Some say teachers in Oklahoma risk losing public support the longer their walkout goes.
The protests, and some school closures, will continue for a fourth straight day Thursday amid a movement in red states from West Virginia to Kentucky to Arizona to press for more money in classrooms.
Oklahoma Republicans passed a tax hike for hundreds of millions of new dollars for public schools and teacher pay raises. But educators marched on the Capitol anyway, bringing with them pent-up frustration after years of budget cuts, swelling class sizes and a decade without a raise.
Many teachers already are back at work, especially in rural communities where local boards didn't vote to shut down. Still, schools in the state's largest districts remain shuttered, including Oklahoma City, Tulsa and many suburban communities.