4-Day School Advocates To Blame Hofmeister For 'Unfair' Requirements

A group calling for an end to the State’s new 4-day school week criteria will rally at the Capitol, Friday morning accusing the state’s education leader of masterminding a plan that could lead to the closure of dozens of rural districts.

The Oklahoma 4 Day School Coalition is made up of faculty, staff and parents of districts that were either forced to return or could soon be forced to return to full week school weeks under a new set of rules from the State Department of Education.

The rules would require elementary and middle schools to earn a C grade or better in academic growth for Math and English on their respective state reports cards. High schools would need a C or higher in overall Academic performance. Early childhood centers that want a shorter week would have to feed into another elementary school with the same schedule.

When the rules were first announced the coalition said they unfairly targeted 4-day schools and that most normal week schools would not meet those requirements.

“The bottom line is we were lied to, the state legislature was lied to and these rules are the exact opposite of fair and obtainable,” OK4 Day Coalition spokesperson Erika Wright said in December.

Coalition leaders will say the rules still aren't fair and they want lawmakers to reverse the rules which were attached to the teacher pay raise bill last session.

In a phone interview on Thursday, Write said the press conference should be a warning for rural communities.

“If the school districts close, main street is next. Farms and ranches are next,” she said.

The press conference started at 11 a.m. at the state capitol building.