Officials in the Oklahoma City (Okla.) school district announced say campuses will be closed Friday for a fifth consecutive day as teachers continue to participate in a statewide walkout.
The Daily Oklahoman reports that the missed days have begun to eat into the summer recess for students. The last day of the school year for students will be May 30 instead of May 29.
The Oklahoma City district, the state's largest public school system, already has exhausted four weather days built into the 2017-18 calendar, and will have to use a professional development day set aside for teachers on May 30 to make up the day of instructional time.
The state's second largest district—Tulsa Public Schools—also has canceled classes on Friday.
Despite the ongoing teacher protests at the state capitol, Senate Majority Floor Leader Greg Treat says the Oklahoma Senate will not drastically change education spending.
“I don’t anticipate any modifications to the education budget going forward,” Treat told reporters Thursday.
The Oklahoma House passed legislation late Wednesday that would raise $19.5 million for education by amending the sales tax on purchases through Amazon and other online retailers. The Senate can take up that bill and a gambling bill estimated to raise $22 million as early as Friday.
It's not clear whether approval of the House sales tax legislation and gambling bill would be enough to end the teacher walkout
