Broken Arrow board approves hybrid academic calendars for 2025–26 and 2026–27

Broken Arrow Public Schools Board members voted to approve hybrid academic calendars for the 2025–26 and 2026–27 school years at the board meeting, adopting changes recommended by a district calendar committee and several subcommittees.

The calendars keep the same total instructional minutes as a traditional calendar but shift six built-in snow/distance-learning days into later weeks in April and May to create potential four-day weeks late in the second semester and reduce the number of distance-learning days from eight to six. The proposal also sets a fixed last day of school (before Memorial Day) and moves elementary school end times earlier by 30 minutes to 3:30 p.m.

The recommendation grew from a district calendar committee that included parents, teachers, administrators and community members. Superintendent Scott Perry said the committee began with no preconceptions and sought broad public input: “there is no less instructional time than a traditional calendar.” The district reported more than 26,000 survey participants contributed feedback used to shape the proposal.

Committee members described their reasoning at the meeting. Melinda Silva, principal of the Freshman Academy and member of the secondary instruction subcommittee, said the group aimed for broad compromise: “we did try our best to come up with the best recommendation, find a common solution for everyone.” Amanda Hundley, an elementary teacher from Aspen Creek and member of the elementary subcommittee, emphasized the committee prioritized earlier elementary end times and a fixed end-of-year date to help families plan.

Parents and other subcommittee members told the board the calendars also try to address teacher recruitment and retention. Alyssa Johnson, a parent on the Support Services Subcommittee, said the committee weighed childcare and nutrition concerns and recommended the calendar as the best available compromise: “Our committee with feedback from the community feels this calendar is the best opportunity to be able to schedule and maximize its instructional time, rest, and development for our educators and students.”

Special-education staff also reviewed the plan. Sequoia Middle School principal Samantha Troutman, who led a subcommittee on special education impacts, said the work focused on coordinating outside therapies and services and on protecting instruction: “the most important thing you could do for a student's learning is to put a great teacher in the classroom.” The calendar's professional-development and distance-learning days are intended to provide consistent training for teachers and reduce reliance on substitute staffing.

Board members discussed community concerns about childcare and asked how the district will help families. District staff said the district has identified community partners and internal options to offer child-care resources and additional child-nutrition service days if needed; detailed plans and communications would follow if the board’s vote was approved.

The motion to approve the two-year calendars passed on a roll call. The minutes record the votes of board members who answered on the roll call at the conclusion of discussion as Yes: Missus Roulette; Mr. Denton; Mr. Allen. The board also approved associated general-consent items and related construction and operational contracts later in the meeting.

The calendars will be implemented as written for the two school years presented. District staff said any change beyond the two years would require additional study, community outreach and partnership-building for childcare and other supports.