Board approves 2024–25 calendar revision, tables 2025–26 amid debate over virtual day and election-day scheduling

The Edmond Public Schools Board on Dec. 12 approved a revision to the 2024–25 calendar to convert an April scheduled day off into an instructional day to make up an earlier inclement-weather cancellation. The motion passed unanimously.

Board debate over the 2025–26 and 2026–27 calendars focused on two contested elements: (1) a proposed "virtual" instructional day on Oct. 20 (the Monday after fall break) paired with staff development, and (2) whether to make election day a districtwide holiday in some years. Several board members and staff expressed concerns about the Oct. 20 virtual day’s instructional value and the burden it places on working parents; others said a known remote-instruction day can help ensure instruction if winter weather forces closures. "I hate the idea of just doing a virtual day just to do a virtual day," one board member said. Several members asked staff to return with alternatives, including removing the virtual day and accounting for the instructional time elsewhere.

On election day, the calendar committee proposed making Nov. 2 (an election day) a student/staff day off in select election years, citing challenges for employees who need at least three uninterrupted hours to vote. Board members noted that many voters use early voting or mail ballots, questioned whether the change was necessary districtwide and asked staff to quantify how many employees are affected by mid-day voting conflicts.

After extended discussion the board approved only the 2024–25 revision and voted to table the 2025–26 and 2026–27 calendars to allow staff to return with alternatives addressing the board’s concerns about virtual days, the proposed two-day Presidents' Day block and election-day scheduling. Staff said an existing 2025–26 calendar had been previously approved and that tabling the proposed changes would not prevent district planning; they will return in January with revised options.