The Rise of Virtual School Days in Oklahoma

 

Virtual school days (often referred to as “distance learning days”) refer to days when students receive instruction remotely rather than attending in-person classes. On these days, learning is supposed to be equivalent to in-person instruction with students working on digital platforms, video conferencing software, or home learning packets. School administrators and teachers might also use virtual school days for professional development or lesson planning.

 

In Oklahoma, the use of virtual school days as a substitute for in-person learning significantly increased coming off the COVID-19 pandemic[ii]. Last year more than 100 districts in the state scheduled at least 10 virtual learning days, and approximately 60 districts planned three or more weeks of virtual instruction. Many rural school districts effectively operate on a four-day in-person schedule by designating the fifth day of the week as a fully virtual learning day. As a result, some districts have dropped to only 140 to 150 in-person instructional days annually[iii], which is far below the national benchmark of 180 days per school year[iv].

 

Concerns about Virtual School Days

 

The acceleration of virtual school days in Oklahoma raises concerns because evidence indicates that virtual school days are not as effective as in-person learning. While some argue that virtual school days are part of a “modern education system”, reports indicate that virtual school days often amount to about 30 minutes of lessons, essentially becoming a vacation day for students and teachers. Some proponents highlight hypothetical benefits of virtual school days, such as cost-savings and improved attendance rates, but rigorous analyses from Oklahoma suggest very minimal cost savings and no effects on attendance rates[v]. 

 

Widening achievement gaps. There is also evidence that virtual schools may widen achievement gaps. During the pandemic, researchers found that remote instruction was a major factor in increasing achievement gaps for low-income and minority student students[vi]. The negative impact of remote instruction was considerable in high-poverty schools, contributing to achievement gaps between low-income students and their peers. In addition, disruptive home environments or poor Internet access can lead to reduced learning on virtual school days for students who are most in need of high-quality instruction.

 

Perverse Incentives in Teacher Labor Markets. Another problem with the rise of virtual school days is its impact on teacher recruitment and retention. When a district increases the number of virtual days, it effectively offers teachers more time off without reducing pay. This situation creates competitive pressure among nearby districts to reduce in-person instructional time to attract and retain teachers. As a result, many rural districts are caught in a race to the bottom, having to reduce school days to compete for teachers.

 

Limiting Virtual School Days

 

Signed into law on May 5, 2025, SB 758 mandates significant restrictions on the use of virtual school days in Oklahoma’s public schools. The new law allows for a maximum of two virtual school days to count toward a school’s instructional time requirements. It also provides exceptions for instances when the Governor issues a state of emergency or a proclamation for a specific reason relating to the school’s operations; the state superintendent approves the use of virtual instruction based on the school’s ability to provide it, and the governing board of the school district or charter school approves the use of virtual instruction. The measure also requires the State Department of Education to publish on its website and submit a report on the use of virtual instruction in Oklahoma’s public schools.

 

By limiting virtual school days, one of the potential benefits of SB 758 is that it will add more days of in-person instruction for many of Oklahoma’s school districts. Districts that have moved to four-day school weeks will see a substantial number of in-person school days restored. The bill will also help to eliminate the incentivize for districts to use virtual school days as teacher recruitment and retention strategy.

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