Union Public Schools board approves Teacher Empowerment designation system

President Romermann and the Union Public Schools Board of Education on a unanimous vote approved the district’s proposed Teacher Empowerment Program designation system and directed district staff to submit the list to the Oklahoma State Board of Education for final approval.

The program, presented by Miss Calvin of the district’s teaching and learning team, uses state-authorized categories — advanced, lead and master — and allows Union to identify up to 10% of its certified teachers for designation. “The funds allow districts to identify and designate up to 10% of our excellent teachers as advanced, lead, or master teachers, and that would be about 100 teachers for Union,” Calvin said. Designated teachers will receive one-time stipends and additional paid workdays tied to their designation, and the district will administer a local rubric to determine awards.

Calvin told the board the district removed an earlier financial barrier after the state changed the law in May 2024 to eliminate the matching-funds requirement. Under Union’s proposal, teachers must meet the statutory minimums — including certification and a minimum years-of-service threshold — and then be scored on a local rubric that accounts for attendance, professional development, awards and recognitions, leadership and mentorship. “The rubric score will determine the designation and the additional days that they will work,” Calvin said. Teachers may apply yearly; designations are not automatic from year to year.

School and district staff said the rubric gives priority to classroom teachers if more than 10% of the district’s certified staff qualify. Calvin and other administrators also laid out operational details: teaching and learning and human resources will jointly review applications; additional workdays tied to a designation must be completed by June 30 of the school year; and the district will open an online portal and FAQ for applicants. Calvin said the district expects to submit its application to the State Board this spring so teachers can begin preparing documentation if the board-approved plan is accepted.

Board members asked about equity across grade levels and subject areas, whether National Board–certified teachers could also qualify, and how changes to the local process would be handled. Calvin said the state provides sample guidance and the district consulted other districts’ plans while designing a rubric intended to prioritize classroom teachers. She added that significant local changes would be brought back to the board and that final teacher lists must be submitted by Superintendent Dr. Federline to the State Board of Education for approval.

The motion to approve was made and seconded on the record; the roll call recorded affirmative votes from Miss McAdams, Mister Niles and others, and President Romermann cast the chair’s yes vote. After approval, Calvin said the district would make the application materials available immediately to teachers so they may begin assembling required documentation.