Citizen Portal
Sign In

Norman teacher urges board to heed on-time feedback, questions merit-pay survey integrity

Norman Public Schools Board of Education, District 29 · December 9, 2025

Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts

Subscribe
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Taylor Connor, an elementary teacher and Penn union member, told the board the Oklahoma Teacher Empowerment Program survey was extended, allowed multiple submissions and that on-time teacher input should be considered when the merit-pay initiative returns as an action item.

Taylor Connor, an elementary teacher in Norman and an active member of Penn (the districts bargaining unit for teachers), used the public-comment period to raise concerns about the Oklahoma Teacher Empowerment Program, a state-proposed merit-pay initiative.

Connor said the district solicited teacher feedback in October but that the surveys availability was extended two additional days and the platform allowed multiple submissions. "From the lengthening of the survey availability and not having heard from the board, I am a teacher left in the dark about something that affects teacher pay and leadership opportunities within my district," Connor said. Connor also said a staff memo dated Oct. 20 indicated the board would receive information on Nov. 1 but she had not seen the promised follow-up.

Connor noted the initiative had been brought before the board last academic year and was turned down for lack of teacher input; she asked the board and district leadership to listen to on-time, authentic teacher responses when the program returns as an action item. "My ask is for the board and our leadership to listen to the on time authentic teacher responses when it comes up for action," Connor said.

Public-comment rules announced at the meeting made clear board members would not respond to speakers during the period; the transcript records Connors comments but no board response during public communications.