BROKEN ARROW — Broken Arrow’s Board of Education got its first round of feedback from three of the six subcommittees tasked with looking into the feasibility of moving Broken Arrow Public Schools to a four-day calendar starting in 2025-26 in an effort to recruit and retain teachers.
During the 2020-21 school year, Broken Arrow had 50 emergency certified teachers. As of Monday, Superintendent Chuck Perry told the board, the district has 124 emergency certified teachers.
The move to a four-day school week “would not be to save money,” he said. “This is truly to recruit and retain teachers.”
The three subcommittees to present Monday night focused on the academic aspect of a potential shift, with representatives from elementary instruction, secondary instruction and special education.
All three groups acknowledged that moving the state’s fifth-largest school district to a four-day week would pose some challenges for families, including calendar logistics and ensuring access to food and child care for the weekday that classes are not in session.
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However, all three also said leaders from other area districts on a four-day calendar had said they were having an easier time finding teachers because of regular extended weekends.
“We have 11 full-time vacant special education teaching positions,” said Daylene Thornton, executive director of special education. “There are classrooms without a teacher. It’s a real challenge, and we are not alone on that.
“The idea of being able to recruit teachers with experience and talent is a really big win to our committee.”
Sample calendars are slated to be released to the public before Thanksgiving.
Three more subcommittees focused on non-instructional aspects of a potential shift will make presentations to the board at its Dec. 9 meeting, with a recommendation to come before the board in February.
Perry reiterated Monday night that no decision has been made and acknowledged that such a move would not necessarily be a panacea.
“Right now, I’m in a place … where I don’t know what’s the best move for BA,” he told the board. “I do know that this is definitely worth looking at.”
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