'Teacher Empowerment Program' Created To Recognize High-Performing Oklahoma Teachers

Lawmakers spent a majority of this past legislative session working on education. They passed school security laws, private school tax credits and an across-the-board teacher pay raise.

Lawmakers also created the Teacher Empowerment Program, which aims to recognize and compensate some of the highest performing teachers in the state. 

“I think it's going to be a very good incentive to keep teachers in the classroom,” said Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat. “The teacher empowerment fund was set up to reward professional teachers.”

The fund is broken into three categories:

1. Advanced teachers will get a minimum raise of $3,000
2. Lead teachers will get a minimum raise of $5,000
3. Master teachers will get a minimum raise of $10,000 

On top of that, the district will match the district level raises, meaning teachers will have the opportunity to get $6,000, $10,000 or $20,000.

“The state provides half of that funding, the district provides the other half,” said Treat.

Lower income districts have the opportunity for a stipend to cover part of the district portion of the raises, between $1,500-5,000.

Ultimately, the districts will decide what qualifications teachers need to meet for each of the three categories, but the state does have some recommendations.

“Each designation, they need to go above and beyond, so some of those are going to be mentor teachers, some of those are going to really excel at some innovative program,” said Treat.

For advanced teachers, the state recommends:

1. Minimum of three (3) years' experience as a teacher
2. Earned a “highly effective” or “superior” rating on TLE
3. Mentoring new teachers
4. Team or school committee leader
5. School Teacher of the Year

For lead teachers, the state recommends: 

1. Minimum of five (5) years' experience as a teacher
2. Earned a “highly effective” or “superior” rating on TLE
3. Mentoring new teachers
4. School or district committee leader
5. Leading school-wide professional development
6. District Teacher of the Year

For master teachers, the state recommends:

1. Minimum of seven (7) years' experience as a teacher
2. Earned a “superior” rating on TLE
3. Holds a National Board certification
4. Coaching teachers
5. District or state committee leader
6. Leading district-wide or state-wide professional development
7. State Teacher of the Year or Finalist

Districts will be allotted a maximum of $120,000 for the Teacher Empowerment Fund, or $40,000 to give to teachers in each of the three categories.

“Those that go above and beyond deserve more pay,” said Treat.

Treat says multiple districts expressed concerns about applying to the fund over the summer.

“There was a lot of rhetoric going around that - ‘Hey this isn't going to be funded, districts don't need to apply, it's just a waste of time,” said Treat.

Treat worked with the State Department of Education to ensure they were getting the proper funds into the lottery. He wants to ensure districts understand there is $22.58 million in the fund, ready to go to Oklahoma teachers.

“There's real money there now - and teachers can be rewarded for it,” said Treat. “I hope and I encourage districts across the state to apply for it,” said Treat.

Districts can submit their designation plans for this next period between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15. Those plans must include which teachers they would like to give the raises to, and what their qualifications are.