Oklahoma Schools Add Minutes to Make Up for Snow Days

Districts try to recover lost instructional time after a week-long winter storm closure.

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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Several school districts in the Oklahoma City area were forced to close for an entire week due to a severe winter storm last week. Now, these districts are working to make up the lost instructional time by adding extra minutes to the start and end of the school day.

Why it matters

Snow days can significantly disrupt the school calendar and impact the amount of time students spend in the classroom. Districts need to find ways to recover this lost time to ensure students receive the required instructional hours and stay on track academically.

The details

To make up for the week-long closures, some Oklahoma City-area school districts are extending the school day by adding 15-30 minutes to the beginning and end of the school day. This extra time will be used to provide additional instruction and make up for the lost days.

  • Last week, several school districts in the Oklahoma City area were forced to close for an entire week due to a severe winter storm.
  • Districts are now adding extra minutes to the start and end of the school day to recover the lost instructional time.

The players

Oklahoma City-area school districts

School districts in the Oklahoma City metropolitan region that were impacted by the recent winter storm closures.

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What’s next

Districts will continue to monitor the situation and may need to explore additional options, such as extending the school year or holding Saturday classes, if the added minutes are not sufficient to make up the lost time.

The takeaway

Snow days can have a significant impact on school schedules, and districts must be proactive in finding ways to recover lost instructional time to ensure students stay on track academically.