catscratch
Well-Known Member
I did a quick google search and found that OK is required to have a minimum of 180 days (one source said 175) or 1080 hours of teacher contact a yr. So no matter how it's arranged during the week it still has to add up to at least the minimum. That doesn't mean that a district isn't above the minimum and going say 190 days a yr. or more. It is common for a district to go a few days over minimum, but due to state financing structure it is rare for a district to do more than a few days (states fund per student not per day so going over entails more cost for busing, food, utilities, etc. that the state isn't supporting).
Interestingly, I found that the average school yr in the early 1910's was 113 days, in the 1970's it had climbed to 161 days, and now it's 180 days. That source also said that even though we are throwing more days into the yr that graduate knowledge isn't increasing much. So basically the smarts that you and I got in the 70's-80's on a 161 day yr is equal to what our kids are now getting with a 180 day yr.
Daycare is EXPENSIVE. I suspect we have a lot of siblings watching younger one's like you said. Making the news is almost always a bad thing! I really don't know a solution for that situation. I know a local (we didn't have a daycare for more than 20 miles from our school) took advantage of the situation and started a local daycare about the time we went to 4 days and is making great money being open one day a week. She is cheap and doesn't charge much, but has good volume.
Interestingly, I found that the average school yr in the early 1910's was 113 days, in the 1970's it had climbed to 161 days, and now it's 180 days. That source also said that even though we are throwing more days into the yr that graduate knowledge isn't increasing much. So basically the smarts that you and I got in the 70's-80's on a 161 day yr is equal to what our kids are now getting with a 180 day yr.
Daycare is EXPENSIVE. I suspect we have a lot of siblings watching younger one's like you said. Making the news is almost always a bad thing! I really don't know a solution for that situation. I know a local (we didn't have a daycare for more than 20 miles from our school) took advantage of the situation and started a local daycare about the time we went to 4 days and is making great money being open one day a week. She is cheap and doesn't charge much, but has good volume.
