The Education Focus - okea.orgokea.org/assets/docs/member-resources/focus/2005/... · The Education Focus ... National Education Association Bargainer’s alert Page 3 Some bad ideas

For the membership of the Oklahoma Education AssociationFor the membership of the Oklahoma Education AssociationFor the membership of the Oklahoma Education AssociationFor the membership of the Oklahoma Education AssociationFor the membership of the Oklahoma Education Association

June/July 2005June/July 2005June/July 2005June/July 2005June/July 2005

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An affiliate of theNational Education Association

Bargainer’s alertBargainer’s alertBargainer’s alertBargainer’s alertBargainer’s alertPage 3Page 3Page 3Page 3Page 3

Some bad ideas justSome bad ideas justSome bad ideas justSome bad ideas justSome bad ideas justwon’t vanishwon’t vanishwon’t vanishwon’t vanishwon’t vanishPage 4Page 4Page 4Page 4Page 4

NEA files lawsuit toNEA files lawsuit toNEA files lawsuit toNEA files lawsuit toNEA files lawsuit tofully fund NCLBfully fund NCLBfully fund NCLBfully fund NCLBfully fund NCLBPage 5Page 5Page 5Page 5Page 5

Federal grant paysFederal grant paysFederal grant paysFederal grant paysFederal grant paysfor summer programfor summer programfor summer programfor summer programfor summer programPages 7Pages 7Pages 7Pages 7Pages 7

Presidential AwardPresidential AwardPresidential AwardPresidential AwardPresidential Awardwinners in math andwinners in math andwinners in math andwinners in math andwinners in math andsciencesciencesciencesciencesciencePage 8-9Page 8-9Page 8-9Page 8-9Page 8-9

State builds specialState builds specialState builds specialState builds specialState builds specialed HOUSSEed HOUSSEed HOUSSEed HOUSSEed HOUSSEPage 11Page 11Page 11Page 11Page 11

By Bruce Treadaway

Growing up and working in easternOklahoma, Carolyn Lewis thought shehad seen and experienced just abouteverything that part of the state had tooffer. Like so many Oklahoma publicschool teachers, she thought she wouldbe able to teach her classes at Libertyof Roland and then look back on a longand illustrious career someday.

Two years ago that all changed.Lewis had taught a variety of grades andsubjects for 14 years at Liberty when heradministrator reassigned her to a new al-

Liberty teacher never expected troubleternative education program. Within afew short weeks, the administrator rec-ommended the elimination of the alterna-tive ed program and, along with it, thereduction of Lewis as an employee atLiberty School.

Just before Lewis received noticeof the intended reduction in force(RIF), the Liberty Board of Educationadopted a new policy that removed therecall provision. In effect, Lewis wasterminated with no hope of regaining aposition at Liberty, even if a positionthat she was certified and qualified to

By Stacy Martin

The Oklahoma State Legislature ap-proved a record level of educationmoney for 2005-06, funding numerouspro-public education initiatives includ-ing all-day kindergarten, teacher raises,and fully-paid individual education em-ployee health insurance premiums.

Funding for 2005-06 is $2.15 bil-lion, including $145 million in newmoney. Besides $57.7 million for payraises, the total included $21.6 millionfor full-day kindergarten and $42.8million for fully-paid, individual healthinsurance. The legislature also madesupplemental appropriations for thecurrent budget year totaling nearly$51.8 million, bringing commoneducation’s total legislative appro-priation to nearly $200 million abovelast year.

While the first year of the four-yearsalary bill was funded, legislatorsstopped short of earmarking the moneyfor salary increases that would haveguaranteed every teacher a raise. In-stead, “legislative intent” language wasinserted in the bill, thereby giving the ap-

proximately 200 districts that now payabove the state minimum salary schedulesome degree of latitude in building theirpay scales.

About 335 districts pay on the stateminimum, and teachers in those dis-

A step in the right directionState appropriationincludes $57 millionfor salary increases

Several OEA members meet with their senators outside the Oklahoma Senate Chamberduring the Association’s Lobby Day in mid-May. About 150 members spent the day inOklahoma City, encouraging legislators to guarantee raises for all teachers.

See “Increases” on Page 2

See “Hearing” on Page 6

teach came open.“I had been a member of the OEA

all my career, and I had never had rea-son to even think about using OEA le-gal services,” said Lewis, “but whenthis happened, I had no one to turn tobut the OEA. My school wouldn’thelp. My colleagues wouldn’t help.The school board wouldn’t listen.

“I called the OEA, and the South-east staff responded quickly and deci-sively. School employees may thinkthat they can’t afford to belong to the

Page 2/Oklahoma Education Association

Volume 22, No. 8A production of OEA’s

Communications Center

The Education FocusThe Education FocusThe Education FocusThe Education FocusThe Education Focus

Roy Bishop, PresidentBecky Felts, Vice President

Lela Odom, Executive DirectorDr. Dottie Caldwell, Associate Exec. Dir.

Doug Folks, EditorContributing Editors

Marty BullStacy MartinJeff Savage

Bruce TreadawayPatti Razien

Pam Westbrook, ProofingMaureen Peters, Center Assistant

The Education Focus (ISSN 1542-1678) ispublished nine times annually with issues inSeptember/October, November, December/

January, February, March, April, May, June/Julyand August for $5 by the Oklahoma EducationAssociation, 323 E. Madison, Oklahoma City,OK 73105. Periodicals postage paid at Okla.

City, OK, and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TheEducation Focus, PO Box 18485, OklahomaCity, OK 73154

When I’ve been asked how to de-scribe the 2005 legislative session, thethought of a roller coaster ride at SixFlags comes to mind. I’m not a big fanof modern day roller coasters. With themore traditional rides, I knew when Iwas going up and when I was goingdown. With the new rides, they spinme, and then they twirl me, and thenthey turn me upside down. When I getoff, I’m dizzy, queasy and glad to beback on solid ground.

The session started with a greatdeal of hype as many new legislatorsin both Houses began their work.Along with that work was the promiseof meeting their mandate to “Put Edu-

cation First.” While the Governor laidout his agenda for schools, which wassupported by the Senate, the Housespent much of its time trying to findways to attack our past successes.

Before the new school year evenbegins, our advocates will be workingwith our local associations to preparefor the changes in the mentor teacherprocess and staff development com-mittees. It will be important for ourmembers to understand the changesand how they are affected.

With the last minute addition of asection to the governor’s education bill,SB 982, our members are going tohave to stand up for the OEA andwhat this organization has done forthem and for Oklahoma’s schools. This

section allows all other associations, in-cluding anti-OEA associations, to com-municate with our members andnonmembers where previously it wasup to the administration. We will needyou to be advocates for the Associa-tion more than ever. The best advo-cates for the Association and ourschools are you – our loyal members.

When you speak, legislators listen.Late in the session, the legislatureagreed to fund the first year of the sal-ary promise. However, they refused toearmark the money for every teacherto get a raise. You responded to our“action alert” and flooded legislatorswith phone calls. Your input made adifference. The legislature added intentlanguage letting districts know that

money had been appropriated for sala-ries. And while districts above theminimum will have to negotiate in-creases, the money is there to do thatas Oklahoma teachers move one stepcloser to the regional average. Thatwould not have happened without you.Don’t ever underestimate your abilityto effect change.

There is a great deal to read about inthis issue regarding the legislative ses-sion. By the time the roller coaster legis-lative session had ended, the legislaturehad passed laws that included $145 mil-lion new dollars to schools for nextschool year. In addition, education re-ceived nearly $52 million of supplementalappropriations to get us through this year.Common schools will receive almost$200 million in new funding. The legisla-tive promise to get Oklahoma to the re-gional average in salaries was thehighlight of this 120 day ride.

No matter how dizzy we feel at theend of this ride, we know the directionwe’re headed. We are moving educa-tion forward in Oklahoma. There is nogoing back and we should never settlefor anything less than the best forOklahoma schools.

By Roy BishopOEA President

President Roy Bishop

This session was a dizzying ride

tricts will receive the raises as definedin legislation (see chart on page 3).

“What the education communitymust know is that if this money isn’tused as intended, Oklahoma’s averageteacher pay won’t reach the regionalaverage in the next few years,”warned Oklahoma Education Associa-tion president Roy Bishop.

“It is important that we protect oursalary schedules across the state. Weneed to ensure that pay levels keep upwith what teachers are supposed to bepaid at each experience level so theend result is consistent with the priori-ties of the legislation.”

In 2004, the most recent statisticalyear available, Oklahoma teachers’ av-erage earnings were $35,061 whiletheir regional counterparts’ pay aver-age is $38,993 – nearly $4,000 more.

The Oklahoma Legislature closedout its final days by passing theGovernor’s Achieving Classroom Ex-cellence (ACE) initiative, aimed atraising student accountability andachievement.

The ACE initiative calls for reformswhich include additional end of instruc-

tion tests (EOI) for students.In other education-related agree-

ments, lawmakers decided that all state-wide professional educator associationswill have equal access to school property,including all school meeting rooms, mail-boxes and bulletin boards (See“Bargainer’s alert” on Page 3).

Also, teacher members of profes-sional development committees of schooldistricts, which oversee the professionaldevelopment programs for teachers andadministrators in a district, will be chosenby the school administration from a list of

teachers who have volunteered theirnames for consideration.

The Oklahoma Education Associa-tion and the Oklahoma Education Coa-lition led the charge to defeat an oiland gas industry ad valorem tax cut,which would have negatively impactedlocal school funding.

“Overall, it was a good year forschools and those who work inthem,” said Bishop. “Oklahoma ismaking the investment that showswe recognize the inherent value ofteachers and education.”

Continued from Page 1

Increases are first step toward regional average“It is important that we protect our salary schedules across thestate. We need to ensure that pay levels keep up with whatteachers are supposed to be paid at each experience level sothe end result is consistent with the priorities of the legislation.”

OEA President Roy Bishop

June/July 2005/Page 3

State MinimumSalary Increases

The following chart shows thesalary increases for teachers on the2004-05 State Minimum SalarySchedule as they move to the 2005-06 Minimum Salary Schedule.Teachers in districts that currentlypay above the state minimum arenot guaranteed by law to receive thesame increases, so their raises couldbe more or less than the figureslisted here.

Step 0 to Step 1 $1,3151 to 2 $5292 to 3 $5723 to 4 $6154 to 5 $6835 to 6 $7516 to 7 $8197 to 8 $8878 to 9 $9559 to 10 $1,04810 to 11 $1,14111 to 12 $1,23412 to 13 $1,32713 to 14 $1,42014 to 15 $1,51315 to 16 $1,60616 to 17 $1,69917 to 18 $1,79218 to 19 $1,88519 to 20 $1,97820 to 21 $2,07121 to 22 $2,16422 to 23 $2,25723 to 24 $2,35024 to 25 $2,44325 to off $2,111

By Doug Folks

While the 50th Oklahoma Legislatureappropriated nice pay raises for teachersand record funding for common educa-tion, it also passed several laws that re-moved rights of bargaining locals.

Roy Bishop, OEA president, saidsome of the changes have been talkedabout for years.

“To say it plainly, there is a strongcontingent in our legislature that wants tocripple organized labor in general and ourAssociation specifically,” Bishop said.“You could argue that the changes areonly fair, but it’s still hard to lose rightswe worked so hard to win.”

Among the hard-fought gains thatwere taken away were a bargaininglocal’s right to choose mentor teachersand members of its district’s professionaldevelopment committee. One of the big-gest changes to OEA locals is languagein the governor’s Achieving ClassroomExcellence Act (Senate Bill 982) thatprohibits bargained language that gives alocal exclusive access to teachers.

“While this law will help OEA insome areas, it does create a wholenew world for us and for school ad-ministrators,” Bishop said.

Following is a look at some of the billsthat bargaining locals must be familiarwith as they go to the table to negotiatecontracts this summer. Questions aboutthese and other laws should be directedto regional advocacy specialists.

SB 982, Achieving ClassroomExcellence Act and Equal Access– This bill includes several new lawsrelated to curriculum, including sti-pends for middle school math teach-ers who complete a professionaldevelopment institute (PDI) and passthe middle level/intermediate math-ematics Oklahoma Subject Area test

Legislation changes the responsibilities of bargaining locals

Bargainer’s alert

and requirements for students to passend-of-instruction tests in order tograduate.

The equal access section will changehow a district works with local associa-tions to conduct business. It reads:

“No school district, employee of aschool district, or employee organiza-tion shall deny by any means, includinga collective bargaining agreement, astatewide professional educators’ as-sociation equal access to employees ofthe school district, to the same extentthat access is granted to other educa-tors’ associations. For purposes of thissection, access shall include, but is notlimited to:

“1) Setting up informational tables atin-service or other similar teachermeetings;

“2) Speaking at in-service or othersimilar teaching meetings;

“3) Distributing information inschool mail boxes or through theschool email system;

“4) Utilizing school district meetingrooms during nonworking hours;

“5) Representing employees in em-ployment matters, when requested bythe employee;

“6) Posting information on schooldistrict bulletin boards; and

“7) Utilizing school district printingservices.”

“Any association which utilizesschool district facilities or services

shall reimburse the district for anycosts incurred by the district.”

What does “equal access” mean forOEA locals?

• It does not affect Association meet-ings that occur outside of school hours.

• The law eliminates any exclusivitylanguage that has been bargained aspart of the negotiated agreement.

• Locals should address any exclu-sivity issues during negotiations thissummer.

HB 1235, Mentor Teachers –This bill removes a local bargainingagent’s responsibility of creating a listof teachers from which mentors arechosen and hands that responsibility tothe building principal.

The new language reads, “A mentorteacher shall be selected by the princi-pal from a list of qualified teacher vol-unteers who have submitted theirnames for that purpose. After compila-tion of the list, the principal shall pro-vide opportunity for input from thebargaining agent, where one exists.Membership or nonmembership in aprofessional teacher organization shallnot be considered as a factor in select-ing a mentor teacher . . . When pos-sible, a mentor teacher shall havesuccessfully completed a mentorteacher PDI and be assigned to thesame school site and have similar cer-tification as the resident teacher.”

How should OEA bargaining localsapproach the new mentor law?

1) Encourage your members to vol-unteer and get their names on the list;

2) Identify any mentor teacher lan-guage in your collective bargainingagreement and change it to reflect thenew law;

3) Bargain procedural items such asforms, timelines, etc.

4) Negotiate the local’s input intothe process. For instance, maybe yourlocal can verify that all candidates arequalified to serve as mentors.

HB 1457, Staff Professional De-velopment Committee – This bill re-moves the bargaining agent’sresponsibility of electing members ofthe district’s professional developmentcommittee and hands that responsibilityto the administration.

Want to see a copy of the latesteducation bills to pass the OklahomaLegislature? Visit lsb.state.ok.us andclick on “text of measures.” En-rolled bills are bills that have passedboth houses. Signed bills have beensigned into law by the governor.

Bills online

Raises from ’04-05 to ’05-06

See “Staff development” on Page 4


The new language reads, “Theteacher members (of the professionaldevelopment committee) shall be se-lected by a designated administrator ofthe school district from a list of namessubmitted by the teachers in the schooldistrict. The members selected shall besubject to the approval of a majorityvote of the teachers in the district.”

How should OEA bargaining localsapproach the staff development law?

1) Encourage members to ask thatthey be considered for inclusion on theslate of candidates.

2) Identify any staff developmentcommittee language in your collectivebargaining agreement and change it toreflect the new law.

3) Bargain procedural items such asforms, timelines, etc.

4) The local should bargain the de-

tails of the voting process, the countingof votes, what happens if the slate isvoted down, etc.

5) HB 1457 also requires the localboard of education to determine thenumber of professional developmentpoints needed by teachers each year tomaintain employment in the district.Locals should bargain that number.

HB 1622, Payroll deduction andjoining or canceling membership ina professional association – Thenew law says an employee may re-quest in writing “at any time” to termi-nate or initiate payroll deductions to aprofessional organization. The districtmust meet the request within five busi-ness days or by the next pay period,whichever is earlier. And, the districthas 15 days to notify the professionalorganization of the employee’s wishes.

It is OEA’s position that a signedmembership form would constitute a

Coninued from Page 3

A number of legislative measuresdid not receive House or Senate ap-proval, including several that OEA wasable to defeat in committee. However,that doesn’t mean the ideas behindthese bills go away for good. Followingare some potentially harmful issuesthat could resurface during the 2006session. OEA will keep a sharp eyeout for bills that could prove to bedamaging to teachers and/or schools.

State Revenue ReductionEveryone enjoys a tax break, but

there is a price to be paid in reduced oreliminated state services. Oklahomansare among our country’s least taxed, yetthe first session of the 50th Legislatureconsidered 260 measures to reducetaxes. Here are the worst of the lot:

TABOR – The so-called TaxPayer’s Bill of Rights would place anartificial limitation on the growth of

government spending. Under TABOR,government growth could only equalthe rate of inflation plus the state’s rateof population growth. If Oklahoma hadhad a TABOR amendment in placethis year, education funding could havegrown only 3-4 percent as opposed tothe 7 percent it actually grew. Thatkind of revenue limitation would haveplaced the salary raise and the indi-vidual health insurance payment injeopardy. TABOR would affect all lev-els of state government, including localschool budgets.

Oil and Gas Taxes – Oil and gasindustry representatives claim they arebeing double taxed by having to payboth gross production and ad valoremtaxes in certain cases, but current lawand an Oklahoma Supreme Court rul-ing disagree with that assessment. HB1715 this session tried to eliminate the

ad valorem tax on certain oil fieldequipment, but it was defeated. None-theless, the issue is expected to comeback next session. Ad valorem taxesaccount for approximately 25 percentof the typical school district’s budget.

Property tax restrictions – Ex-pect more discussion next year onfreezing or reducing local propertytaxes. Right now, property taxes arecapped at 5 percent growth in anygiven year, but some legislators wantto lower that cap to 3 percent or even1 percent. Further restrictions on thistax would limit local school district rev-enues and could harm educational op-portunities for students.

Income tax reduction – SpeakerTodd Hiett has expressed a desire tolower state income tax to a flat 5 per-cent, down from the current 6.25 per-cent. That would result in an estimated$88 million cut in state revenues, witheducation’s portion of the loss approxi-mately $32 million.

Anti-teacher legislationA number of bills sought to eliminate

certain rights of teachers and educa-tion employees. Here are three ideas

The $2.16 billion common education funding package provided in HB 1020includes $42 million to guarantee continuance of the 100 percent state-paidsingle premium health insurance benefit for teachers and support employees. Inaddition, the bill provides more than $57 million in new money to be allocated toschool districts through the state student funding formula for the first of fouryears of pay raises for public school teachers.

Other funding amounts in HB 1020 include:! $21.6 million to fund full-day kindergarten for districts wishing to offer it;! $3 million for third-grade reading remediation;! $2 million for Governor Henry’s middle school math improvement initiative;! $2 million for middle school mathematics laboratories;! $3 million in lottery funds for the Teachers’ Retirement System;! $3 million in lottery funds for voluntary school consolidation;! $2.5 million for a new student identification/information system;! $2 million for annual stipends for nationally certified teachers under the

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards;! $1.6 million for alternative education; and! $3.7 million for other purposes, including early academic intervention and

teacher professional development.

Where the money goes

that could return next year:Elimination of due process – HB

1620 would have eliminated a careerteacher’s right to trial de novo, whichis the district court hearing for termina-tions. As initially written, the law wouldhave given more rights to a newteacher than what would have beenafforded a career teacher. The bill re-mains alive for next session.

A vote for impasse – OEA killed aproposal that would have required anall-faculty vote on whether a bargain-ing local could go to impasse. The As-sociation believes this bill would haveallowed school administrators andboards of education unfair influence inthe bargaining process. This issuecould possibly resurface.

Teacher Protection Act – HB2033 could not be more misnamed.The bill would actually increaseteacher liability while shifting liabilityaway from other groups and individu-als. Existing law already protectsteachers from unnecessary lawsuits,and giving a bill such an inappropri-ate name only confuses teachers andthe public.

Some bad ideasjust won’t vanish

Staff development committee put in hands of administratorswritten request to begin payroll deduc-tions for membership.


The National Education Associationhas filed a lawsuit against the federalgovernment demanding that PresidentBush’s No Child Left Behind Act re-ceive full funding.

Since the law’s enactment in 2002,there has been a $27 billion fundingshortfall in what Congress was sup-posed to provide schools to meet thelaw’s regulations. That has left thestates responsible for the law’s re-quirements, and responsible for a largeportion of the funding.

The funding shortage directly con-flicts with language in the law, whichsays states will not suffer an unduefinancial burden in connection withcompliance.

Cost studies in Ohio and Texas esti-mate that the price of the regulations

to state taxpayers could run as high as$1.5 billion and $1.2 billion, respec-tively, according to the NEA filing.

In addition to the NEA, plaintiffs inthe lawsuit include nine school districtsfrom Michigan, Texas and Vermont;nine NEA state affiliates – Connecti-cut, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, NewHampshire, Ohio, Texas, Utah andVermont – and the local affiliate inReading, Penn.

OEA President Roy Bishop saidOklahoma is not part of the lawsuit be-cause the state has already met so manyof the standards required by NCLB.

“Our high standards for educatorshave been in place for some time,making us a pacesetter in that arena,”he said. “It comes as no surprise;Oklahoma teachers have a reputation

for excellence and high standards. “The OEA was out front, laying the

groundwork early, and that is helpingus meet many of NCLB’s challenges.”

Still, the law remains sorely under-funded, making it impossible for manystates to meet its requirements, henoted. It is expected that Oklahomawill see the effects of underfunding inthe next couple of years, particularlylack of funding for increased testing.

There is a growing cadre of criticsof the law, including the media, stateand national legislators, minority orga-nizations, state legislatures, schools,and parent and community groups. Infact, a diverse alliance of 55 groupshave now joined together to developpositive alternatives to the law.

NEA continues to mobilize and moti-

vate its activists and to win allies to thecause. Nearly 20,000 petitions havebeen sent to Congress opposing the billin its present form.

The NEA and its members believein the goals of NCLB, but withoutproper funding those reforms can’thappen without damaging school dis-tricts nationwide. The lawsuit seeks tohelp children by achieving reasonablerevisions to NCLB’s provisions.

“The education community backsreforms that make sense,” said Bishop.“But unfortunately, this law has toomany problems to accomplish the re-form its architects wanted.”

NEA lawsuit seeks full funding of NCLB

The Oklahoma Education Association’s Black Caucus recently awardedscholarships to two high school seniors.

Takia Gross of Guthrie High School (GHS) and Emily Green of Tulsa’s DanielWebster High School (WHS) were each awarded $400.

Gross was a member of the National Honor Society, Drama Club and the Heri-tage Club at GHS. She was also listed in Who’s Who Among High School Studentsfor 2002 and 2003. She will attend Langston University, the state’s only HistoricallyBlack College or University, where she will major in criminal justice and minor in En-glish. After obtaining her undergraduate degree, Gross plans to attend the ThurgoodMarshall School of Law at Texas Southern University where she plans to study tobecome a lawyer.

Green played three varsity sports and held a job to help provide for her motherand two younger sisters, all while keeping a 3.62 grade point average at WebsterHigh. She plans to major in education.

This year, OEA Black Caucus beganplaying a more active role in recruitingminorities into the teaching profession.Recruiting brochures have been sent tostate college campuses and Caucusmembers are planning to make recruit-ing visits to the various campuses.

Black Caucus awards 2 scholarships

OEA Black Caucus member andGuthrie High School teacher JoyceAllen (left) talks with scholarshipwinner Takia Gross.

Tulsa Webster’s Emily Green

Jennifer Seal, a teacher at PutnamCity North High School, has beenawarded the 2005 Congressional Fel-lowship by the James Madison Memo-rial Fellowship Foundation inWashington, D.C.

Seal, an OEA member who ran forelection to the Oklahoma House of Rep-resentatives last fall, will work in Con-gressman Dan Boren’s office during July.She will attend congressional hearings,meet and discuss issues with other con-gressional staff members, and collect in-formation for use in her classroom.

The Congressional Fellowship isawarded and funded by the James Madi-son Memorial Fellowship Foundation, anagency of the federal government.

“We are thrilled to have Jennifer rep-resenting the Foundation on Capitol Hillthis summer. She is an outstandingteacher and James Madison Fellow,” saidAdmiral Paul A. Yost, president of theFoundation.

Seal was Oklahoma’s 1998 JamesMadison Fellow.

For more information on the program,visit www.jamesmadison.com.

Seal receivesCongressionalFellowship


By Patti Razien

Just south of the Oklahoma stateline, teachers receive salary equiva-lents up to 25 percent more than thosein our state. The incentive of earningmore money so close to home attractsmany of our graduating education ma-jors leaving, a void in Oklahoma.

Responding to this problem, the Da-Vinci Institute created the DaVinciScholar Program which was designedto help retain Oklahoma educators byoffering exceptional new teachers pro-fessional and financial incentives tobuild their careers in Oklahoma.

Three teachers from across thestate have been named DaVinci Schol-ars by the DaVinci Institute, whichhonors graduates of an Oklahoma insti-tution of higher education who are cur-rently employed as a teacher with oneto three years of teaching experiencein an Oklahoma public or private

PreK-12 school. All three winners,Paige Bergin, Shelley Cook and ElannaLindenberg, are public school teachersand members of the Oklahoma Educa-tion Association.

Bergin, an Oklahoma State Univer-sity graduate, just completed her thirdyear as a 5th grade math teacher atJarman Elementary School in Tulsa.She is currently working on her mas-

3 OEA members named DaVinci Scholars

OEA, but the absolute truth of thematter is that a school employee can’tafford not to belong to the OEA.”

The Liberty Board conducted the RIFhearing under the guise of financial dis-tress in the district. However, Libertycontinued to spend money at a rapidpace during Lewis’s two-year ordeal.

She was represented at the boardhearing by OEA Southeast staff mem-bers Larry Miller and Bruce Tread-away. Once the hearing was over andthe board had voted to accept thesuperintendent’s RIF recommendation,OEA Associate General Counsel Bran-don Webb took Lewis’s case, and fileda lawsuit against the Board for im-proper dismissal.

“Larry and Bruce had informed methat fighting this might take a longtime. When it began, I thought I wastough enough to fight for the rights thathad been denied me by the Liberty

Board,” said Lewis. “It wears on youthough. It’s hard. It’s lonely. It seemslike it will never end.”

Lewis said she was grateful for theassistance that OEA provided.

“I was in constant contact withBrandon Webb, paralegal Marian Bot-toms, or Larry and Bruce,” she said.“They were my strength. OEA re-spected my decisions and helped myfamily and me every step of the way.”

After two years, Lewis settled hersuit out of court with the LibertyBoard. Even though her ordeal isover, she still thinks back on whatmight have been, and she looks for-ward to the future.

“I would like to get back into edu-cation. I loved teaching and workingwith the kids, and they enjoyed me.If that happens, I’ll have a differentlook at the day-to-day events at aschool and at what the school boarddoes,” she said.

“I was never concerned before, butnow I advise every teacher to be con-scious of what goes on at board meet-ings and the policies that they pass.The RIF policy that I had to live with isstill in effect at Liberty and it’s still justas unfair as it was with me. I hope noone else has to go through what I did,but if they do, they better have theOEA on their side.”

Carolyn Lewis

Hearing held under guise of financial distressContinued from Page 1

ters at the University of Oklahoma.“Education is not the filling of a pail,

but the lighting of a candle,” andBergin lives by this philosophy.

Woodward South Middle School artteacher Shelley Cook was nominatedfor the award by her sister, CarriannCook, who is also a teacher. Shelleyjust completed her first year of teach-ing and believes in helping all studentssee things in a new or different light.She credits her decision to become anart teacher to her former art teacher,Roxy Merklin.

Putnam North High Schoolteacher Elanna Lindenberg was alsoone of the three who were honoredin April at the DaVinci Banquet.

Recipients of the achievement areselected by a panel of education pro-fessionals based on his or her aca-demic excellence, professionalcommitment, community spirit and

demonstrated promise to excellencein creative education.

Creativity is not limited to the finearts. The experiences of creativepeople are very similar even thoughthey may excel in widely different con-tent areas such as mathematics, socialstudies, music, visual art, English, sci-ence or foreign language.

Bergin, Cook and Lindenberg arefine examples of teachers who inspirecreativity in their students by collabo-rating with other teachers and parentsto provide an education that is neverstatic, but is an ongoing process.

Paige Bergin

Teachers have new online tools tohelp them save time and more easilymanage their classrooms and helpstudents reach their highest poten-tial, thanks to a new partnership be-tween the National EducationAssociation (NEA) and ProgressEducation Corporation.

With the NEA Teacher Toolkit,teachers can build student rosters totrack student attendance and perfor-mance or access professional devel-opment opportunities.

The website includes BasicTools that are free of charge. Ad-vanced Tools, which can be pur-chased for a modest subscriptionfee, include electronic gradebooks, advanced lesson planning,over 200,000 assessment items,and special teacher training toolsfrom education experts.

“Teachers need access to tech-nology that allows more time withour students,” said NEA PresidentReg Weaver.

For more information, visitwww.nea.org/marketplace/ttk.html.

NEA parNEA parNEA parNEA parNEA partnertnertnertnertnershipshipshipshipshipcreates web toolkitcreates web toolkitcreates web toolkitcreates web toolkitcreates web toolkitfor teachersfor teachersfor teachersfor teachersfor teachers


By Marty Bull

When Sand Springs Schools wantedto take advantage of grants funded bythe No Child Left Behind Act(NCLB), they didn’t have to look farfor an experienced grant writer. SandSprings EA member Rita Montgomerynot only had the skills to write thegrant, she had the vision to help makethe project successful.

“As a special ed teacher I’m alwaysconcerned about my students maintain-ing their skills during the summermonths,” said the Pratt Elementaryteacher. “Our program is a great wayto combat this situation, not only formy students but for all students.”

The 21st Century CommunityLearning Centers Program (CCLC) isa key component of NCLB. Grant re-cipients develop programs so studentsand their families can continue to learnnew skills and discover new abilities.

Montgomery spent the summer of2003 working on the grant. She ap-proached the process as if moneywere no object.

“I didn’t want my thinking to be re-strictive,” said the 12-year veteranteacher and current Sand SpringsTeacher of the Year. “I knew, ofcourse, we couldn’t do everything butby expanding our thinking we came upwith a very effective program.”

Montgomery’s time was well spentbecause Project Summer Spirit (PSS)received full funding from the CCLCfor three years and partial funding foran additional two years. The programwas launched in 2004.

The focus of the CCLC is to pro-vide expanded academic enrichmentopportunities for children attending lowperforming schools. In Sand Springs,

preference was given to Title I eligiblestudents from Central and GarfieldElementaries, then opened to all el-ementary students within the district.

The Sand Springs summer pro-gram is designed around three basicparameters: the need to provide stu-dents a safe place to spend theirsummers, nutrition and ongoing edu-cation opportunities.

After considering several differentdelivery systems, the idea of a summercamp seemed to best fit the needs ofthe Sand Springs students.

“Kid’s love summer camp, andparents need a safe environment fortheir children,” said Montgomery.“Project Summer Spirit allows us tomeet the needs of our students andtheir parents.”

During its first year, 337 studentswere enrolled in the summer pro-gram located at Central in downtownSand Springs.

“Central was chosen in part be-cause of its downtown location,” saidMontgomery. “By the end of the sum-mer, the community had become ourlargest classroom.”

Campers can choose as many asthree courses in each of the two ses-sions. Approximately 15 activities wereoffered in 2004. That number has in-creased to almost 40 different choicesto the more than 600 students alreadyenrolled for 2005.

Offerings include acting classes,computer skills, space exploration, ur-ban hiking, Egyptian hieroglyphics, artsand crafts, Spanish and much more.

“Our teachers had such a greattime last summer that they were evenmore creative this year,” said Mont-gomery. “There is something for every

child and every interest.”If the number of students continues

to grow, PSS may have to add anothercampus to the program. Montgomeryand co-director Cathy Hula are alreadylooking to the future.

Federal grant bringssummer enrichmentto Sand Springs

“We are thrilled with the responseto Project Summer Spirit,” said Mont-gomery. “With the community’s sup-port, we believe this program will bearound for a long time.”

More than 600 Sands Springs students are taking advantage of a summer enrichmentprogram, thanks to the grant writing of special education teacher Rita Montgomery.

The Oklahoma RedHawks, the state’s TripleA affiliate of the Texas RangersBaseball Club, will hold an OEABack-to-School Baseball Bash Sat-urday, August 6, at the SBCBricktown Ballpark.

First pitch will be 7:05 p.m. forthe RedHawks vs Portland Beaversgame. Discounted tickets for OEA Mem-bers and their families start at $6. For more de-tails, call Johnny Walker at (405) 218-1000, ext. 202.

RedHawks planning OEA night


By Stacy Martin

Edmond educator Ruthie Raynerhas a passion for teaching. Her class-room practices recently won her na-tional recognition for science teaching.

The John Ross Elementary School5th grade teacher was one of twoOklahoma winners of a $10,000 Presi-

dential Award for Mathematics andScience Teaching prize, recognizingeducators for creative teaching prac-tices. Jenks’ Lynn Peacher won thePresidential Award for Mathematics(see story on Page 9)

“Students learn best by hands on ex-perience,” said Rayner. “I let theirimaginations lead us where we go. Idon’t just gloss over the material.”

Rayner is a generalist at JohnRoss, where educators teach in self-contained classrooms, handling mul-

A passion for teachingEdmond’s Ruth Rayner leads her students to new levels

tiple subjects. But it is her approachin science teaching which attractednational attention.

Rayner revels in helping her stu-dents to take science learning to adeeper level.

Her students have dissected a pig’sheart and lungs, and have examinedthe bones from a cow. Humananatomy fascinates them as well.

“One of the nice things about science

is that the kids are just naturally curious,so getting them to take risks and askquestions is not so difficult,” she said.

“We have a great community in ourclassroom, where you’re expected toparticipate and be challenged. ‘Scienceis never perfect,’ I tell my kids, ‘soyou’re never wrong.’”

She also leads her students to newlevels of thinking by encouraging them towork as teams and by challenging them

to accomplish what they previouslythought couldn’t be done. In fact, achiev-ing the impossible is well-known at JohnRoss as Ruthie Rayner’s motto.

“I tell them that nothing is impos-sible,” she said. “If you truly want it tohappen, it can happen.”

In one instance, she challengedher students to use creative thinkingto balance nine nails on a single nail.Her students succeeded without re-sorting to using any other materialsto accomplish the task.

Often, her students enjoy them-selves so much they hardly realize howmuch they are really learning.

“I want students questioning and hy-pothesizing as much as possible,” shesaid. “At times, they don’t even realizethey’re applying what we learn in theirscience experiments.”

Science isn’t Rayner’s only area ofexcellence. She was John Ross Elemen-tary Teacher of the Year in 2003 andwas named The Oklahoma Council forSocial Studies Elementary Teacher of theYear for 2005. She achieved NationalBoard Certification in 2003.

“I truly have a passion for what Ido,” she said. “You have to be a life-long learner and really want to perfectyour teaching practices. If that’s yourgoal, you will find out what the bestpractices are.”

Presidential Science Award winner Ruthie Rayner (right) shares a laugh with some ofher students at Edmond’s John Ross Elementary. From left are students Seth Liggins,Shae Bailey and Madison Beck.

By Bruce Treadaway

Janis Young, Shawnee MiddleSchool language arts teacher, was re-cently honored as an “Oklahoma Ter-rific Teacher” by KWTV Channel 9,the CBS affiliate in Oklahoma City.

Young was nominated by one of herstudents, Keldin Choat, who waswatching television when he saw apromotion for the “Oklahoma TerrificTeacher” program, sponsored byChannel 9 and Indaco Metals. Choat’smother told him that he should nomi-nate Young. He did, and she was cho-sen from over 100 nominations.

Choat’s recommendation stated,“This is my first year at Shawnee

Schools. Before I came here Istruggled in school. Ms. Young hashelped me to become a student who ison the honor roll. She supports all herstudents in academics and sports. Shemakes reading a lot more fun for me. Ijust think she is the best teacher I haveever had!!!! She’s a single mother andstill finds time for her students.”

Young had previously taught at otherShawnee schools and at Little Axeeast of Norman. She dropped out ofteaching for two years and tried otherjobs, but she soon realized that teach-ing was her calling.

This summer, Young will be one oftwo Shawnee teachers and 14 students

who will go to Shawnee’s sister city,Nikaho, Japan. She is also the aca-demic coach and Student Councilsponsor at SMS.

Shawnee’s Janis Young honored by KWTV Channel 9

Janis Young receives a check from JoeInda, president of Indaco Metals, aswinner of the KWTV Channel 9’s“Oklahoma Terrific Teacher.” Young wasnominated by Keldin Choat (left), who isone of her students.

PresidentialAward

for Science


By Stacy Martin

Jenks East Elementary schoolteacher Lynn Peacher says profes-sional development and a commitmentto excellence helped her win a nationalaward for teaching creatively.

Peacher is one of two Oklahomaeducators who won a $10,000 Presi-dential Award for Mathematics and

Science Teaching. Edmond schoolteacher Ruthie Rayner of John RossElementary School was Oklahoma’sother recipient (see story on Page 8).

A commitment to learning the bestteaching techniques has helpedPeacher achieve national distinction. Inaddition, the fourth grade math educa-tor is quick to credit both Jenks admin-istrators and her peers for her success.

The district provided what she de-scribes as meaningful professional de-velopment with Dr. Grayson Wheatley,Florida State University elementarymathematics professor, a renownedprofessional development consultant.East’s teachers were able to not onlyattend his professional developmentsessions, they also were in constanttouch with Dr. Wheatley during aseven-year process.

In addition to all that, Peacherlearned even more by reading, re-searching and learning the best prac-tices. Finally, she works closely withher peers, providing all of the school’steachers a chance to share and refinetheir techniques. She is clearly proudto work in a school filled with so manyexcellent, committed educators.

Peacher said she has several teach-ing techniques that work well for her.

Jenks East Elementary’s Lynn Peacher helps fourth grader James C. Hillenbrand with aclassroom exercise. Peacher recently won the Presidential Award for Mathematics.

Commitmentto excellencebenefits students

A favorite is problem-based learning,which utilizes spatial learning conceptsto bring math problems to life. Thistakes the process of solving problemson a blackboard to authentic learningfor students.

To that end, Peacher’s classroom isadorned with many tools of the trade.For example, there are multifaceted

cubes the children can manipulate to il-lustrate equations. The walls of herroom are adorned with geometric tap-estries that represent mathematicaltheories which students created.

It’s not often students can have op-portunities to devour their math prob-lems. Peacher sometimes uses colorfulM&M candies, inviting her students todivide them in different ways. One ofthe by-products of her approach is thatshe quickly grasps how her studentsthink. This makes her a more effectiveeducator, she said.

She uses a variety of teachingstyles to meet individual studentneeds and concepts. To introduce anew concept, she may start with in-structive techniques.

“If they get the right answer and itmakes sense to them, it is good math-ematics,” Peacher said. “They have tobe accurate. It has to be efficient. Ithas to be fluid. They have to be able tomanipulate and use math reasoning indifferent ways.

“Problem-solving, experiential learn-ing is often misunderstood,” saidPeacher. “You cannot just say, ‘Here’sa problem – now go discover multipli-cation.’ That’s not really what it is. Yougive them different opportunities toconstruct mathematics mentally. There

can be several different strategies thatyou’re introducing.”

In Peacher’s class, creative teach-ing helps successful students flourishand once-struggling students overcomelearning hurdles.

“That’s what it’s all about,” she said.Excellence is nothing new for

Peacher. She was 1999 State Teacherof the Year and was a finalist for Na-tional Teacher of the Year. Now thatshe has a few personal milestones be-hind her, next she plans to tackle Na-tional Board Certification.

Presidential Award for Mathematics

By midsummer, NEA members in all54 affiliates will be able to apply for long-term care insurance through the NEALTC Program. Thanks to the complianceprocessors at Mutual of Omaha, theproduct’s underwriter, state insurance de-partments in all required areas have ap-proved the NEA product.

The program provides:• 10 percent discount for NEA

members and their families;

Long-term care coverage soon available nationwide• 30 percent spouse/domestic part-

ner discount (10 percent for otherhousehold members);

• 15 percent preferred health discount;• Qualified advisors to help mem-

bers select the right plan for them andtheir families; and

• Telephone, Internet and in-personassistance.

NEA Member Benefits recently re-leased the all-new long-term care insur-

ance pages at www.nealtc.com. Thepages provide educational materials formembers that address the costs of long-term care services, how to assess theneed for long-term care insurance, andfeatures of the NEA MemberCareLong-Term Care Insurance Program.

For more information, call NEAMember Benefits at 800/637-4636, orthe NEA LTC Service Center at 800/884-2675.


By Bruce Treadaway

What began in April 2002 as a wayfor Shawnee seventh graders to learnmore about wildlife, hunter safety, ar-chery and aquatics has blossomed intoa much anticipated yearly event.

Recently, Shawnee Middle School(SMS) teacher and OEA memberLinda Haselwood celebrated herfourth year as coordinator of theOutdoor Camp. Game wardens andother outdoor experts from acrossthe state offer SMS students ahands-on approach to the outdoors,and lunch provided compliments ofArvest Bank in Shawnee. T-shirtsare designed by SMS students eachyear commemorating the event.

The camp is conducted in “sta-tions.” One station has the students us-ing shotguns to shoot at clay pigeons,another station lets stu-dents have a hand atcatching fish (and thereare plenty of fish tocatch), and a mountainman explains everything

about black powder firearms.At another, the students are led on a

nature walk, and archery is introduced atyet another station. Students rotate sta-tions until they have visited each one.

“Getting ready for the OutdoorCamp each year is now a year-roundactivity,” Haselwood said. “A tre-mendous amount of effort is put intothe day’s activities, and the Shawneecommunity has responded with thefinancial support that we must haveto conduct and continue to conductthe camp.

“I can’t say enough about the timeand effort that the Wildlife Depart-ment puts into the camp, and we alsohave full support of the Shawneeschool administration.”

The camp wouldn’t happen withoutthe generosity of time, talent and re-

sources of local volunteers. Dr. JoeTaron helps with fund-raising andcooks for the campers and volunteers.Haselwood’s husband, Bill, provides asmany as 600 apples as snacks.

Dr. Bill Buchanan, who teaches asports ministry class at OklahomaBaptist University, brings as many as20 of his students to help. Also, sev-eral teachers and parents pitch ineach year.

For many of the Shawnee seventhgraders who participate in the OutdoorCamp, this is their first experience with

the outdoors. It is an eye-opening ac-tivity that helps broaden their world,and it gives them a different perspec-tive on what nature and outdoor livinghave to offer.

For some it will spark a lifelong loveof the things that they can experienceand learn from being outside and awayfrom television sets and video games.Even though preparation for the Camp isdifficult and time-consuming, Haselwoodalways looks back at the end of the dayand can see that all the effort and plan-ning is worth the results.

Shawnee campexposes 7th gradersto the great outdoors

Seventh grade students get instruction in archery, firearmsand fishing at Shawnee’s Outdoor Camp each spring.

June 2005 is the online start update for Organizing Team NEA, anew website in the Members Onlysection of nea.org.

The site will publish stories fromacross the country about local andstate affiliates that have been suc-cessful in recruiting new membersand energizing current members to dowhat is necessary to improve thelives of NEA members. Whether it isachieving a first-ever collective bar-gaining agreement, electing a pro-education school board, or winning alocal bond election, Organizing TeamNEA will tell the story and share the

tools used in the victory.The first weeks of Organizing Team

NEA will feature a contest where onelucky member will win $500. Memberswill also be able to buy the new TEAMNEA t-shirt.

Check for the site’s opening atwww.nea.org. Once at the site, clickon “Members and Educators,” then“Members Only,” and, finally, clickon “Organizing Team NEA.”

Members, presidents, committeechairs and staff will all find Organiz-ing Team NEA a great source of in-formation and inspiration to empowermembers.

New NEA website focuses on membership

Dr. Joe Taron cooks hotdogs for campers and volunteers atthe Outdoor Camp for Shawnee seventh graders. Taronhelps coordinate fund-raising for the annual event.


By Doug Folks

Special education teachers nowknow exactly what they have to doto be considered “highly qualified” inOklahoma.

The Oklahoma State Departmentof Education (SDE) recently issuedthe state’s version of the High Objec-tive Uniform Statewide Standard of

Name: _______________________________________________ Teacher Number: ___________________ Subject Area: Special Education

National Board Certification

in any subject

(Column 1)

Coursework in the

Core Academic Subject Areas for Special Education Teachers

on Official Transcript

(Column 2)

Years of

Satisfactory Teaching Experience in an

Accredited School

(Column 3)

Service in the Content Area

(Column 4)

Awards, Presentations,

and Publications in Special Education

Content Area

(Column 5)

Professional Development

(Column 6)

Achievement of Students Taught

(Optional)

Semester hours of coursework with a grade of "C" or better in - English - Reading/Language Arts - Mathematics - Science - Foreign Language - Social Studies - Art - Music An EDUC/CIED or any other education prefix is not acceptable except for reading hours. Credits earned using the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) are acceptable provided they are reflected on the official transcript.

Also Semester hours of content coursework taught in an institution of higher education are acceptable

Must be employed as a

full-time teacher or special education

teacher, teaching the core academic subjects any portion of the day including co-teaching

Rationale: A. State-mandated

professional development, 1981

B. State-mandated uniform teacher evaluation system, 1986

C. State-implemented Priority Academic Student Skills (PASS) objectives, 1993

Served as a: - Department chair/team leader - Mentor teacher - Cooperating teacher for intern/student

teacher - Academic club sponsor - Academic judge - Membership in a regional, state, or

national professional content organization - Officer in a regional, state, or national

professional content organization - Committee member on a local, state, or

national committee to develop, select, evaluate, or validate content standards, curriculum, or assessments

- Other (provide documentation)

- District teacher of the year - State teacher of the year finalist - State teacher of the year - Milken Family Foundation

National Educator Award - Present academic content at local,

state, regional or national professional meetings

- Published a content article in regional, state, or national journal

- Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

- Outstanding Educator Awards from content professional organizations

Must be content-specific

to core academic subject area (one point

per clock hour)

- Professional development related to Priority Academic Student Skills (PASS) - 1993

- Documented

increase in student test

scores - Competed in

student academic competition

• 4 points per semester hour earned or

taught

~ ~ ~

If Column 1 is equal to or greater than

100 points, you are Highly Qualified.

STOP HERE

A. Fall 1981 - Spring 1986 1 point per year B. Fall 1986 - Spring 1993 2 points per year C. Fall 1993 - To Present 3 points per year

Maximum 49 points.

• 10 points for any one item. • 20 points for two or more items.

Maximum 20 points.

• 10 points for any one item. • 20 points for two or more items.

Maximum 20 points.

• 1 point per professional

development clock hour

Maximum 30 points.

• 10 points for any

one item. • 20 points for two

or more items. Maximum 20 points.

# Hours: ________ X 4 = _________

A. B. C.

Prof. Dev. Hours: _______

TOTAL Points:

TOTAL Points:

TOTAL Points:

TOTAL Points:

TOTAL Points:

TOTAL Points:

HOUSSE options provided by the Oklahoma State Department of Education to help schools comply with the federal mandates of No Child Left Behind.

BUILD YOUR HOUSSE

SPECIAL EDUCATION (Grades PK-12)

Oklahoma's High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) Checksheet for Demonstrating Subject Competency (For teachers with Special Education Certification.)

100 Points = Highly Qualified

Total of columns 1-6: __________

May 2005

100 Points = Highly Qualified

# YearsExperience:

AND/OR AND/OR AND/OR AND/OR AND/OR

(Documentation required.) (Documentation

required.) (Documentation required.) (Documentation required.)

START

IN

OKLAHOMA

IF NATIONAL

BOARD CERTIFIED

YOU ARE

HIGHLY QUALIFIED

STOP HERE

100 Points

Evaluation (HOUSSE) (see the chartbelow). It is similar to the state’smultisubject versions for regular edu-cation teachers in early childhood andelementary, and allows special educa-tion teachers to earn highly qualifiedstatus without taking a test.

“The OEA was heavily involved in ev-ery step of the process,” said OEA

President Roy Bishop. “No other educa-tion Association had as much input in thespecial ed HOUSSE as OEA provided.”

Bishop added that veteran specialeducation teachers should have no prob-lem proving they are highly qualifiedthrough the HOUSSE. The NationalEducation Association is making Okla-homa’s HOUSSE available to other stateaffiliates as an excellent example of howto structure a HOUSSE.

According to the SDE, theHOUSSE was specifically designedfor teachers with special educationcertification teaching prior to De-cember 3, 2004. It was developed sothat special ed teachers who areteaching two or more core academicsubjects can accumulate pointsthrough coursework and professionaldevelopment.

Teachers with special educationcertification who were teaching priorto December 3, 2004, and who are notable to show highly qualified status

through the HOUSSE have until June30, 2006, to become highly qualified.

Special education teachers new tothe profession – those teachers hiredafter December 3, 2004 – and teachingmultiple subjects, have two additionalyears after the date of employment tobecome highly qualified. To build aHOUSSE, those “new” teachers mustfirst hold special education certificationand an additional certification in one ofthe core academic subjects of earlychildhood education, elementary edu-cation, mathematics, language arts orscience, and then they may build amultisubject HOUSSE.

The SDE has announced that datacollection for highly qualified specialeducation teachers will be done in con-junction with the annual Application forAccreditation completed each October.

For more information about highlyqualified status for any teacher, OEAmembers are encouraged to call their re-gional Teaching and Learning Specialist.

HOUSSE ready for special ed teachers

When you get your new member-ship card next fall, it will provide youwith a whole new world of benefits.

The OEA Access card will offermembers discounts from 123,000 mer-chants nationwide, including 1,143 inOklahoma. You’ll find discounts onmovies, travel services, dining, enter-tainment and more. The best part isyou will be able to add your local fa-vorite businesses to the list.

Access added 67 new Oklahomamerchants to the list in the last month,including 25 percent off at Hastings

bookstores, two-for-one admission toSun ‘n Fun Park in Ponca City, 15 per-cent off at Red Lion Hotels, and 50percent off at Hawthorne Suites.

Remember, only OEA members willhave access to these discounts.

New membership card brings discounts


Local representatives to the 2005Delegate Assembly unanimously ap-proved the 2005-06 budget and reaf-firmed OEA commitment to theAdequacy and Equity (A&E) Pro-gram.

The annual business meeting, held inlate April in Oklahoma City, drew 340local delegates and 48 guests.

The approved budget includes thesecond year of a $5 dues add-on tofund the Association’s A&E Project,which will ask the courts to determineif Oklahoma schools are funded ad-equately. The project also includes anorganizing component. A password-protected website that contains a data-base of negotiated contracts is alreadyavailable to local leaders and bargain-ing teams.

By approving next year’s budget,delegates also agreed to designatemoney for an image media campaignthat will run at the beginning of thecoming school year. It has been twoyears since OEA ran ads on radio andtelevision statewide.

OEA’s budget is based on member-ship dues, but 15.5 percent of thebudget’s revenue comes from the Na-tional Education Association (NEA).Among NEA dollars is nearly $691,000for ’05-06 to support OEA delivery ofservices in the field. The Kate Frank/DuShane Fund will provide $320,000reimbursement for legal expense in de-fense of the rights of OEA members.

NEA will provide $65,000 to supportthe OEA/NEA Member Benefit pro-gram, and grant additional money forspecial projects which do not appear inthe OEA budget.

In other business, delegates ap-proved a constitutional amendment thatchanges the way education supportprofessionals are seated on the OEABoard of Directors. Now, the OEApresident will appoint ESP representa-tives to the board while maintaining thecurrent one board member to every1,000 members.

“This change maintains the samelevel of ESP presence on our board ofdirectors, but it greatly reduces the

Delegate Assemblyreaffirms commitmentto Adequacy & Equity

length of the process to get thosemembers on the board,” said OEAPresident Roy Bishop.

Delegates considered two sepa-rate new business items concerningnational certification for profession-als who receive certification throughmeans other than the National Boardfor Professional Teaching Standards(NBPTS) process. In the end, del-egates reaffirmed OEA’s commit-ment to NBPTS and asked for anopen meeting at next October’s OEA

Convention on the certification andlicensure requirements for positionssuch as counselors, psychometristsand speech pathologists.

In other action, delegates voted tosupport Carolyn Crowder’s candidacyfor re-election to the NEA ExecutiveCommittee. Crowder, a teacher in Mus-tang and former OEA president who is inher first term on the NEA ExecutiveCommittee, will announce her intent torun for re-election at this summer’s NEARepresentative Assembly.

Shirley Nero, a retired delegate at large from Warner, waits for her chance to addressthe 340 representatives at April’s Delegate Assembly.

A new federal law requires schoolbus drivers to obtain an “S” endorse-ment by September 30 in order to keeptransporting students.

For new school employees whohave no prior driving experience, anendorsement is obtained by taking awritten test and a driving test. Forthose who have driving experienceand current commercial licensing, therequirements are determined bywhen individuals last obtained theirtraining and testing.

For any school bus driver who wastested and trained prior to September1, 2002, the driver must submit a DL-

18 form to the Department of PublicSafety, filling out all portions, and mustpass a written test as well as submit afingerprint blot. The driver may obtaina waiver of the driving test as long ashe or she has a clean driving record.

What constitutes a clean record is de-termined by the Department of PublicSafety, but generally any ticket for 15mph or over will be considered “unclean”as, of course, will any alcohol related of-fenses, multiple tickets under 15, etc.

Any school bus driver who wastested and trained after September 1,2002, needs only to submit the sameDL-18 form and only fills out the first

portion (as designated on the form)and must supply a fingerprint blot. Nowritten or driving test is necessary.

The OEA has determined thatmost school districts around the statehave already provided training or aremaking plans to train drivers in ac-

School bus drivers must obtain new “S” endorsementcordance to the new law. The Na-tional Education Association has cre-ated training materials and the OEAis prepared to help districts with anytraining requirements. For more in-formation, call your regional Advo-cacy Specialist.


By Bruce Treadaway

Staples recently donated another$25,000 to education foundations andkicked off a paper recycling programduring a special ceremony in Okla-homa City.

The Oklahoma Education Associa-tion Foundation was one of the founda-tions to receive $1,000 that day. OEAand Staples began the “Recycling forEducation” partnership four years ago,encouraging schools to donate emptycomputer printer ink cartridges for re-cycling. So far, Staples has donated$80,000 to public school foundationsacross Oklahoma and expects to reachthe original goal of $100,000 in dona-tions in September.

“This has been a tremendously suc-cessful project,” said Staples regionalmanager Joe Lada. “Empty printer ink

Staples recycling programdonates another $25,000

cartridges continue to come in for recy-cling, and the new paper recycling effortwill not only help with our precious natu-ral resources but also help an effort toplant trees all over Oklahoma.”

The day’s events were highlightedby a tree planting ceremony at WillRogers Park. OEA local associationsand public school foundations thatparticipated in the event all receivedColorado Blue Spruce trees to takehome and plant.

In addition to the OEA Foundation,Staples made contributions to schoolfoundations in Ardmore, Choctaw, DeerCreek, Edmond, Enid, Jenks, Lawton,Midwest City-Del City and Moore.

Also, Muskogee, Mustang, Norman,Oklahoma City, Oklahoma State Uni-versity, Putnam City, Shawnee, Stillwa-ter, Tulsa and Yukon.

The Personal Legal Services Pro-gram (PLSP) was designed and imple-mented by your OEA GeneralCounsel’s Office and the White LawFirm. Great care was taken to ensurePLSP would be easily accessible andoffer the type of legal services thatwould meet the needs of OEA mem-bers and their families.

Teachers and Education SupportProfessionals (ESP) across the statewho maintain an active OEA mem-bership receive a variety of valuablelegal services, typically at nocharge. For example, drafting ofwills (including amendments), uncon-tested divorces, uncontested modifi-cations to divorce decrees (includingchild support), consultation and assis-tance in creditor disputes, namechanges and misdemeanor cases arefully covered and require no out-of-pocket costs to an OEA member, hisor her spouse or dependent children.

Other legal services are provided ata substantially reduced rate resulting ina huge savings to OEA members andtheir families. Reduced rate servicesinclude personal injury cases, nursinghome negligence and insurance badfaith, just to name a few.

The White Law Firm takes greatpride in the legal service we provide toour clientele. We have had the plea-sure to represent OEA members andtheir families through this program forover nine years. Since 1996, we haverepresented in excess of 6,000 teach-ers or their loved ones in a wide vari-ety of cases.

The level of service that we provideto all OEA members and their familieshas led numerous OEA members torecommend us to their friends andother family members. Even with thislarge volume of cases, the White LawFirm takes the time to provide personalservice to each client we help.

The White Law Firm carefully

Take advantage of your Personal Legal ServicesBy Joe E. White, Jr.

The White Law Firm

evaluates each case to ensure that weobtain the maximum compensation forthe loss suffered by our client. Our re-sults in helping clients with personal in-jury, nursing home negligence andinsurance bad faith cases by way ofjudgment or settlement currently ex-ceed $30 million dollars. We havefound that juries across this great stateappreciate the teachers and ESPs intheir communities who are workinghard to educate the next generation ofOklahomans.

Personally speaking, any time I amfortunate enough to represent ateacher who has been injured throughsomeone’s negligence, juries appearmore willing to fully compensate thatperson because of who they are andwhat they represent.

Please familiarize yourself with allof the available benefits that accom-pany your OEA membership. I particu-larly encourage you to review theOEA membership benefits associatedwith the PLSP. The White Law Firmmaintains four attorneys and one para-legal who are ready, willing and able toassist at a moment’s notice.

In closing, every education em-ployee should know the ABC’s of pro-tecting themselves and their loved onesand who to turn to when help isneeded. We are proud to be associatedwith the OEA and the members it rep-resents. Our goal is to keep you in-formed that we are here for you and tokeep PLSP in mind the next time youneed help.

The OEA is the only state organi-zation in the NEA family to offer le-gal assistance to its members foroff-the-job legal problems. Throughthe Personal Legal Services Program,members have access to free legalservices, or services at discountedcosts.

If you need help for one of the fol-lowing services, call OEA’s Centerfor Legal and Corporate Services at800/522-8091, or 528-7785 in centralOklahoma.

Free services include:° Wills, including amendments;° Name changes;° Uncontested modifications to di-

vorce decrees;° Defense of misdemeanor

charges;° Paternity support enforcement;° Powers of attorney;° Uncontested divorces;° Uncontested adoptions (steppar-

ent adoptions only); and° Consultation and assistance in

creditor disputes.

Other situations allow a memberfive hours of free legal service, withany additional time covered at a re-duced rate. Those situations include:

° Personal injury;° Felony charges;° Contested modifications to di-

vorce decrees;° Wrongful death;° Nursing home neglect; and° Contested divorces

PLSP Highlights

Joe E. White, Jr.


Educators attending the NationalEducation Association (NEA)’s 2005Representative Assembly will tacklehot topics that are front and center ineducation today – improving studentachievement, boosting outreach to mi-nority communities, and building stron-ger bonds between parents and thenation’s public schools.

This year’s Annual Meeting andRepresentative Assembly will takeplace July 1-6 at the Los Angeles Con-vention Center in California. Thetheme of the 2005 Annual Meeting is“Team NEA: Fighting for You, YourSchools, Your Students!”

The Oklahoma Education Associa-tion will send 96 delegates to Los An-geles, where they will join more than9,000 delegates to debate pressing is-sues in education and set policy for the2.7 million-member Association.

NEA members will deliberate on ahost of issues around which the Asso-

ciation has developed strategic initia-tives. These include:

• Encouraging a greater role for par-ents in school improvement;

• Moving all students – includingstudents of color, poor students, ruraland urban students, and second-lan-guage learners – to even higher levelsof achievement;

• Fixing and funding the so-calledNo Child Left Behind law; and

• Attracting and retaining the bestteacher and education support work-force with fair, professional pay.

On July 3, delegates will hearfrom NEA President Reg Weaver,who will launch NEA’s campaign forbetter schools.

“A coalition of educators and par-ents and grassroots people of good will– Democrats, Republicans, and inde-pendents alike – united by their sharedvalues would be a powerful alliance,”said Weaver. “NEA can lead the way,

helping our fellow citizens find thecommon ground for such an alliance –because that common ground happensto be the higher ground of our nation’sshared commitment to children, to pub-lic schools and to America’s future.”

Also addressing the delegates will beJason Kamras, 2005 National Teacher ofthe Year; Kathleen Lange, 2005 NEAEducation Support Professional of theYear; and Cheryl Brown Henderson,2005 NEA Friend of Education.

Other highlights will include:• The 39th Annual Human and Civil

Rights Awards Dinner will be held onJuly 2, where 11 activists and educa-tors will be honored for promoting so-cial justice and dignity in their localcommunities.

• Student members, retired mem-bers, education support professionalsand higher education members willgather on June 27 for Outreach toTeach. NEA members will repair,

RA delegates to tackle key education issuespaint, clean and landscape at FranklinD. Roosevelt Middle School inCompton, Calif.

• NEA’s Read Across America willhost “Red Carpet Read-In” on July 1where delegates will treat local young-sters to entertainment, art activitiesand a good book.

• On July 2, a pre-RA symposium,“Critical Issues in Education,” will fea-ture sessions on closing the achieve-ment gaps, reaching out to minoritycommunities, bringing fairness to edu-cator pay and updating schools with21st century technology.

Exhibits, featuring educational prod-ucts and services from more than 200organizations and vendors, will also beon display in the Los Angeles Conven-tion Center.

Further information about NEA’sAnnual Meeting and RepresentativeAssembly can be found at www.nea.org/annualmeeting/index.html.

The Support Employees of Edmond(SEE) held a spring bingo event as partof its Great Public Schools program ef-fort, said SEE President Ed Whitson.

The event featured prizes providedby area vendors and cash giveawaysto build both member and nonmemberparticipation in local activities.

The local recruited seven new mem-bers directly or indirectly as a result ofthe bingo gathering. SEE was also pre-paring for its annual end-of-school yeargolf scramble to be held in June.

These activities allow local mem-bers to get together and have fun and

to have the opportunity to build rela-tionships. It has also facilitated SEE’sgrowth pattern, Whitson explained.

SEE is Oklahoma’s largest and fast-est-growing support local, with a rosterof 161 members.

Another step SEE took this springwas to take its communications ef-forts to the next level with creationof a formal newsletter, logo and otherwritten materials.

Developing a brand helps create asolid identity for the organization, lead-ing to an even greater presence in theEdmond Public School system,Whitson said.

The Great Public Schools programteams the local affiliate, the OklahomaEducation Association and the NationalEducation Association under a compre-hensive plan to build local organizingand membership strategies.

Bingo event helps Edmond supportlocal recruit new members

Jon W. Blaschke, M.D.

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As OEA and its affiliates gear upfor another year of membershipgrowth, local leaders are turning to the2005 OEA Summer Leadership Acad-emy for new and creative ideas to at-tract and retain Association members.

The annual event, to be held July27-28 at the Holiday Inn Select inTulsa, sets the stage for local leadersto connect with one another, hone theirleadership skills and reap the rewardsof membership growth.

“Connecting with members and po-tential members is essential to buildingstrong local Associations,” said OEAVice President Becky Felts. “Ourmembers will leave Tulsa with an arse-nal of techniques that will not only at-tract new members but strengthentheir locals organizationally.”

OEA staff specialists will guide par-ticipants through a series of skill sessionsthat will bring about positive results.

“Polls indicate that potential mem-bers are more likely to join if they havethe opportunity to talk one-on-one witha peer,” said Felts. “The goal of thisyear’s academy is to provide the infor-mation and the skills to help recruitersfeel more comfortable during theseconversations.”

Each participant will get the op-portunity to choose different topicsthat will enhance the local’s organi-zational development before puttingthe information to practical use. Top-ics will include “What Do Genera-tions X & Y Want?,” “NEA MemberBenefits,” “Politics R Us,” “Talk ItUp!,” “New Teacher Events and Be-yond,” and “One-on-One Conversa-tions.” Sessions will be upbeat andpacked with information participantscan use to enhance recruiting in theirlocal association.

“This year’s program has a simulationcomponent that will allow our membersto practice the skills presented,” saidFelts. “It’s a great opportunity to exploredifferent techniques and expand how weapproach membership recruitment andmembership retention.”

OEA’s 2005 SLA runs from 1 p.m.Wednesday, July 27, through 4 p.m.Thursday, July 28. The $30 registrationfee includes all conference materials,breaks and lunch on the 28th. All othermeals and lodging are the responsibilityof the conferees.

For more information, contact yourregional team or Cindy Manning at800/522-8091.

Members find out how well they can work together to build a jigsaw puzzle during aworkshop exercise at the OEA’s 2004 Summer Leadership Academy.

Summer LeadershipAcademy will offer avariety of workshops

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