After months of research and community engagement, Broken Arrow Public Schools (BAPS) will consider a hybrid instructional calendar that maintains a five-day school week, rather than transitioning to a four-day week for the 25-26 school year. The proposed calendar will be presented to the Board of Education for review and approval at their Feb. 10 meeting.
Seeking possible solutions for the worsening teaching shortage, the discussion around a revised instructional calendar began in February 2024 when BAPS surveyed families and staff to gauge interest in a four-day school week. With more than 4,000 responses, it became clear that while there was interest in exploring changes, the community valued a structured and balanced approach. In response, the district formed a Hybrid School Calendar Committee, bringing together nearly 130 parents, staff members and students to review data, consider potential impacts and develop recommendations.
“Our goal throughout this process has been to identify a calendar that attracts and retains teachers, but also supports student learning, teacher effectiveness, and the well-being of our entire school community,” said BAPS Superintendent, Chuck Perry. “We appreciate the exhaustive work of our committee members and the valuable feedback from families and staff.”
The committee was divided into six subcommittees—Elementary Instruction, Secondary Instruction, Special Education, Support Services, Student Activities, and Human Resources & Finance. These groups examined key details in their respective areas and the overall impact on school operations. They spoke to local school districts currently using a four-day model, as well as districts across the nation that are more comparable in size to BAPS. The district also launched a series of surveys – six in total – to gather feedback from the community.
Following months of review, debate and surveys, the committee arrived at a final recommendation of a hybrid instructional calendar that maintains a five-day school week while incorporating strategic adjustments to better support students and staff. The proposed calendar includes: earlier release times for elementary students, more breaks in the second semester to promote student and staff mental health, and a fixed end date to the school year, providing greater predictability for families. There are also fewer distance learning days.
“We knew that any changes had to preserve instructional time, maintain order in schools, and ensure that employees would not see a reduction in hours or wages,” Perry said. “With this hybrid calendar, we’ve incorporated the feedback from our community to meet those needs while also enhancing the overall school experience and making BAPS a more attractive option for teachers.”
The hybrid calendar will be presented to the Board of Education on Feb. 10, 2025, for discussion and final approval. Those members of the public wishing to express their concerns or support for the calendar proposal may contact their board member directly, or make plans to attend the public meeting on Feb. 10.
“For a district of our size to change to a four-day model - it’s just too big a lift to accomplish in a short time, especially at the level of excellence we expect in Broken Arrow,” said Perry. “It may be something we revisit in the future, but for now, we believe the hybrid proposal is a better fit for our community.”