimum number of instructional days for schools operating under a school-hours calendar and ties the change to an additional $175 million in state funding to the State Department of Education over FY27 and FY28.

House Bill 3151 by Rep. Rob Hall, R-Tulsa, would require schools using the hours-based model to provide at least 173 days of instruction beginning in the 2027-28 school year while maintaining the current minimum of 1,086 instructional hours.

Hall said increasing the number of instructional days will help ensure students spend more meaningful time engaged in the classroom. 

"Time spent with students in the classroom is the highest and best use of the resources we invest in our schools," Hall said. "Increasing the minimum number of instructional days is a much-needed step toward improving educational outcomes in our state. Spreading instructional time over more days will help keep students engaged throughout the school day and make the time our educators spend with them more effective." 

HB3151 also requires school districts that hold parent-teacher conferences during the school day to provide an in-person option for parents and legal guardians.

"There are few actions we can take that lead to better outcomes than ensuring our kids have more time in front of high quality classroom teachers," said Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. "I appreciate Oklahoma State School Board Association (OSSBA), Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA), Oklahoma Education Association (OEA), Professional Oklahoma Educators (POE), Organization of Rural Oklahoma Schools (OROS), United Suburban Schools Association (USSA), ExcelinEd, Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), Oklahoma Parents for Student Achievement (OPSA) and the Oklahoma STATE Chamber for their support of this measure." 

"Over the past decade, Oklahoma has experienced a decline in the number of in-person instructional days offered to students," said Secretary of Education Dan Hamlin. "In recent years, the state has made considerable progress in restoring instructional time to levels that align more closely with national norms. This bill builds on that progress and places Oklahoma on a path toward having a nationally competitive education system." 

The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.