Better Schools Winter 2026

WINTER 2026

Fundamental Resources and Editorials for School Administrators

THE GOLD STANDARD WHY THESE OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS EARNED THE BLUE RIBBON PAGE 24

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NEW ADA WEB ACCESSIBILITY RULES

ELITE STATUS: SULPHUR CLAIMS ACT AWARD

RESEARCH INTO WHY TEACHERS LEAVE

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We’rehelping helping Oklahoma schools We’re Oklahoma schools We’re helping Oklahoma schools We’re helping Oklahoma schools takecare care of of the team that takes take the team that takes take care of team take care ofthe the teamthat thattakes takes care of their students! care of their students! care careof oftheir theirstudents! students!

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Your Oklahoma Partner

Our team provides Oklahoma with a different opinion. When you partner with us, you get the unique value of working with a local provider. Not only are your dedicated representatives local to Oklahoma, but we also service your entire account from our Oklahoma City headquarters. From billing, customer service, claims, compliance support and technology, we deliver a local experience for you and your employees.

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CONTENTS CCOSA Executive Committee Laura Bullock CCOSA Chairperson OMLEA Past President Director of Special Services, Idabel Public Schools Michelle Dalton CCOSA Vice Chairperson ODSS President Director Special Services, Krebs Public Schools Dale Spradlin OASA President Superintendent, Buffalo Public Schools Dr. Stacey Butterfield OASA President-Elect Superintendent, Jenks Public Schools

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Leadership Conversations If You Can Read This, Thank a Teacher

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Three of the state’s teacher preparation experts share research on the deepening impact of Oklahoma’s teacher shortage – and what works to retain them.

By Dr. Pam Deering, CCOSA/OASA Executive Director

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2025–26 CCOSA Legislative Goals for Oklahoma Public Schools

Our unified set of shared priorities for this legislative session.

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By Dr. Bryan L. Duke, Dr. Kimberly Pennington, and Dr. Jennifer Oswald

42

OASA FY26 Mid-Term Factor Analysis

By Derald Glover, OASA Assistant Executive Director

Joe Ballard OASSP President Principal, Poteau HS

Q&A: What Schools Need to Know – and Do – About New ADA Web Accessibility Rules

By Dr. M. Ann Levett, Senior Vice President, Leadership Network AASA

46

New technical requirements and deadlines are now in place.

Blaine Wise OASSP President-Elect Principal, Glenpool MS

Amy Estes OAESP President Principal, Hollis ES

By Paige Kelpine, CCOSA Director of Communications

By Jason Hayes, Principal of Edmond Santa Fe High School and 2025 OASSP High School Principal of the Year

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Dr. Ryan Glaze OAESP President-Elect Principal, Jenks East ES Leslie Burnett ODSS President-Elect Director Special Services, Pryor Public Schools Scott Farmer PAC Representative Superintendent, Fort Gibson Public Schools Dr. Gregg Garn Higher Education Liaison University of Oklahoma

Strengthening the Pipeline: How to Support Aspiring Administrators

In this reprint from Principal Leadership magazine, we meet Edmond Santa Fe High school teachers who have made a successful transition to district administration.

John Potter OMLEA President Assistant Superintendent, Pryor Public Schools Skeeter Sampler OMLEA President-Elect Director Secondary Education, Lawton Public Schools

Reframing Public Education: A New Narrative for Leaders

Fresh off her session at CCOSA’s Legislative and Mid-Winter Conference, an AASA leader describes the Public Education Promise framework.

Facts and calculations for school funding in the current fiscal year.

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When Pathways Multiply but Teachers Leave

Don’t Take the Bait

CoSN Update

62

Read to Lead The John C. Maxwell Book Series

How school leaders can understand and take effective action against rage baiting.

By Paige Kelpine, CCOSA Director of Communications

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Building a Culture of Support

Collinsville Public Schools is building an MTSS system that works across its secondary schools.

By Kelly Hamlin, Jackie Jones, and Michelle Cross of Collinsville Public Schools

How the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) has been supporting district leaders in digital learning and data privacy.

In the second of a three-part series, a CCOSA leader contrasts Maxwell’s Leadershift with another important work involving change theory.

By Dr. Jeanene Barnett, CCOSA Director of Policy, Research, and TLE

ON THE COVER: Lomega Elementary School students and faculty were recently honored as an Oklahoma Blue Ribbon School.

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CONTENTS CCOSA Staff Dr. Pam Deering CCOSA/OASA Executive Director Derald Glover OASA Assistant Executive Director Chris LeGrande OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director Glen Abshere OAESP Executive Director

First graders know reading is fundamental to success at Arapaho-Butler Elementary School, which was recently named an Oklahoma Blue Ribbon School.

24 And the Blue Ribbon Goes To…

These five Blue Ribbon Award-winning schools are setting the standard for student achievement.

Here, administrators share their secrets to success.

Andrea Kunkel CCOSA General Counsel ODSS Executive Director Dr. Jeanene Barnett Director of Policy, Research, and TLE Kathy Dunn Director of Professional Learning, State and Federal Programs Paige Kelpine Director of Communications Cynda Kolar Business Manager Lynne White OAESP Executive Assistant & Assistant to the TLE Director Jen Knight Executive Assistant Kasiah Mims OASA Executive Assistant

As part of its Good to Great to Elite framework, Sulphur Public Schools began celebrating student academic growth in 2023.

30 Good to Great to Elite

How one south-central Oklahoma school district is building a sustainable culture of growth with successful professional learning efforts.

By Matt Holder, Superintendent of Sulphur Public Schools

ASSOCIATION UPDATES 51 OASA 55 OASSP/OMLEA

59 OAESP 61 ODSS

Catherine Goree OASSP/OMLEA/ODSS Executive Assistant

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Leadership Conversations

If You Can Read This, Thank a Teacher Dr. Pam Deering, CCOSA/OASA Executive Director deering@ccosa.org

Taken straight from a car bumper sticker, the words in this headline speak the truth. As the upcoming legislative session is upon us, I am hopeful that teachers will receive a raise, literacy will be prioritized through strengthened classroom support – such as instructional coaches, reading specialists, and interventionists – and students will receive the early reading support they need in the primary grades.

Effective teachers, sufficient resources, and intentional, targeted support make a difference – NOT arbitrary third-grade retention.

Multiple bills have been introduced around these policy issues. Of most interest: Will the state truly create a long-range plan for investing in public education, specifically for literacy?

CCOSA has developed a literacy framework that outlines key components that can lead to success.

Core Pillars of a Statewide Plan ■ Pillar 1: High-Quality Instructional Materials ■ Pillar 2: Assessment, Data, and Literacy Plans ■ Pillar 3: Educator Preparation, Professional

Learning, and Coaching

■ Pillar 4: Targeted Intervention, Acceleration, and

Promotion Policies

■ Pillar 5: Family and Community Partnership

After researching other states and their successful reading initiatives and implementations, the “recipe” appears to have been: 1. State leadership – Governor, House, Senate, and State Superintendents/Commissioners believed and worked together to commit resources over a period of time with the goal of improved reading achievement.

2. Training for reading instruction started with school and district leaders in Mississippi, then shifted to teachers.

3. Higher education teacher education programs were mandated to train in reading instruction.

4. Support to the classrooms through a large cadre of instructional coaches was key to continued improvement over the long term.

5. Patience and persistence with the eye on the goal were emphasized, not an immediate fix.

6. Materials and education were available for families to emphasize the importance of early reading.

We have met with legislators and the State Department of Education to discuss the framework, seek their input, and identify next steps for working together for a statewide literacy plan. It is our responsibility as educators to stay informed about these key policy issues that will make a difference for our students’ academic success, improve salaries to encourage teachers to stay in the classroom, and hopefully recruit more teachers into the field.

You remember your favorite teachers and the influence they had on your life. If they are no longer with us, be sure to talk about them to others and what they meant to you. If you can read this, thank them in some way for making a difference for YOU! Respectfully,

Dr. Pam Deering Executive Director Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA) ■

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2025–26 CCOSA Legislative Goals for Oklahoma Public Schools The CCOSA 2026 Legislative Goals were developed through a multi-step process.

First, the umbrella member associations and their leadership committees developed goals related to their individual associations. Next, those individual goals were assessed for commonalities across all the associations. Finally, those commonalities were combined into a draft of CCOSA Legislative Goals and approved by the CCOSA Executive Committee in December. Together, they represent a unified set of shared priorities for this legislative session.

ACADEMICS CCOSA will…

■ Support a plan for investment

into innovative learning initiatives to improve outcomes in reading and math and other academic areas.

■ Continue to support modernized

graduation requirements and the elimination of barriers to support flexible college and career pathway programs, including concurrent enrollment, dual credit options, and career tech opportunities.

■ Support virtual day exceptions for

local administration of the ACT test.

FUNDING CCOSA will…

■ Support increased investments in

operational costs to fund important innovations for students and to keep up with inflation and increased property insurance costs.

■ Support teacher and support

employee salaries, including related service providers, with the goal of reaching the regional average for perpupil funding and increasing starting salaries for new teachers.

■ Oppose unfunded mandates and

any attempts to divert public funds to non-public schools.

■ Oppose any attempts to reduce

local funding sources without replacing those funds at the state level.

■ Support public education

retiree efforts for a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA).

ACCOUNTABILITY CCOSA will…

■ Support efforts to streamline the

accreditation process in statute to

assure support to districts while reducing redundant reporting.

■ Support the continued

development and implementation of evidence-based curriculum materials and accountability measures with multi-criteria indicators of student growth.

LOCAL CONCERNS CCOSA will…

■ Oppose any legislation that

removes educational decisions from locally elected Boards of Education.

■ Oppose the expansion of charter

■ Support equal accountability for all

schools receiving public dollars.

schools without input from local Boards of Education or local community support.

■ Support reducing bureaucratic

■ Continue to provide funding to

regulations and oppose administrative rules not required by law.

EMPLOYEES CCOSA will…

■ Support legislation to address the

current teacher, including related service providers, and support staff shortage.

■ Support the elimination of barriers

to allow retired teachers to re-enter the classroom upon retirement without restrictions or additional costs to school districts.

support student safety measures.

FEDERAL CCOSA will…

■ Support efforts to maximize and

work against reductions to Oklahoma federal education funds.

■ Work with the legislature to

establish guardrails to protect federal funding for districts with the potential of federal funds disbursements through state block grants.

■ Support the expansion of E-rate

funding. ■

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OASA FY26 Mid-Term Factor Analysis

By Derald Glover, OASA Assistant Executive Director The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) recently sent out the mid-term funding allocations and the new funding factor. The adjustment to the initial allocation is made at mid-term each year based upon changes in valuations and changes in the weighted average daily attendance at each school. The state funding formula factor saw a nice increase in January since the OSDE holds out 2% of the state appropriation at the beginning of the year to cover growth in WADM and because the valuation grew several million dollars. To help our members to understand the FY26 mid-term factor amount and what determined it, OASA is providing the following analysis.

Facts:

■ The state had $2,975,150,202 available for the

mid-term formula calculation. This number consisted of the initial allocation with the 2% ($59,914,606) holdout for mid-term growth added back in and some adjustments for penalties and overpayments. Money was already held out in the initial allocation for Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships, five new charter schools, and the “Grow Your Own” program.

■ WADM increased from the initial 1,201,112.68 WADM

to 1,215,844.68. This was an increase of 14,732 WADM compared to a 15,388 WADM increase last year. Note: This is a “high year” comparison.

The actual first quarter WADM dropped 8,794 students to a total of 1,191,940. This will be closer to the number that will be used in the FY27 initial calculations.

■ Transportation funding increased $129,369 from

the initial FY26 amount.

■ As is the standard rule, dedicated chargeables

stayed the same. OSDE had already added the final month of county four-mill collections in the August adjustment.

■ There were 82 schools whose chargeables

exceeded the foundation aid on top of the formula.

These schools accounted for 39.4% of the gross production revenue for the state and 18% of the valuation.

■ Of those 82 schools, 43 were also off the bottom

of the formula.

■ A total of $82,214,929 of chargeables were

collected over and above the formula, a decrease of almost $1.7 million from last year.

■ The total increase in valuation dollars for mid-year

was $87,404,649, up from $63,734,711 last year.

■ Combining the increase in valuation with the 2%

holdout, and then subtracting the transportation, the formula had an additional $147,189,886 to cover the cost of the additional 14,732 students. This resulted in a $72 increase to the factor, bringing it to $4,345.23.

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Mid-Term Factor Calculations FY26 Mid-Term State Appropriated Dollars Available for FY26 Formula:....................$2,975,150,202 (After 2% set-aside was added in, new charter weights adjusted, and penalties/adjustments) Plus, Total Chargeable Dollars for Mid-Term FY26 Formula:............................... $2,345,275,888 (After $86,034,330 is deducted for the 82 schools off the formula) Minus Transportation Funding...............................................................................................-$37,559,838 Total: $5,282,866,252 FY25 Mid-Term High Year WADM = 1,215,844.68 $5,282,866,252/1,215,844.68 = $4,345* *Note! Actual OSDE factor is $4,345.23. Any difference is due to rounding.

Gain to factor (rounded to nearest dollar):........... $4,345 - $4,273 = $72 per WADM increase For details from the Board of Equalization’s December 2025 meeting, including certified FY26 revenues and the amounts available for FY27 appropriations, click this link and then on “FY26.” ■

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Q&A: What Schools Need to Know – and Do – About New ADA Web Accessibility Rules

By Paige Kelpine, CCOSA Executive Director of Communications

Q: A:

What changed with the ADA and school websites?

In 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice finalized a rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that requires state and local governments, including public schools, to make their websites and mobile apps accessible to people with disabilities.

While accessibility has long been required, this rule establishes a specific technical standard and compliance deadlines. www.w3.org/ WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/

Q: A:

Why should school leaders and communicators pay attention now?

Digital communication is how schools deliver services.

Enrollment, calendars, emergency alerts, and daily updates increasingly live online. If content is not accessible, families and community members with disabilities may be unable to access information, complete forms, or participate fully.

Q: A:

What types of content does the rule apply to?

The rule applies to most digital content that schools control, including websites, online forms, documents, videos, social media posts, web portals, and mobile apps.

Q: A:

What accessibility standard do schools have to meet?

The rule adopts Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, a widely used accessibility standard covering items like alt text, captions, keyboard navigation, structure, and color contrast.

Q: A:

When do schools need to be compliant?

Entities serving 50,000 or more people must comply by April 24, 2026. Those serving fewer than 50,000 have until April 26, 2027.

Q: A:

Q: A:

What role do communications teams play?

Q: A:

What about vendors and third-party platforms?

The Department of Justice recommends a step-by-step approach: Learn the rule, confirm the compliance date, assign roles, train staff, take inventory of websites/ apps/content, review exceptions, determine what must meet WCAG, identify fixes, prioritize work, review vendor contracts, and create policies to keep accessibility sustainable.

Q: A:

What is the most important takeaway?

Q: A:

Does this mean districts have to fix everything at once?

Q: A:

What happens if districts do not meet the deadline or compliance expectations?

Q: A:

Are there any exceptions?

Q: A:

What should districts do if they’re behind on accessibility?

How do we know whether our deadline is 2026 or 2027?

The timeline depends on population size, and districts should confirm their classification using official sources. The Department of Justice explains that for independent school districts, population is determined using the 2022 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), not employee counts or school enrollment.

Q: A:

What does DOJ recommend districts do first?

No. Schools should focus first on new and updated content, high-impact services, and high-traffic pages while maintaining a plan for steady progress.

Some older or archived content created before the compliance deadline may be exempt, but accessible access must still be provided if requested.

Q: A:

Who should be responsible for accessibility in a district?

Accessibility works best with clear ownership. Many districts designate an accessibility lead or cross-department team including communications and technology staff.

A major one. Many accessibility barriers come from everyday content decisions.

Training content creators is one of the most effective steps districts can take.

Vendors can assist, but legal responsibility remains with the school district. Accessibility expectations should be included in contracts.

Accessibility is a shared responsibility across schools and districts and a core part of equitable access to school information and services.

If a district does not meet the deadline, it may be considered out of compliance with the ADA and could face complaints, investigations, or legal action. Even before the deadline, districts are required to provide accessible alternatives when requested. Districts that show good-faith efforts and documented progress are better positioned than those that take no action.

Start by addressing new and high-impact content, assign clear ownership, and create a realistic plan with documented progress.

Provide accessible alternatives when requested and respond promptly to reported issues. Taking visible, good-faith steps now is far better than waiting or doing nothing. ■

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DON’T TAKE THE BAIT Rage Baiting and School Leadership

By Paige Kelpine, CCOSA Director of Communications When Oxford University Press named “rage bait” its word of the year for 2025, it didn’t introduce a new term so much as give language to a behavior, rage baiting, many educators already recognized. For Oklahoma’s superintendents, principals, and educators, the term likely felt familiar. It described something they had been managing, often quietly, for years.

Schools have always been places where emotions run high. What has changed is the scale, speed, and strategy behind how outrage is manufactured and how often schools become the target. Rage baiting is no longer confined to online comment sections. Now it spills into classrooms, boardrooms, and front offices, sometimes accompanied by individuals who arrive already convinced that wrongdoing has occurred.

Rage baiting thrives in moments of uncertainty, distrust, and heightened emotion. In today’s environment, schools are especially vulnerable.

What Rage Baiting Looks Like in School Communities Rage baiting is not the same as disagreement, criticism, or even anger. It is a deliberate tactic. It relies on selective framing, emotionally charged language, and rapid amplification to provoke a predictable response – outrage, sharing, demands for action, and at times, even personal attacks.

In school communities, rage bait often appears as: ■ Short video clips of classroom

moments shared without instructional context

■ Screenshots of materials separated

from grade level, standards, or learning objectives

■ Social media posts framed as

“concern” that imply misconduct without confirmation ■ Fear-based language designed to

provoke moral panic

■ Calls to “expose” educators outside

established district processes

What makes rage bait so effective is not accuracy, but urgency.

Not New – But Supercharged by the Attention Economy Outrage has long been used to capture attention. What is different today is the digital environment that rewards it. Content that provokes strong emotional reactions travels faster, reaches wider audiences, and lingers longer than careful explanations or verified facts. In today’s attention economy, outrage is increasingly no longer about public debate but a business model that digital algorithms amplify and monetize.

For school leaders, this creates an uneven playing field. Districts must verify information, protect student and employee privacy, and follow established procedures when investigation is warranted. Rage bait

has no such obligations. By the time facts are reviewed and shared, a misleading narrative may already be firmly established and perhaps even have gone viral.

When Rage Moves Offline For education leaders, rage baiting is not just a communications challenge. It has become a safety and operational concern.

Across the country, school leaders report increased hostility tied to viral claims, some of which escalate into threats, coordinated pressure campaigns, or confrontations at school sites and board meetings.

Even when the claims are not credible, the results of the disruption are real: emergency responses, interrupted learning, heightened anxiety, and staff burnout. Students are often caught in the middle of these disruptions, experiencing increased anxiety, confusion, and interruptions to the learning environment.

The emotional toll on educators and students cannot be dismissed.

When decisions about curriculum, instruction, or school operations become flashpoints for public outrage, the sense of personal risk increases, particularly for those in visible leadership roles.

Why Oklahoma Schools Feel This Acutely Oklahoma’s education landscape has been shaped by high-profile political debates and social media amplification. District-level issues can quickly escalate from a single post to statewide attention in hours.

Social media creates situations

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decisions are often interpreted through political or ideological lenses rather than educational ones.

As a result, even online claims can have real-world consequences for school communities and the people who lead them. Oklahoma school leaders are navigating a growing reality: Online claims often have tangible consequences for schools and staff.

What School Leaders Can Do

The Rise of Community Vigilantism

2. Centralizing communication and limiting direct staff engagement with online controversies

Many administrators are now encountering a new dynamic: individuals or groups acting as informal enforcers. These “community vigilantes” may film staff, confront educators, or broadcast accusations without review or context.

This behavior is often rooted in a belief that institutions cannot be trusted and that immediate intervention is necessary. Rage bait undermines trust in leadership by portraying careful decision-making as a lack of accountability.

Rage bait is designed to provoke reaction. Leadership requires restraint.

School leaders can reduce harm by: 1. Naming the pattern internally and training leadership teams to recognize rage bait tactics

3. Responding deliberately and acknowledging concerns without amplifying outrage 4. Proactively providing content about instructional decisions and complaint processes 5. Treating online threats as safety issues, not public relations problems 6. Publicly and clearly supporting educators targeted by harassment Sustainable leadership relies on systems, not reactions.

Leading Beyond Rage Rage baiting did not suddenly appear.

What has changed is its range and intensity. For Oklahoma school leaders, the challenge is not avoiding conflict but preventing disagreement from being hijacked by systems that reward anger, speed, and exhibition.

Rage bait seeks to rush and divide. Effective leadership does the opposite – remaining steady, transparent, and student-centered, even when baiting is loud. ■

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AND THE BLUE RIBBON GOES TO… A science lab at Amber-Pocasset High School.

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In December, the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) announced the recipients of the 2025 Oklahoma Blue Ribbon Award, recognizing schools across the state for exceptional academic performance and commitment to student success.

Although the U.S. Department of Education discontinued the National Blue Ribbon Schools program in August 2025, OSDE had previously certified these schools for nomination. The award celebrates excellence in education, honoring schools that exemplify the highest standards and serve as models for communities statewide.

As part of the Blue Ribbon application, the schools’ administrators were asked to provide a summary in response to the following question: “What was the main factor that led to the award recognition for your school?” We are including their responses below. Please join CCOSA in congratulating them for their exemplary work.

Amber-Pocasset High School “The main factor that led to Amber-Pocasset High School being recognized as a 2025 Blue Ribbon School is the combined dedication of our students, staff, and community, all grounded in a shared commitment to maintaining exceptionally high expectations. Our academic rigor is a defining feature of our school.

Students who enroll from other districts frequently comment on how much higher our standards are and how the level of challenge surpasses what they experienced elsewhere. They recognize quickly that our teachers expect their best effort, hold them accountable, and provide the support needed to meet those expectations. This culture of rigor is intentional – teachers use data-driven strategies, collaborate to strengthen and personalize instruction, and design meaningful, challenging learning experiences that empower students to acquire the skills and knowledge to navigate today’s complex world.

The culture and school climate at Amber-Pocasset High School further demonstrates how our high expectations extend beyond academics. We truly feel that culture and energy is as important as curriculum. Students often share that they can feel that we genuinely want the best for them – not just in the classroom, but in their personal development, behavior, and future goals. The staff models professionalism, perseverance, and positivity, reinforcing that

Students working on art projects in the Amber-Pocasset art classroom.

excellence is expected across the board. Students rise to these expectations because they know they are surrounded by adults who care deeply about their success and believe in their ability to achieve at high levels.

The overall strategy for excellence is to develop and maintain strong relationships with our community partners, as they play a vital role.

Families, staff, and local organizations actively support our mission, helping

us maintain consistent standards and ensuring students have access to resources that enrich and extend their learning. Ultimately, this recognition is rooted in a culture where high expectations, strong relationships, and shared commitment drive outstanding student achievement.”

– Bobby Odam, Principal

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Arapaho-Butler Elementary School “Being named a National Blue Ribbon School – one of only six in Oklahoma – is an incredible honor, but is not the result of a single program or initiative. It is the outcome of years of intentional work focused on culture, climate, and a relentless commitment to excellence.

At the heart of our success is the culture of our elementary school.

Each day begins with personally greeting students as they arrive, sending a clear message that each child is seen, known, and valued. Our staff works intentionally to create an environment where children feel safe to learn, grow, and take risks. Clear, consistent expectations provide structure and stability, allowing students to focus on learning rather than uncertainty.

Equally important is a teaching staff that takes great pride in ensuring every child achieves their highest potential. Student success is not optional or selective; it is an expectation for all. While outcomes are clearly defined, teachers are trusted as professionals to approach their subjects in ways that best meet the needs of their students. They are not micromanaged but empowered to use their strengths, creativity, and expertise. This trust fosters trust, innovation, and ownership while maintaining high standards.

Our strategy for excellence is intentional and disciplined. The master schedule reflects teacher strengths, placing educators where they can have the greatest impact.

Students enjoy the science fair at Arapaho-Butler Elementary School.

Instructional time is protected so meaningful teaching and learning remains the priority. We remain focused on the fundamentals, knowing strong core instruction, delivered consistently, provides the foundation for long-term success.

Butler for 20 years, this success belongs to our teachers and an unwavering support from our community. Their commitment and continual dedication to doing what is best for students is noticeable and appreciated.”

This recognition did not happen overnight. While I have served as elementary principal for Arapaho-

– Brad Southall, Principal

Fort Gibson High School “‘Challenging Students to Achieve’ is the overarching mission statement that drives the educational process at FTGHS. By promoting a holistic approach, we strive to meet the varied needs of all students through the implementation of a rigorous curriculum, innovative and engaging instruction, and various modalities of evaluation.

Fort Gibson High School freshmen geometry students show off their projects.

The building-wide curriculum philosophy is rooted in Dr. Bill Dagget’s Rigor and Relevance Framework. Using this model, FTGHS teachers utilize a common lesson plan template for every class as they intentionally plan for incorporating reading, writing, speaking, and reasoning into their daily instruction.

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Fort Gibson High School juniors collaborate during a biology project.

The faculty and students of Lomega Elementary School.

Additionally, all teachers create a relevance statement, explain the ‘why’ behind learning objectives, push students to engage with the lesson material at higher levels on Bloom’s Taxonomy, and draw connections between other subjects. Thus students are better equipped to think critically and succeed in post-secondary activities.

Lomega Elementary School

The instructional model utilized at FTGHS is based on the Authentic Teaching Framework. Developed by the University of Oklahoma, this framework accentuates the use of student-centered learning, construction of knowledge, inquirybased learning, and real world connections. Trained in these methodologies in 2024, FTGHS teachers now facilitate the learning process by authentically integrating exciting technology with engaging strategies that foster critical thinking, collaboration, research and reporting, investigation, and much more.

Student assessment is a mainstay of the instructional mission at FTGHS. Beginning in the 9th grade, all students take an ACT benchmark test and receive structured support in core subjects to promote growth. This process is repeated in the 10th grade with the Pre-ACT and 11th grade with a district-paid ACT administered in the fall. Additionally, 11th grade students receive ACT prep during a fall workshop, an ACT accelerator course in the second trimester, as well as a modified schedule during ACT prep week before the spring assessment.

Through this approach, we are dedicated to ensuring that all students are fully equipped to successfully transition into the college or career pathway they choose.”

– Ben Pemberton, Principal

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“The primary factor that led to our school’s award recognition was the intentional alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to ensure high levels of learning for every student. Our faculty committed to a rigorous, standards-based curriculum that is vertically aligned across grade levels and responsive to student needs. Through collaborative planning and ongoing professional learning, teachers use data-driven instruction to identify gaps, adjust pacing, and design targeted interventions and extensions.

with meaningful opportunities to demonstrate understanding.

Instructional practices across classrooms emphasize student engagement, critical thinking, and real-world application of knowledge. Teachers implement research-based strategies such as formative assessment, differentiated instruction, and structured academic discourse to ensure all learners – including diverse and underserved populations – can access and master grade-level standards. Technology is purposefully integrated to personalize learning and provide students

Ultimately, our school was recognized because curriculum and instruction are not treated as isolated initiatives but as a cohesive system centered on continuous improvement. By maintaining high expectations, supporting teachers, and placing student learning at the core of every decision, our school has created an instructional framework that consistently produces excellence and equity.”

A defining strength of our instructional program is the culture of collaboration among educators. Professional learning communities meet regularly to analyze student work, reflect on instructional practices, and share successful strategies. This collective responsibility for student success has resulted in measurable academic growth, increased student confidence, and sustained improvement across content areas.

– Cory Wilson, Superintendent

Students at Lomega Elementary School show off their pumpkin-painting skills.

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As part of a math lesson, third grade students at Woodlands Elementary cut out a graphic organizer to add to their interactive notebooks.

Woodlands Elementary School, Ponca City Public Schools “A primary factor leading to Woodlands Elementary’s award recognition is its intentional, studentcentered approach to curriculum and instruction. Woodlands delivers a vertically aligned curriculum grounded in the Oklahoma Academic Standards, ensuring continuity and coherence across grade levels while maintaining the flexibility needed to meet diverse student needs. This alignment allows students to build skills progressively and confidently, creating a strong foundation for longterm academic success.

Instruction at Woodlands emphasizes clarity, engagement, and differentiation. Teachers clearly communicate learning objectives so students understand expectations and can monitor their own progress. Lessons are designed

to meet students where they are, using a blend of whole-group instruction, small-group support, and flexible grouping informed by ongoing assessment data. This structure ensures that students receive timely, targeted instruction before gaps widen.

Technology further strengthens instruction through a one-to-one Chromebook model and the use of adaptive platforms such as ST Math, XtraMath, and literacy-based digital tools. These resources personalize learning, allowing students to progress at their own pace while giving teachers realtime data to adjust instruction.

Common Formative Assessments and summative benchmarks guide instructional decisions and promote responsive teaching practices.

Professional Learning Communities play a critical role in sustaining instructional excellence. Teachers collaborate regularly to analyze data, refine instructional strategies, and share best practices. Ongoing professional development supports instructional growth and consistency across classrooms.

Together, these practices create a learning environment where instruction is intentional, datainformed, and responsive.

Woodlands’ commitment to high-quality curriculumdesign, purposeful instruction, and continuous improvement directly contributed to its recognition for academic excellence.”

– Woodlands Elementary Instructional Leadership Team ■

“Professional Learning Communities play a critical role in sustaining instructional excellence.”

– Woodlands Elementary Instructional Leadership Team

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The talented members of Sulphur High School's award-winning Art Club.

Sulphur Public Schools aligns the ACT Student Interest Inventory with every student's Individual Career Academic Plan to help students match their interests and strengths with their postsecondary plans.

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From Good to Great to Elite Building a Sustainable Culture of Growth Through Professional Learning

By Matt Holder

I

n education, sustained growth is never accidental. It is the result of intentional leadership, shared vision, and a culture that values learning at every level of the organization. At Sulphur Public Schools, significant ACT and academic growth has become a visible outcome of something deeper and more enduring: a systemwide commitment to professional learning, collaboration, and collective ownership. This work did not begin with a single initiative or program, but with a belief that growth is possible when people are invested, aligned, and empowered.

Our guiding motto, “Good to Great to Elite,” serves as more than a slogan. It is a clear and concise vision that communicates expectations, direction, and belief. It reinforces the idea that excellence is not reserved for a few but is achievable for all when systems are aligned and individuals are supported.

From Pre-K through 12th grade, this shared language has helped unify staff around a common purpose and provided clarity for what growth looks like in practice.

Leadership That Invests in Learning A culture of growth begins with leadership that prioritizes professional learning, not as an obligation but as a strategic investment. At Sulphur Public Schools, district and building leaders have made professional development a cornerstone of improvement efforts.

Leaders intentionally fund professional learning opportunities, host on-campus workshops,

and support teacher attendance conferences aligned with our vision.

These decisions send a powerful message: Instructional excellence matters, and the district is willing to invest in its people to achieve it. This level of commitment builds trust and credibility with staff, reinforcing that professional learning is not a fleeting initiative but a long-term priority.

Equally important is how professional learning is structured. Each professional development day is intentionally designed to build upon previous learning. Rather than disconnected sessions, teachers engage in a coherent progression that connects Sulphur’s instructional frameworks developed by staff, student performance data, and district goals. This consistency reduces initiative fatigue and increases confidence, as teachers see clear alignment between what they are learning and what is expected in the classroom.

Teachers as Leaders and Change Agents While leadership sets the direction, teachers drive the work. At Sulphur, many educators have become skilled with our frameworks across multiple content areas, deepening both their subject expertise and instructional practices. These teachers do more than implement strategies – they lead.

Teacher leaders facilitate professional learning sessions, model effective instruction, and share best practices within professional learning communities (PLCs). They also represent the district beyond their classrooms, presenting at statewide conferences and engaging with local civic organizations. This approach elevates the profession, builds internal capacity, and reinforces the belief that expertise exists within the system.

Vertical alignment has emerged as a shared priority, strengthening coherence across grade levels.

Teachers collaborate to ensure that instruction builds logically from one year to the next, creating a connected learning journey for students. This collaboration fosters collective ownership, breaking down silos and reinforcing a unified mission focused on student growth.

On a recent professional development day, Sulphur catered lunch for teachers to celebrate their recent Professional Learning and Growth Award from ACT and took a staff photo at Sulphur’s football stadium to commemorate the achievement.

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Celebrating Growth and Sustaining Momentum Celebration is a critical, and often overlooked, component of sustaining a culture of growth. At Sulphur Public Schools, growth is recognized at every level – through classroom goals, friendly academic competitions, and recognition events that make success visible and meaningful. This intentional focus on progress was recently affirmed when Sulphur Public Schools was named the winner of ACT’s inaugural LEA Professional Learning and Growth Award, recognizing measurable gains in student college and career readiness resulting from effective professional learning practices.

A graphic showing Sulphur students’ growth on the ACT. Using Data as a Tool for Growth, Not Judgment Data plays a central role in sustaining a culture of improvement, but only when it is used thoughtfully. At Sulphur Public Schools, ACT and assessment benchmark data are viewed not as an endpoint but as a guide for instructional decisionmaking. Teachers use data to make real-time adjustments, identify trends, and monitor progress over time.

Students are active participants in this process. They learn how to interpret their ACT reports, set measurable goals, and develop personalized learning plans. By involving students in data analysis, accountability shifts from something done to them to something owned by them. This empowerment increases motivation and reinforces the belief that growth is attainable.

The district further leverages data by aligning ACT Student Interest Inventory results with each student’s Individual Career Academic Plan (ICAP). This alignment supports informed course selection and helps students identify pathways that match their interests and strengths, whether college-bound, career and technical education, or direct workforce entry. For students pursuing non-college pathways, assessments such as ACT WorkKeys are used strategically to measure essential workplace readiness skills and guide students toward appropriate career fields and technical programs. This creates assessment that is meaningful, relevant, and student-centered.

Sulphur High School seniors at an Ardmore college and career fair in September.

Creating Buy-In Through Clarity and Consistency Buy-in is not demanded; it is earned. At Sulphur, staff buy-in has grown through clarity of vision, consistency in expectations, and transparency in decision-making.

Teachers understand the “why” behind initiatives because leadership consistently communicates how each effort aligns with the district’s goals and values.

The “Good to Great to Elite” framework provides a shared language that simplifies complex work. It allows staff to see how individual actions contribute to systemwide improvement. When teachers understand the purpose and see results, commitment deepens.

Equally important is honoring teacher voice. Feedback is encouraged, collaboration is expected, and professional learning is shaped by the needs of educators and students. This mutual respect strengthens trust and reinforces the idea that improvement is a collective effort.

These celebrations are not limited to end results; progress is acknowledged along the way.

Highlighting improvement reinforces effort, builds confidence, and keeps momentum strong. Regular communication through social media, podcasts, and local news extends these celebrations beyond the school walls, building community pride and shared accountability.

When staff see their work recognized and valued, both internally and through external honors such as the ACT award, morale increases and commitment strengthens. Celebration becomes a tool not just for recognition but for reinforcing culture.

A Model for Sustainable Growth Sulphur Public Schools’ growth tells a broader story – one of intentional leadership, empowered teachers, engaged students, and a community united around a shared vision. It demonstrates that when professional learning is prioritized, aligned, and celebrated, growth becomes sustainable.

A culture built on trust, clarity, and continuous improvement does more than raise test scores; it elevates people. It creates an environment where educators are learners, students are owners of their success, and excellence is the expectation.

In the end, moving from good to great to elite is not about perfection. It is about purpose, persistence, and the belief that when everyone grows together, extraordinary outcomes follow. ■ Matt Holder is the Superintendent of Sulphur Public Schools.

COLLABORATIVE DOCTORATE IN EDUCATION (Ed.D.)

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP DOCTORATE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COOPERATIVE COUNCIL FOR OKLAHOMA SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION (CCOSA) OVERVIEW The Collaborative Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program in Educational Leadership offers emerging leaders in Oklahoma’s PK-12 public education system a unique doctoral experience. In partnership with CCOSA, this new doctoral program at OU prepares the next generation of systems level leaders by providing relevant practice-oriented competencies and scholarly training. Both OU faculty and CCOSA leaders deliver courses in the 36-month program. The program culminates in a problem-based practice dissertation completed during a student’s final-year courses.

CCOSA’S ROLE IN THE PROGRAM In partnership with the University of Oklahoma, the CCOSA executive team will help identify cohorts of doctoral students each year and select 15-20 emerging leaders from across Oklahoma’s PK–12 public education system who have demonstrated the capacity for and commitment to district and school leadership. CCOSA leadership also helps shape and guide the program to ensure its alignment with the current needs of schools and districts.

PROBLEM OF A PRACTICE DISSERTATION A Problem of Practice Dissertation, also known as a "practice-based dissertation," is scholarly research that integrates academic research and practical application. It focuses on addressing practical problems and applying research findings to real-world situations. Notably, the Problem of Practice Dissertation will coincide with work that students are doing in their district.

FIRST COHORT BEGINS SUMMER 2026 PROGRAM STRUCTURE • Two 8-week courses per semester over 36 months • Cohort-based model (summer start) • Courses are offered in both asynchronous and synchronous formats • One to two in-person Conference Days each semester held on the OU-Tulsa campus

CONTACT INFORMATION Robert Franklin, Ed.D. CCOSA/OU-Tulsa Accelerated Ed.D. Program Coordinator Tim Ford, Ph.D. OU-Tulsa Leadership Programs Director and Admissions Coordinator

Scan the QR code for more information.

JEANNINE RAINBOLT

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

The UNIVERSITY of OKLAHOMA

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer. ou.edu/eoo.

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The teacher-student connection is critical to any MTSS initiative.

Building a Culture of Support How Collinsville is strengthening MTSS across secondary schools

M

By Kelly Hamlin, Jackie Johns, and Michelle Cross

eeting the diverse academic and behavioral needs of students requires more than isolated interventions — it demands a districtwide culture of collaboration, consistency, and trust.

For Collinsville Public Schools, that vision has steadily become reality through a revitalized multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) grounded in evidence-based practices, teacher collaboration, and instructional fidelity.

MTSS is not merely a “special education initiative” or a “remediation program.” It is a comprehensive framework that integrates assessment and intervention within a multi-level instructional system to maximize student achievement and support strategies for all students while providing a roadmap for equitable achievement.

At Collinsville, MTSS is now fully operational in grades 1–6 and has been successfully implemented in grades 7–8 as of last school year.

While current efforts are focused on deepening consistency and practice at the middle school level, the district’s holistic vision extends beyond it. Collinsville High School has already taken an early step at the secondary level by implementing a dedicated MTSS/RTI math class, and the district is intentionally building on this progress. Over the next several years, Collinsville plans to expand this foundation and fold in grades 9–12, creating a seamless MTSS continuum that supports every secondary learner from entry into middle school through graduation.

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A Team Effort for Lasting Change Collinsville’s MTSS initiative is driven by a diverse team of professionals united by a single goal: creating a system where every secondary student receives the right support at the right time.

The leadership structure includes the Dean of Instruction for grades 6–12, who ensures alignment across middle and high schools. Surrounding this role is a multidisciplinary team comprised of special education staff (SPED), Certified School Psychologists, Principals, the Executive Director of Academics, the Superintendent, and Instructional Specialists in literacy and mathematics, including a Reading Specialist, a Math Interventionist, and lead teachers in ELA and math.

Together, this group designs, monitors, and refines a model that translates best practices into daily practices.

“Every voice matters in this process,” explains Michelle Cross, Dean of Instruction. “We bring multiple perspectives to the table because student success depends on every layer of our system working together.”

Launching the Secondary MTSS Movement In the landscape of public education, the transition from elementary to middle school represents one of the most volatile periods in a student’s academic journey. While elementary schools have historically found success with structured intervention models, the secondary level – specifically grades 6 through 8 – presents unique challenges. The departmentalized nature of middle school, the focus on student autonomy, and the rising importance of peer influence necessitate a specialized approach.

Collinsville officially launched its secondary MTSS work during a leadership meeting on April 18, 2025, where teams from across schools gathered to define shared goals and structures. What began as a planning conversation has grown into a dynamic process that now shapes schedules, professional learning community (PLC) agendas, and instructional priorities districtwide.

Collinsville Middle School teachers working with students in a math classroom.

PLCs: The Engine of Implementation If shared language sets the stage, PLCs provide the structure to put MTSS into motion. At Collinsville Middle School, PLC teams now meet regularly for focused MTSS collaboration. Their sessions center on three key activities:

1. Reviewing Tier 1 benchmark data and analyzing classroom practices.

2. Identifying students for Tier 2 or Tier 3 support and planning interventions.

3. Completing post-PLC reflection surveys that capture instructional progress and needs.

These ongoing discussions keep MTSS work rooted in data while allowing teachers to adapt instruction responsively.

In May 2025, key district staff attended the Jim Knight Instructional Coaching Workshop, an experience that added depth to Collinsville’s MTSS rollout. The training emphasized how instructional coaching, when grounded in modeling and reflection, can sustain change far more effectively than one-time training events. Those coaching strategies now permeate every level of Collinsville’s work, from classroom modeling sessions to peer-led professional development.

Fidelity: Doing What Works, the Way It Was Designed

Speaking the Same Language One of the earliest successes of Collinsville’s MTSS initiative has been establishing a shared language. Across sites, educators use consistent terminology – such as Tier 1, Tier 1+, Tier 2, Tier 3, CBM (Curriculum-Based Measurement), fidelity, data-driven instruction, and peer modeling – to ensure everyone speaks the same instructional and intervention language.

As the district often reminds staff, “What gets monitored gets done.” Research shows that when implementation goes unmonitored, 41% to 84% of teachers alter or discontinue program components over time. Collinsville addresses this through coaching conversations, walkthrough feedback, and professional reflection, making fidelity part of an ongoing learning cycle rather than an accountability check.

These terms appear in a Quick Start Guide each staff member can access through a printed handbook or an electronic hub. Schools revisit this vocabulary at multiple checkpoints – beginning of year (BOY), middle of year (MOY), and end of year (EOY) – to maintain accuracy and alignment across teams.

Peer Modeling and Continuous Support Real learning happens when teachers see success in action. Collinsville integrates peer modeling into its MTSS framework, encouraging teachers to observe one another and learn from real examples of effective Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction.

This shared language has begun to unify instructional conversations across schools. “Now when we meet to talk about student data,” one lead teacher explains, “we’re not spending time clarifying definitions. We can move straight to problem-solving.”

Instructional leaders facilitate demonstrations in live classrooms, followed by debriefs that allow teachers to discuss strategies and troubleshoot challenges. “Modeling builds confidence,” says one math interventionist. “You don’t just hear what fidelity looks like – you see it.”

Consistency and fidelity form another cornerstone of Collinsville’s MTSS work. Teaching “with fidelity” doesn’t mean rigidity; it means using the district’s adopted curricula as they were designed to work best for students.

By following research-based program design, pacing, and practices, teachers honor the integrity of each program’s learning sequence.

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Scheduling and Time: Making Space for What Matters

Turning Data Into Direction

Recognizing that strong systems require intentional time, Collinsville’s secondary schools are looking to allocate dedicated MTSS periods within the instructional day.

These blocks, often within math or ELA frameworks, will enable teachers to collaborate, run targeted interventions, and monitor progress without sacrificing core instructional time. In fact, Collinsville High School has already taken this step in mathematics by implementing a dedicated RTI/ MTSS math class, providing targeted support within the school day while preserving access to core coursework.

Data remains at the heart of every decision. Regular curriculum-based measurements (CBMs) and benchmark assessments drive reflection in each content area.

Teachers and leadership teams analyze data collectively, asking:

Professional Growth: Leading From Within Professional development remains a cornerstone of Collinsville’s transformation. Following May’s Jim Knight workshop, the district is launching Lead From Within, a series of short, paid summer workshops where staff members share strategies, model instruction, and lead their peers through high-impact sessions.

By elevating teacher-leaders, Collinsville builds lasting internal capacity. “We’re not waiting for outside experts,” says Kelly Hamlin, Executive Director of Academics. “We’re empowering our own.”

Collinsville’s approach to MTSS improvement is rooted in humility and growth, recognizing that no one is perfect, but all are committed learners who have learned from engaging with experts, conferences, and most importantly, from each other.

1. Which Tier 1 practices are working effectively?

2. What adjustments are needed in Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions?

3. How do the data trends reflect our fidelity checkpoints?

These conversations transform raw numbers into actionable insight and reinforce Collinsville’s commitment to continuous improvement.

Middle schoolers need agency and buy-in; they should be involved in their own data. When a 7th grader sees their own growth chart and understands that the “Extra Math” class is a temporary bridge to help them reach their goals, they are far more likely to engage. Collinsville is currently working through its PLCs to establish classroom-level goals based on assessment results.

Sustaining the System

Implementation Teams: Leadership in Action

Today, grades 1–6 operate with a fully established MTSS framework, and grades 7–8 are refining what they implemented last year. Implementing MTSS in a secondary school system typically takes three to five years. It requires a move away from “random acts of intervention” toward a systemic, data-driven culture. When done correctly, it ensures that no student in the volatile middle years falls through the cracks, creating a safety net wide enough to catch everyone, yet flexible enough to let the high-flyers soar. The next step, introducing MTSS into grades 9–12, will complete the district’s K–12 continuum.

Each secondary campus maintains a school-based Implementation Team, coordinated by the Dean of Instruction and Principal leadership. These teams manage MTSS logistics, organize professional learning, and monitor fidelity, serving as the connective tissue between classroom practice and district vision.

While Collinsville acknowledges it is still learning and evolving, openness to growth has become a defining strength. Guided by its leadership team, professional learning partnerships, and deep commitment to reflection, the district now models what it means to learn while leading.

At the organizational level, the Superintendent, the Executive Director of Academics, and the Special Education Director reinforce this work by providing resources and policy support. Together, these layers of leadership ensure MTSS isn’t siloed by building or department but stands as a cohesive, districtwide system.

As district Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Hogan reflects, “We’re striving for progress, not perfection. MTSS is how we turn compassion into structure – and structure into sustainable success.”

Those learning experiences include CCOSA’s Winning Strategies Playbook, the Jim Knight Instructional Coaching Workshop, and ongoing guidance from the district’s Special Education Director and School Psychologist, who provide critical expertise in intervention design and behavioral analytics.

In Collinsville, collaboration and continuous learning fuel improvement one team, one classroom, and one datainformed decision at a time. ■

Kelly Hamlin is the Executive Director of Academics for Collinsville Public Schools.

Jackie Johns serves as the Director of Special Services for the district, while Michelle Cross is the Middle School Dean of Instruction.

“Every voice matters in this process. We bring multiple perspectives to the table because student success depends on every layer of our system working together.”

— Michelle Cross Michelle Cross

Jackie Johns

Kelly Hamlin

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The Renaissance Ecosystem Transform instruction with assessment, practice, and instruction data in one place, with actionable recommendations to empower teachers.

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When Pathways Multiply but Teachers Leave

Why Oklahoma Must Invest in Teacher Preparation and Support

By Dr. Bryan L. Duke, Dr. Kimberly Pennington, and Dr. Jennifer Oswald Editor’s note: In deference to the academic research presented in this article, we have followed the authors’ APA style rather than the less formal style we generally use.

O

klahoma is dealing with a historic and unprecedented teacher shortage that has been accelerating for over a decade. School districts, universities, and numerous state associations have been working to address the shortage, including the Oklahoma Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (OACTE). Consisting of 23 public and private universities, OACTE focuses on recruiting, preparing, and retaining educators while ensuring that teacher candidates meet the highest preparation standards. Working collaboratively with K–12 partners and state agencies, OACTE supports those who dedicate their talents to teaching regardless of their pathway to the profession. It should be noted, however, that success and longevity in the classroom depend on strong preparation and systems of ongoing support.

Data indicate the Oklahoma teacher shortage may be Research shows comprehensively prepared teachers more accurately described as a teacher retention crisis. demonstrate greater efficacy, effectiveness, and longevity Between 2012–2018, Oklahoma lost approximately 30,000 in the profession (Darling-Hammond et al., 2005; Fuxa certified teachers (Lazarte-Alcala, 2018), and from 2015– et al., 2019; Jackson, 2018; Podolsky et al., 2016). After 2021, between 8 and 11% of the state’s teachers left the three years, 19% of Oklahoma teachers who held only teaching profession each year (Lazarte-Alcala, 2021). The emergency-certification remained in the classroom financial cost of this “teacher churn” is substantial. The (Lazarte-Alcala, 2021). Recent data regarding universityLearning Policy Institute (2024) estimates that depending based programs from the Oklahoma State Regents for on the size of the K12 district, the cost to replace one Higher Education (OSRHE) and the Oklahoma Employment teacher can range from $11,000 to over $24,000.

Security Commission indicate nearly 92% of teachers At the low end, replacing and retraining the almost earning a bachelor’s degree in teacher education are 30,000 Oklahoma teachers lost between 2012 and 2018 employed in the state one year after graduation and represents a staggering $330 million cost to K12 school nearly 80% five years after graduation (OSRHE, 2025). districts. Beyond finances, the impact These outcomes reflect a truth on student learning is equally alarming. supported by research: Comprehensive In a recent study, data revealed that preparation programs, strengthened by After three years, students with an uncertified teacher clinical partnerships and high-quality 19% of Oklahoma lose four months of learning in reading student teaching with experienced emergency certified and three months in math, have mentor teachers, produce educators teachers remain in the higher student absenteeism, and are who not only enter the profession but classroom, while 80% significantly underdiagnosed with remain committed to it, an important of teachers earning a dyslexia (Kirksey, 2024). Underprepared step in transforming Oklahoma’s teacher bachelor's degree in teachers depress student achievement, pipeline from a revolving door into a teacher preparation are while well-prepared teachers improve sustainable career pathway. employed in the state five achievement, attendance, persistence, Stabilization of the teacher workforce adaptive development, and student years after graduation. requires coordinated strategies including financial earnings post-graduation high-retention pathways, reduced entry (Jackson, 2018; Kini & Podolsky, 2016; barriers, improved early career support, supportive working Kirksey, 2025; Podolsky et al., 2019; Texas Educator conditions, and access to relevant data (Cardichon et al., Preparation Pathways Study, 2022). Teacher churn also 2020; Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017; Podolsky leaves classroom teachers with underqualified colleagues; et al., 2016; Ronfeldt et al., 2013; Sutcher et al., 2016). has disruptive effects on professional collaboration, While many districts offer orientation and early career organizational continuity, and instruction; creates larger training, the state no longer funds the once-successful class sizes; and increases overall dissatisfaction, resulting Teacher Induction Residency Program. For novice teachers, in a greater chance of teachers leaving the classroom especially those entering underprepared, sustained support (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017 & 2019; Kini & is crucial. Lack of early career support increases attrition Podolsky, 2016; Podolsky et al., 2016; Ronfeldt et al., 2013; and drives experienced teachers from the profession as Sutcher et al., 2016). they shoulder the burden of supporting underprepared colleagues (Ronfeldt et al., 2013; Sutcher et al., 2016).

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Graph courtesy of OACTE

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To address the shortage, Oklahoma has created multiple pathways into the classroom over the last two decades, including alternative, career development, and nontraditional special education bootcamps, all of which have reduced preparation requirements (OACTE, 2025; Oklahoma State Department of Education [OSDE], 2025b).

From 2011–2025, emergency certificates rose from 32 to 5,007, while adjunct teaching subject area assignments increased from 159 to 4,935 during the same period (OSDE, 2025a; Oklahoma State School Boards Association, 2025).

From 2013–2024, university-prepared teachers earning a standard certification declined from 1,597 to 1,109 (OACTE, 2025), and they have been saddled with increased mandates in their coursework and more new certification tests. Despite efforts to reduce the shortage by expanding pathways, the shortage has become more pronounced.

Graph courtesy of OACTE

University Based Educator Preparation Recruitment as Compared to Other Pathways

*Reported by Title II, Higher Education Act, https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx **Reported by the Oklahoma State School Boards Association, https://www.ossba. org/advocacy/oklahoma-education-facts/ ***Title II’s definition of Enrolled Students changed; Completers were added to this number starting with 2018-2019 data forward.

The state has responded with several successful and welcome initiatives to recruit new teachers into universitybased educator preparation programs (EPPs). State programs – including Inspired to Teach, the Teacher Shortage Employment Incentive Program, and the “Paid Student Teaching” stipend ($1,625) – have increased EPP enrollment and degree production statewide (Evans, 2024; Murphy, 2025; OSRHE, 2025; Ndisabiye, 2025).

Additionally, university-based EPPs in Oklahoma have worked closely with school and community partners creating Grow Your Own (GYO) programs, including paraprofessional residency pipelines and high school pathways to education bachelor’s degrees resulting in standard certification. Recognizing that alternative routes without robust support systems exacerbate rather than resolve staffing challenges, OACTE members have also leveraged federal funding through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Act programs to provide critical support promoting success and retention for alternatively and emergencycertified teachers, including relevant required coursework, structured mentoring, and individualized advisement.

“From 2011–2025, emergency certificates rose from 32 to 5,007, while adjunct teaching subject area assignments increased from 159 to 4,935 during the same period.”

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Graph courtesy of OACTE

Certification Route Numbers without Alt Certs

Research clearly identifies key obstacles to teacher recruitment and retention: inadequate compensation, limited advancement and input on decision-making, deprofessionalization, increased demands, reduced support, and escalated student behavior challenges (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019; Phi Delta Kappan, 2022; National Opinion Research Center, 2022; Sorenson & Ladd, 2020; Will, 2024). To address the

Teacher Turnover In Oklahoma (2012–2018)

shortage, Oklahoma must address these obstacles and prioritize preparation requirements and early career support, limit pathways resulting in teachers being underprepared, and provide salary increases for certified teachers and mentors to attract, support, and retain qualified professionals. After pay raises for public schools’ certified personnel were approved in 2017–18, the retention rate of beginning teachers increased from 63% to 68%, the largest year-over-year change in recent years (Lazarte-Alcala, 2021). Significantly increasing pre-service and paid student teaching stipends and early career support will reduce financial barriers, incentivize preparation, and improve long-term retention (Cardichon et al., 2020; Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019; DeAngelis et al., 2013; Oklahoma Educator Supply and Demand Network, 2020).

Graphic courtesy of OACTE

Grounded in the foundational conviction that every Oklahoma student deserves a highly qualified, wellprepared teacher, OACTE members remain committed to working with partners in preparing the next generation of quality educators. Consistently, research affirms that classroom teachers have the most significant impact on student outcomes (Hanushek, 2011). As Oklahoma faces a persistent teacher shortage in 2026, the state must recommit to the shared belief that teacher quality matters. ■ Note: To see a list of references cited in this article, please click here.

Dr. Bryan L. Duke is Dean of the College of Education & Professional Studies at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO). Dr. Kimberly Pennington is Assistant Dean and Director of Educator Preparation at UCO. Dr. Jennifer Oswald is Chair of the Division of Education at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Dr. Bryan L. Duke Dr. Kimberly Pennington

Dr. Jennifer Oswald

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Reframing Public Education A New Narrative for Leaders

By M. Ann Levett, Ed.D.

W

alk into almost any school district in America today and you’ll find the same unmistakable hum – hallways pulsing with possibility, classrooms buzzing with curiosity, and educators working tirelessly to help students make sense of a rapidly shifting world. And yet beyond those walls, the public narrative about education often tells a different story. Headlines speak of challenges.

Social media fuels misconceptions. Community conversations sometimes focus more on what’s wrong with public education than on the extraordinary transformation already underway.

For decades, especially since the introduction of No Child Left Behind legislation (2001), public education has been defined publicly by test scores, rankings, and metrics that never fully captured the depth of learning happening every day. The current narrative often emphasizes deficits: declining trust, staffing shortages, uneven achievement levels, or political tensions. While these challenges are real, they do not tell the full story.

Public education is undergoing rapid, unprecedented evolution, a message that district leaders must champion.

Across the nation, public schools are becoming dynamic centers of learning and community: ■ Learning Environments Are Modernized: Districts are

developing student-centered, future-ready learning designs.

■ Instruction Is Deeply Engaging: Educators are

involving students in inquiry, problem-solving, and meaningful projects that connect directly to real-world challenges.

■ Schools Prioritize Holistic Well-being: Schools are

acting as vital hubs for wellness, community, and belonging, recognizing that a secure, valued, and acknowledged student is a successful learner.

global interdependence deepens, that promise carries a new urgency. We are preparing students for a world that is both unfamiliar and unpredictable – a world in which adaptability, creativity, and human connection may matter more than any content we can currently imagine.

As one superintendent recently reflected, “We are guiding children toward futures we cannot yet see. That means we must build systems designed not for yesterday’s certainties, but for tomorrow’s unknowns.”

For district leaders, this moment is not simply a communications challenge – it is a leadership calling.

Transforming the work and narrative is not optional – it is essential. And district leaders are uniquely positioned to do it. This is the transformation the public deserves to hear about. This is the story America must understand. And this is the work AASA’s Public Education Promise initiative helps leaders bring to life.

The Public Education Promise: A Framework for Future-Ready Schooling

being integrated as essential partners in shaping the local educational ecosystem.

The AASA Public Education Promise is the new narrative that our new world demands. It offers a clear organizing frame to communicate and lead this transformation. This framework is more than an initiative – it’s an operating system. At its core, AASA’s Public Education Promise is a commitment – a shared, national pledge to ensure every student is prepared not just for graduation but for life.

Public education has always been a promise: that every child, regardless of circumstance, deserves access to opportunity, support, and a future they can meet and shape with confidence. But today, as technology accelerates change, as the workforce evolves, and as

It gives leaders a common language to talk about the work, coherence across districts, and a way to shift the national conversation about public education toward what’s possible. It centers five core principles that districts across the country can embrace and adapt:

■ Leadership Fosters Inclusivity: Leaders are creating

welcoming educational settings where every student has the opportunity to succeed and flourish.

■ Partnerships With Families Are Strong: Families are

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1. Student-Centered Learning This work begins with designing learning ecosystems where curiosity drives instruction, relevance anchors content, and students engage as creators — not merely consumers.

2. The New Basics This principle prioritizes real‑life skills — critical thinking, collaboration, adaptability — so students graduate ready for work and life.

3. Talent & Culture Future-ready systems require future-ready leaders at every level. Attracting, supporting, and keeping great people builds environments where educators thrive and strengthen the pipeline of talent shaping tomorrow’s schools.

4. Engaged Partnerships Our communities rely on school leaders to champion collaboration within the entire ecosystem. Leaders must actively align family, community, and industry partnerships so learning extends beyond the school walls.

Measuring What Matters District leaders are leading conversations about shifting from narrow metrics to broader indicators of readiness – critical thinking, collaboration, adaptability, and agency.

These reflect what students truly need to thrive in tomorrow’s world.

These principles are powerful not because they impose a new mandate, but because they reflect what school leaders and educators already know to be true. They illuminate the future we are striving to build – and they provide a unifying message that can reshape public perception from skepticism to shared purpose.

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The Public Education Promise gives superintendents a shared language – a coherent narrative that can be used with boards, staff, families, partners, and policymakers.

It’s not another initiative; it’s a unifying commitment that amplifies the work district leaders are already leading.

As one district leader said during a recent conversation, “The Public Education Promise isn’t about fixing schools – it’s about realizing their full potential.”

The EdLeader Promise Network: Where Transformation Takes Root If the Public Education Promise offers the “why,” the EdLeader Promise Network delivers the “how.”

The network is a growing community of superintendents and district leaders who understand that transformation cannot happen in isolation. It requires collaboration, innovation, and a willingness to challenge traditional assumptions about schooling.

What makes the EdLeader Promise Network unique is its blend of: 1. Shared Learning and Professional Growth Job‑alike roundtables, site visits (virtual and on the ground), leadership forums, targeted workshops, and exclusive webinars create environments where leaders learn not from theory alone but from one another’s lived experiences.

2. Tools and Resources for Real Implementation Messaging playbooks, relevant topic guidebooks, curated transformation resources, and access to principle‑specific tool kits help leaders translate ideas into district-level action – and communicate that work clearly to their communities.

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“Public education is undergoing rapid, unprecedented evolution, a message that district leaders must champion. ”

“...narrative shapes possibility.”

3. Networking and Community Building District leaders often remark that the most valuable part of the network is the relationships: the ability to call a colleague across the country and ask, “How did you solve this?” or “What would you do next?” Transformation accelerates when leaders do not feel alone.

4. Celebration and Recognition Too often, the national narrative forgets to celebrate the extraordinary successes and innovation happening in our schools. The network’s case studies, newsletters, and best-practice showcases highlight the stories that help inform and shift public perception – stories of districts boldly reimagining what education can be.

In many ways, the EdLeader Promise Network serves as a model for the future of educational leadership: collaborative, inquiry-driven, courageous, and relentlessly student-centered.

Why Narrative Change Matters – Now More Than Ever Reframing the narrative of public education is not superficial marketing work. It is strategic, mission-driven leadership. The stories leaders tell influence everything from family engagement to community trust to teacher recruitment and support. These stories shape policy decisions. They impact funding. They help define who sees themselves as part of the work.

Most importantly, narrative shapes possibility.

When the public sees public schools as vibrant, innovative places where students learn to think critically, collaborate authentically, and tackle real problems, the entire nation benefits.

And when students see themselves reflected in those stories – as creators, thinkers, leaders, and changemakers – they begin to understand their own power.

Leaders must embrace their role as narrators of the future.

Tell the stories of transformation. Highlight the joy and discovery happening in classrooms. Share the courageous steps district leaders are taking to prepare students for a world quickly coming into view.

As the saying goes, “If we don’t tell our story, someone else will – and they may not get it right.”

A Call to Action for District Leaders The future will not wait. And neither should we.

This is the moment to: ■ Reaffirm your district’s commitment to the Public

Education Promise.

■ Join or deepen engagement with the EdLeader

Promise Network.

■ Strengthen your communication about what’s

working and why it matters.

■ Invite your community into the vision, showing

them the promise unfolding in real time.

■ Model the courage and creativity you expect to

see in classrooms.

Our students are stepping into a world filled with possibility and uncertainty in equal measure. To prepare them well, leaders must lead boldly, collaborate deeply, and champion the narrative of a public education system that refuses to stand still.

Because when public education thrives, America thrives.

When we fulfill our promise – our Public Education Promise – we give every child the confidence to walk into the future skilled, ready, and with hope. ■

M. Ann Levett, Ed.D., is Senior Vice President of Leadership Network AASA.

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STRENGTHENING THE PIPELINE HOW TO SUPPORT ASPIRING ADMINISTRATORS

A

By Jason Hayes

t Edmond Santa Fe High School in Edmond, our teacher leaders help drive our success as a school. We enroll over 2,700 students. Since we’re a big school, we have opportunities for our teacher leaders to gain valuable experience in a variety of roles that can prepare them for future careers as school administrators.

During the past two school years, that experience has paid off. Five of our teacher leaders have been selected for administrative positions at secondary schools elsewhere in our district, Edmond Public Schools. It has been exciting to see my administrative team work alongside these teachers as they navigate the challenges of leading curriculum departments, school initiatives, and school activities.

To be clear, the credit for these five teachers becoming administrators goes to the teachers themselves. Each of them possesses excellent individual talents that were noticed and valued by school district officials when selecting new administrators. The coolest part about the five new hires is that they represent four different academic departments in our school.

Each of these five educators found a niche where they could be involved and make a positive difference, and that helped them stand out when pursuing administrative positions with our school district. As school leaders, it is important for us to identify potential leadership opportunities for our aspiring principals. Seeking out educator talent in this way has helped our school to continue to thrive as one of Oklahoma’s highestperforming large high schools.

Support Administrative Internships How do you handle situations when you know assistant principals will be absent from school and you can plan for their absence in advance? At our school, we use times like these as an opportunity for our teacher leaders to spend an entire day or even multiple days performing the job duties of the absent assistant principal. It does cost us the daily price of a substitute to support this practice, but the benefits are well worth it.

During the 2023–24 school year, one of our assistant principals was absent for an extended amount of time due to surgery. Shastin Wilman, a math teacher, and Grace Cassell, an English teacher, both worked multiple days helping to fill in. It was fantastic to see my administrative team take our two teachers under their wings and include them in the decisionmaking and day-to-day challenges of managing a grade of 600–700 students. At the conclusion of that school year, both teachers were selected as new administrators by our school district.

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Leading in Academics At Edmond Santa Fe High School, we are committed to teamwork by engaging in professional learning communities. To that end, our department heads play a major role in helping to guide their departments in this work. When Grace took on the role of English department head, she did an excellent job of implementing quality collaboration in her department. As the leader for 15–20 teachers, she participated in planning meetings with site administration, district leaders, and district curriculum specialists. Grace shared effective teaching practices and created a department culture of shared collaboration.

When she left to become an administrator after the 2023–24 school year, Amelia Prince, another English teacher, took over those responsibilities alongside another teacher. She also added her expertise in writing skills and ACT strategies to her departmental leadership duties.

Amelia became a trusted resource for our teachers, especially our English teachers new to teaching.

It only took only one year for Amelia to establish herself as a respected curriculum leader and to become an administrator following the 2024–25 school year. Both Grace and Amelia effectively and professionally used their platforms as department heads to advance their career goals.

Leading in School Activities Marisa Carr, a drama teacher, did a wonderful job in fine arts for our school prior to becoming a school administrator. Her responsibilities each year included directing the musical, the fall play, and the talent show. When her program was recognized with multiple Kelli O’Hara Awards honoring it as one of Oklahoma’s best high school musical theater programs, district leaders noticed her leadership skills. That helped create a positive accomplishment that led to her being selected as an administrator following the 2024–25 school year.

Grace and Amelia also served as co-sponsors for both the Junior and Senior Classes. In these roles, they helped successfully lead prom and graduation, two of the most high-profile events at our school each year. In 2024, our prom had to move to an on-campus event a week later than scheduled due to severe weather.

Grace led the incredible undertaking to reimagine an event in only one week.

Marisa Carr, a former teacher at Edmond Santa Fe High School, is now an assistant principal at Cimarron Middle School in Edmond Public Schools.

Last school year, in 2025, a construction delay at our venue forced us to relocate the prom only three weeks before the event. Amelia led the effort to make it an outdoor event at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Her work in creating what many students say was the most awesome prom ever did not go unnoticed by district leaders.

Teachers like Amelia move into administrative roles after they excel in making our school activities successful, regardless of the challenges before them.

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Leading in Athletics Shastin Willman, a math teacher, and Dr. Chris Paddlety, Ed.D., a health and physical education teacher, each served as event coordinators helping our school’s athletic director manage the multitude of events at our school, one of Oklahoma’s largest. Often, we host more than one home event at the same time, and we need to trust that our event coordinators can run Shastin Willman, a former an event as an extension math teacher at Edmond of school administration.

Santa Fe High School, is Shastin and Chris gained now an assistant principal valuable experience at Edmond Memorial High in setting up an event, School. managing stakeholders (coaches, players, officials, booster clubs, security, attendees), ensuring financial fidelity (tickets, concessions), and maintaining a safe environment for the event. These experiences helped them land administrative positions.

Leading in School Initiatives When Marisa served as a leader on our Santa Fe Foundations Team (a group of educators focused on best practices to promote a positive school climate and culture), she gained valuable experience by attending training sessions with other teachers and district leaders.

In her discussions with them, she showed an awareness of how to create effective systems for school climate and culture.

Similarly, when Grace, Amelia, and Shastin served on a committee with high school administrators to identify ways that regular ACT practice could become part of the curriculum for our teachers, their input helped us focus attention on ACT improvement and led to us achieving an A on our state report card for the past two school years.

Allowing these aspiring administrators to positively impact your school’s most important initiatives is a win-win for everyone involved.

Conclusion A successful and thriving school should always be leveraging the talents of its teachers pursuing administrator positions. It takes a willing and helpful administration team that values sharing leadership with educators and pouring into them to help them grow. It is also encouraging that our district leaders continue to hire Santa Fe teachers for administrative openings in our school district. I am so proud of these five educators for becoming administrators. I am also very thankful for their positive contributions to our school. ■

Jason Hayes is the principal of Edmond Santa Fe High School and the 2025 OASSP Oklahoma High School Principal of the Year.

This article was originally published in the January 2026 edition of Principal Leadership magazine and is reprinted here with permission.

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CoSN Update

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is supporting district leaders in digital learning and data privacy.

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), in partnership with the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA) and the CoSN Oklahoma state affiliate chapter, Oklahoma Society for Technology in Education, is honored to support the work of current and aspiring superintendents and district leadership teams in leading all aspects of digital learning transformations.

CoSN Student Data Privacy Toolkit

CoSN Student Data Privacy Resources Data privacy is an ever-challenging task for school leaders as school districts continue to leverage technology resources for teaching and learning as well as for leading multiple initiatives with staff and their broader communities. CoSN puts a high priority on helping school leaders navigate their responsibilities when it comes to assuring that their data privacy practices are current and impactful.

To assist school leaders with their responsibilities in assuring that effective data privacy practices are in place and leveraged successfully, CoSN is pleased to share several readily available resources.

CoSN 2025 National Student Data Privacy Report This annual report originates with a comprehensive survey of school district leaders. The survey results provide an understanding of the skills and practices of school leaders in the implementation of data privacy practices in their school systems.

The most recent National Student Data Privacy Report is divided into two main sections and offers readers insight into how school districts manage the variety of important tasks needed to assure their systems are protecting student data effectively. The report is available to download at:

The CoSN Student Data Privacy Toolkit was created to provide school leaders with specific information needed to both create and improve school districts’ data privacy programs. The toolkit was also designed to help school district leaders build confidence and trust within their communities when it comes to effectively implementing date privacy practices.

The CoSN Student Data Privacy Toolkit consists of three sections: Part 1: Student Data Privacy Fundamentals Part 2: Partnering With Service Providers Part 3: Transparency and Trust All three sections may be downloaded individually or as a group at: https://www.cosn.org/tools-andresources/resource/student-dataprivacy-toolkit-1/ CoSN Blog Series on Data Privacy CoSN is pleased to share an “Open to All” Blog Series on the topic of Data Privacy. Readers are welcome to learn what others are thinking and doing when it comes to leading data privacy initiatives. Access to the Date Privacy Blog series can be found at: https://www.cosn.org/newspublications/blogs/?_edtech_ topics=privacy

CoSN/AASA edLeader Panel Broadcast The most recent CoSN/AASA edLeader Panel broadcast was on February 9, 2026. A panel of three leading edge superintendents joined in conversation with CoSN’s Data Privacy Project Director to share their challenges and best practices in successfully leading data privacy initiatives in their school districts.

The Feb. 9 broadcast and other past edLeader Panel broadcasts can be found at https://home.edweb.net/ supers. ■

https://www.cosn.org/edtechtopics/student-data-privacy/

Join Us!

COSN MEMBERSHIP: If you, your school, or your district would like more information about joining CoSN or getting more involved with CoSN, please contact membership@cosn.org.

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ASSOCIATION UPDATES

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OASA

Dr. Pam Deering, CCOSA/OASA Executive Director Derald Glover, OASA Assistant Executive Director

OASA President Dale Spradlin welcomed attendees on the first day of the OASA Legislative and Mid-Winter Conference.

January was a busy month for OASA. As we finalized Declarations of Candidacy for 2026–27 Officers and OASA District Executive Committee members and hosted the OASA Legislative and Mid-Winter Conference at the end of the month, things were exciting. This year Mother Nature decided to pay the state a visit before the conference with snow and ice. However, many school leaders were able to attend despite having to make tough decisions each day about whether to open or close schools due to weather and weather-related issues.

For the first time, we hosted a luncheon for the first year superintendents at the Legislative and Mid-Winter Conference.

Prestigious sponsors exhibiting at

the conference were invited to attend and meet with the first year superintendents in attendance.

Based on comments, it was an event we want to continue next year.

We continued to host the conference for two half-days, with the legislative reception on the evening of the first day. Dale Spradlin, OASA President, opened both days of the conference with thoughtful reminders of the need to be engaged in public education advocacy and support.

The agenda was jam-packed with relevant topics for school administrators. With 2026 being an election year, three gubernatorial candidates were invited to share their vision for the state and for public education. The Secretary of Education, the State Superintendent

of Public Instruction, and House and Senate leaders also shared their priorities for the 2026 legislative session. The featured topics were: ■ Voter Trends in the 2026 Elections ■ The Public Education Promise: The

American Dream in Action (AASA) ■ K-12 Public School Enrollment

Declines Explained

■ What’s Going on With Oklahoma

Public School Enrollment – OASA Superintendent Panel (Dr. Rick Cobb, Mid-Del; Dr. Jeffery Beyer, Jenks; and Jason Goostree, Amber-Pocasset Public Schools) ■ What’s Going on in D.C.? (AASA) ■ 2026 Oklahoma Legislative Update

(Megan Benn)

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ASSOCIATION UPDATES

OASA President Dale Spradlin, President-Elect Dr. Stacey Butterfield, OASA Policy & Advocacy Chair Dr. Mike Simpson, and CCOSA Executive Director Dr. Pam Deering at the legislative conference.

■ OASA Goals and Charge to the

Members (Dr. Mike Simpson, OASA Policy & Advocacy Chair) ■ CCOSA Members raised almost

$1,000 for our PAC in less than five minutes! You can donate here.

Advocacy templates with State Talking Points were also provided at the conference. Conference participants also received a link to Local Templates, customizable for local district information. (To view Local Templates, customizable in Canva, click here.) Template topics were: State Talking Points ■ Teacher Recruitment & Retention ■ School Funding: Local Ad Valorem

Taxes and State-Level Resources

Audience members listened to OASA Policy & Advocacy Chair Dr. Mike Simpson's OASA Legislative Goals and Charge to Members. In less than five minutes, members donated almost $1,000 to the CCOSA PAC.

update was a highlight as we prepare for the 2026 session.

Conference participants will receive presentations as a part of their registration and attendance at the conference.

OSSBA hosted a meeting, The Future of Professional Development, regarding professional development and the needs for the future. OASA President-Elect Dr. Stacey Butterfield, Dr. Pam Deering, CCOSA’s Director of Policy, Research, and TLE Dr. Jeanene Barnett, and CCOSA Legislative Consultant Megan Benn were invited to attend along with the OSSBA team and many other education-connected leaders from higher ed, Career Tech, OEQA,

charter schools, OEA, Oklahoma City lobbyist, OSDE, and OPSRC. A survey was requested prior to the meeting, and CCOSA’s responses to the survey are linked here. Thanks to Kathy Dunn and the CCOSA team for their work on the survey.

OASA District Meetings have been going on throughout this year. Many of the meetings will be focusing on inviting legislators from their OASA districts to talk about legislation and public education. Legislators are also inviting superintendents from around the state to their offices at the Capitol to listen and discuss education issues. ■

■ Early Literacy Matters for

Oklahoma Students

Local Talking Point Customizable Templates were on the same topics as above as companions to the state template, with the exception of the “The Backbone of Our Community” template, which is stand-alone.

It is our goal to share these templates with all OASA members as a part of our increased advocacy training this year. We want our members to know how to advocate and what to share with their legislative members when they visit the Capitol.

From conference attendees and exhibitors, the conference was very well received, with positive comments about the content and its usefulness for school leader planning. The legislative

CCOSA and OASA have developed advocacy guides, 2025–2026 Legislative Goals, and State and Local Talking Point documents which members can download.

ASSOCIATION UPDATES

Before the opening session of the legislative conference, OASA hosted a First Year Superintendents' Luncheon.

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Oklahoma Secretary of Education Dr. Dan Hamlin gave opening remarks on the first day of the legislative conference.

Oklahoma School Assurance Group

OSAG Saves Members 42% in Workers’ Comp Premium!

The Oklahoma School Assurance Group is excited to offer the fully insured, member-owned program that our schools are accustomed to, with better options now available! OSAG's motto is "to provide the most efficient & economical workers' compensation services to Oklahoma public schools", and in doing so, has chosen an improved, more economical alternative for our members.

OSAG has now partnered with AmTrust Financial Services as the insurance carrier for our program.

This new partnership is saving 504 OSAG members from a 42% premium increase and offers additional member benefits including a new AmCares Nurse Triage Line, an extensive Risk Control Services Program (details located under the Member Resources / Safety Program & Material section of the OSAG webpage), and a future release to members of a FREE Learning Management System. *The AmCares Nurse Triage line provides an immediate line to nurse care, assisting with how to properly help the injured worker, as well as completing the First Report of Injury for the district.

With this new transition comes different claims management. A detailed description of OSAG claims management procedures can be found on the OSAG webpage, www.okschoolassurancegroup.org, under the Claims section. Here you will find instructions for pre-7/1/25 claims overseen by CompSource Mutual Insurance Company, and all material/instructions for 7/1/25 to present managed by OSAG-AmTrust to include an OSAG-Amtrust Claims Instruction Video, AmCares Nurse Triage Reference Guide, & the 2025-2026 Claim Filing Packet.

OSAG is proud to serve Oklahoma schools by being the largest provider of workers’ compensation services. Since 1994, OSAG members have saved $116,364,539! This savings includes $33,750,604 in premium refunds, dividends, upfront premium savings, 2018 & 2021 Safety Equipment Grants, & the 2024 Shared Premium Credit award. *Pic credit: citizensgeneral.com

ASSOCIATION UPDATES

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OASSP/ OMLEA Chris LeGrande, OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director

OASSP UPDATE OASSP membership continued to show substantial growth during the fall semester. For the 2025–26 membership year, 874 individuals have joined our association. Thus far, we have welcomed 156 new members to OASSP. We continue recruitment efforts to reach our goal of 920 members and CCOSA’s goal of 3,100 members for the current year. You can now join OASSP at a discounted rate of $215 for the remainder of the fiscal year. Please note that professional liability insurance coverage begins on the date when you join and your prorated membership payment has been paid in full.

Ben Pemberton, Principal at Fort Gibson High School, Fort Gibson Public Schools, has been selected as the 2025–26 OASSP Oklahoma High School Principal of the Year. Mr. Pemberton has served as principal of Fort Gibson High School for the past seven years, where he has led significant academic and schoolwide improvement efforts. Under his leadership, the school implemented a comprehensive ACT readiness strategy that has produced a junior class composite average of 19.7 – 2.5 points higher than the most recently reported state average. Under his leadership, graduation rate, student attendance, and postsecondary opportunities have all increased significantly, resulting in Fort Gibson High School being recognized as a 2025 National Blue Ribbon School for Exemplary High Performance.

Dr. Genevieve Craig, Assistant Principal at Newcastle High School, Newcastle Public Schools, has been named the 2025–26 OASSP Oklahoma Assistant Principal of the Year. During her four years in this role at Newcastle High School,

Dr. Craig has been instrumental in establishing consistent expectations, integrating restorative practices, and providing visible, accessible leadership throughout the building.

In partnership with the University of Oklahoma, she helped bring the Transformative Tutoring Program to Newcastle High School. As a result, 47% of seniors who have participated in the program since their freshman year have increased their proficiency by at least one level on state-mandated end-of-year assessments. The program has not only strengthened students’ academic performance but has also boosted their confidence in mathematics and enhanced their belief in themselves as capable learners across all subject areas.

In addition to being honored at the CCOSA Summer Leadership Conference in May, both Ben Pemberton and Dr. Genevieve Craig will join fellow state nominees in Washington, D.C., on April 15–18, 2026, when the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) announces the High School Principal of the Year and High School

Assistant Principal of the Year during its annual National Education Leadership Awards celebration.

On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, OASSP Region 16 Representative Dr. Bobbi Gillham, principal of Poteau’s Pansy Kidd Middle School, hosted the OASSP Region 16 luncheon at Warehouse Willy’s in Poteau. Joe Ballard welcomed attendees and invited OASSP/OMLEA Executive Director Chris LeGrande to offer greetings and provide association updates. During the luncheon, regional leaders shared what they value most about the fall season, fostering a positive and collegial atmosphere. Cory Wood, Assistant Director of the Kiamichi Technology Center’s Poteau and Spiro branches, also presented important information regarding upcoming enrollment opportunities and related deadlines. Administrators from Cameron, Heavener, Howe, LeFlore, Panama, Poteau, Spiro, and the Kiamichi Technology Center were present, contributing to a productive and engaging regional gathering.

OASSP leaders at Warehouse Willy’s during the OASSP Region 16 luncheon in October.

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On December 10, 2025, a special Zoom meeting was held in which active NASSP members voted to approve a proposal to become the single, unified home for PK-12 principals and assistant principals.

In addition, members approved moving the corporate entity from Washington, D.C., to Delaware referenced as a Plan of Domestication. In short, the measure created an association of elementary, middle, and high school leaders under one national umbrella. Stay tuned on how these changes may affect our partnership with our national secondary affiliate.

On February 10–11, 2026, middle level and secondary school leaders from across Oklahoma gathered at the Edmond Convention Center for the

CCOSA Executive Committee member and Fort Gibson Superintendent Scott Farmer, OASSP Executive Director Chris LeGrande, 2025–26 OASSP Oklahoma High School Principal of the Year Ben Pemberton, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Lindel Fields.

annual OASSP/OMLEA Leadership & Learning Conference. Centered on the theme “Reignite: Passion, Purpose, Possibility,” the conference inspired school leaders to renew their enthusiasm for education, reconnect with the deeper purpose of serving students and communities, and embrace the boundless possibilities that innovative leadership brings to Oklahoma schools. The event featured engaging keynote presentations from Dr. Darrin Peppard and Joe Beckman, along with practical, relevant breakout sessions led by practicing administrators.

Participants left the conference encouraged, refreshed, and better equipped to lead for the remainder of the school year. OASSP and OMLEA thank all attendees for their participation in this annual event.

OMLEA UPDATE OMLEA membership is comprised of members of CCOSA’s umbrella associations who also elect to become members of the Oklahoma Middle Level Education Association. At the end of 2024–25, OMLEA membership represented 767 educators. For the 2025–26 school year, OMLEA presently has 785 members, an increase over the previous year.

has resulted in systems that support students’ social-emotional and behavioral needs, enhance the school’s physical environment, and strengthen the overall sense of safety and belonging among students, staff, and families. Through intentional storytelling, strong family engagement, and partnerships with community organizations, PKMS has become recognized as a welcoming, student-centered school exemplifying the district’s vision: “Every Pirate, Every Day.”

During the week of November 5–8, 2025, OMLEA President John Potter (Pryor Public Schools), President-Elect On December 9, 2025, Amy Sanders, Skeeter Sampler (Lawton Public Schools), Assistant Principal at Sapulpa Middle OMLEA Assistant Principal of the Year OMLEA Executive Director School, Sapulpa Public Schools, was Dedee Emory (Chouteau-Mazie Public Chris LeGrande with 2025– recognized as the 2025–26 OMLEA Schools), and Executive Director Chris 26 OMLEA Principal of the Assistant Principal of the Year during a LeGrande attended the 52nd Annual Year Dr. Bobbi Gillham, schoolwide assembly. For the past three Conference of the Association for Middle Principal of Pansy Kidd years as assistant principal at Sapulpa Level Education in Indianapolis. At the Elementary in Poteau, at Middle School, Sanders has played a conference, Chouteau Middle School and the all-school assembly pivotal role in creating an environment the school’s Principal Michelle Brumley announcing her award in where every student is known, valued, and were honored as a 2025 AMLE School of December. supported. Recognizing the importance of Distinction. Brumley and her team also connecting students with a caring adult, she developed presented a breakout session highlighting their successful PASS (Prepare and See Success), a program designed for PBIS model for transforming student behavior. students experiencing long-term or recurring in-school Conference attendees had the opportunity to hear suspensions. Grounded in Sean Covey’s The 7 Habits of inspiring keynote addresses from best-selling author Highly Effective Teens, PASS engages students in goal Rosalind Wiseman and Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant setting, accountability practices, time management First Class (Ret.) Sammy Davis. The Oklahoma delegation strategies, and guided reflection. Through monthly also enjoyed exploring the sights of Indianapolis and face-to-face meetings with Sanders, the school’s most sampling the local cuisine. The team returned home with vulnerable learners build meaningful connections and valuable insights, renewed connections, and strategies to receive targeted support focused on their academic and strengthen middle-level education across our state. personal growth.

On December 5, 2025, Dr. Bobbi Gillham, Principal at Pansy Kidd Middle School, Poteau Public Schools, was announced as the 2025–26 OMLEA Principal of the Year during a schoolwide assembly. Dr. Gillham has served as principal of Pansy Kidd Middle School (PKMS) for the past six years, where she has worked diligently to establish a comprehensive multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) grounded in trauma-responsive practices. Her leadership

In addition to being honored at the CCOSA Summer Leadership Conference in May 2026, both Dr. Bobbi Gillham and Amy Sanders will join fellow state nominees in Washington, D.C., on April 15–18, 2026, when the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) announces the National Middle Level Principals of the Year during its annual National Education Leadership Awards celebration. ■

WI NTER 2026 | better sch o o ls

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ASSOCIATION UPDATES

OAESP

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Glen Abshere, OAESP Executive Director

OAESP membership is currently at 875. Last year, we ended the year with 905 members. Our goal this year is to become 3,100+ members strong for all of CCOSA. Encourage your colleagues and administrator friends to join CCOSA today! Membership rates are reduced for the remainder of the year. Learn more and join CCOSA today at ccosa.org/membership.

The OAESP Leadership Conference will be held February 25–26, 2026, at the Embassy Suites OKC Downtown/Medical Center. Jessica Gomez, the coauthor of Lead With Collaboration: A Complete Guide for Transforming Staff Meetings, will give the opening keynote on February 25. Curt Slater will give the closing keynote on February 26. Slater is a former principal and NAESP National Distinguished Principal for Minnesota.

Breakout sessions for the conference will also be available. NAESP Executive Director Dr. Earl Franks and Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Lindel Fields will be our special guests.

The OAESP Presidential election will take place beginning February 27. Candidates for this year are Dr. Kas Nelson, Vici Public Schools, and Charla Matthews, Grove Public Schools. Both candidates will speak at the OAESP Leadership Conference.

The OAESP Executive Committee has approved proposed changes to the OAESP Constitution and Bylaws. These changes include revising the OAESP Regional Representatives map to create smaller, more manageable regions. Currently, each region includes between 14 and 19 counties. The proposed changes increase the number of regional representatives from 13 to 19, reducing the size of each region and improving representation and support for members.

If approved by the membership, the changes will take effect on July 1, 2026.

The OAESP Principal of the Year/NAESP National Distinguished Principal (NDP) program honors outstanding elementary and middle-level principals across the nation who ensure that America’s children acquire a solid foundation for lifelong learning

The Annual NAESP National Leaders Conference was held February 8–11 in Washington, D.C. OAESP President Amy Estes, OAESP President-Elect Dr. Ryan Glaze, NAESP State Representative Andrea Sifers, and Executive Director Glen Abshere attended the conference and visited with the Oklahoma delegation at the U.S. Capitol.

NAESP and NASSP have made the decision not to continue with a united conference this year. The NAESP National School Leaders Conference will be held this summer in Orlando, Florida. The conference will be held July 13–15, 2026. Registration is now open on the conference webpage. ■

OAESP Assistant Principal of the Year Margaret Ploof and OAESP Executive Director Glen Abshere were joined by Ploof's family, Lawton Public Schools colleagues, friends, and students at the ceremony announcing her award on Feb. 3. and achievement. This year, nine principals were nominated for Principal of the Year. We have received their application packets, and the OAESP Executive Committee has selected the committee members who will review all packets and score them based on the OAESP-approved rubric. The committee will narrow the candidates to the top three by mid-March, and those candidates will be selected for a site visit. The committee will conduct interviews with the principal, a teacher committee, and a parent/community committee to make a final selection, which is expected in April.

Margaret Ploof, assistant principal of Freedom Elementary School with Lawton Public Schools, was selected as the OAESP Assistant Principal of the Year and the NAESP National Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year. Ploof will be recognized at the OAESP Leadership Conference on February 25–26, at the CCOSA Summer Leadership Conference on May 27–29, and at the NAESP National Conference in Orlando, Florida, on July 13–15.

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ASSOCIATION UPDATES

ODSS

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Andrea Kunkel, CCOSA General Counsel & ODSS Executive Director ODSS has great membership news! We have 249 active members for FY2026, beating our 2025 record by ten.

The New & Early Career Directors group has met twelve times so far this year. At each meeting, we focus on upcoming big events for directors. For December, our focus was on helping directors understand their District Data Profiles and complete the toolkits OSDE requires for each IDEA indicator their district didn’t meet. In January, we included a number of focus points, including OSTP accommodations and OSDE’s 1% OAAP participation letter and toolkit, as well as several longer-term projects. We continue to attract between 90 and 110 directors to each New & Early Career session. Thank you to Kim Baxter, McAlester Public Schools; Scott McCall, Piedmont Public Schools; and Carrie Schlehuber, Sand Springs Public Schools for hosting in-person Differentiated Monitoring Results (DMR) work group sessions in December to help their colleagues complete required toolkits. ODSS is all about teamwork!

ODSS’ national affiliate, CASE, held its annual conference in Oklahoma City in early November. ODSS President Michelle Dalton made an opening welcome presentation in general session that explained the history of ODSS and all the great things we’re doing. ODSS also supported

ODSS Past President Amy Swartz with one of the Pryor therapy dogs at the CASE Annual Conference in Oklahoma City in early November. the conference with pre-conference planning meetings, lots of members attending the conference, an exhibit booth, and donations of party favors for the CASE IDEA 50th anniversary celebration. CASE selected a number of Oklahoma groups to present conference sessions, so our colleagues had the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise to a national audience. ODSS President-Elect Leslie Burnett brought some of her chill therapy dogs from Pryor Public Schools to add additional fun to the exhibit hall. CASE considers the conference a great success, and ODSS is thrilled to have been able to support it.

The ODSS Best Practices Conference is coming up on February 19–20 at the Edmond Conference Center.

The first morning features TED talk-style presentations intended to improve IEP team performance, then lunch on-site, breakouts, and an OSDE open discussion session to end the day. On the second day, we’ll host fabulous and practical behavior specialist Jessica Minihan. OSDE’s Special Education Services section has approved the conference for Project 613, which covers the cost of registration, travel, and lodging (when travel exceeds 60 miles one way). ■

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READ TO LEAD Introducing CCOSA’s John C. Maxwell Book Series

In the third installment in our four-part John C. Maxwell Book Series, Dr. Barnett contrasts Maxwell’s Leadershift with another book that impacted her professional life, Alan Deutschman’s Change or Die. The Spring issue of Better Schools magazine will conclude the series with Maxwell’s newest work, High Road Leadership: Bringing People Together in a World That Divides ahead of the leadership legend’s keynote at the CCOSA Summer Leadership Conference in May.

Leadershift: 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace by John C. Maxwell

By Dr. Jeanene Barnett, CCOSA Director of Policy, Research & TLE John Maxwell opens his book Leadershift: 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace (2019) with the quote “change or die.” I first encountered this phrase in Alan Deutschman’s book of the same title (Change or Die, 2007) when I began working at the Oklahoma State Department of Education – a significant professional shift after serving in PK-12 schools in Creek County for 28 years. I must admit I found the title compelling as I navigated this major career transition and was hopeful by the final chapter, “Change and Thrive.” This raises an important question: How do we move from – or learn to move between – change or die and change and thrive?

OVERVIEW In Leadershift, John Maxwell emphasizes that effective leadership requires intentional shifts in thinking and practice as conditions change. There’s that word again, intentional. Leadership effectiveness is not rooted in position or past success but in a leader’s capacity to grow, adapt, and influence over time; it takes intentional effort.

Alan Deutschman’s Change or Die reinforces this premise through examples of organizations and individuals that fail, not because they lack information, but because they are unable to change behavior in meaningful and lasting ways. In other words, they are not sufficiently intentional.

Maxwell frames leadership growth as layered learning, drawing on C.S. Lewis’s metaphor of a tree that adds rings of understanding over time rather than abandoning earlier growth: “As we learn and grow, we add new rings of understanding without giving up the older ones.

We build, using the past to strengthen us, and create something new.”

Deutschman complements this idea by identifying three conditions necessary for durable change: Relate, Repeat, and Reframe. New behaviors must be supported by trusted relationships, reinforced through practice, and grounded in a compelling new way of thinking. For PK–12 leaders, this affirms that improvement efforts must build on existing strengths while intentionally reshaping beliefs and habits.

Together, these works highlight that leadership change must be deliberate, developmental, and behavioral, not merely structural or rhetorical.

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KEY LEADERSHIP SHIFTS FOR PK–12 LEADERS

IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION LEADERSHIP

FROM AUTHORITY TO INFLUENCE

For PK–12 leaders, Leadershift and Change or Die together underscore that meaningful improvement requires more than vision or strategy. Change succeeds when leaders build trust, reinforce new behaviors, layer new learning onto existing experience, and lay out a plan that inspires others to lead with passion. The ability to help educators not only understand change but live it consistently is central to effective leadership in schools and districts.

Maxwell’s emphasis on developing others aligns with Deutschman’s finding that people change more readily through relationships than through directives. Effective education leaders model change and build trust to influence behavior.

FROM GOALS TO GROWTH Both authors stress that outcomes improve when leaders focus on growth and learning. Sustainable change in schools requires repeated practice, feedback, and reinforcement, not one-time initiatives.

FROM MANAGING CHANGE TO LEADING BEHAVIOR CHANGE Deutschman cautions that information and mandates alone rarely produce change. Maxwell’s Leadershift requires leaders to create environments where new behaviors are practiced consistently and supported over time through transformational leadership. This is the “leadershift” that can have the most dramatic impact; in fact, through this shift, we can change the world.

FROM PRESERVING SYSTEMS TO CREATING CAPACITY Rather than maintaining existing structures, leaders must intentionally reshape systems to support new ways of thinking and working. In education, this includes aligning professional learning, accountability, and culture with desired instructional practices.

Maxwell closes his book with a chapter titled “Career to Calling,” where he suggests all individuals fall into one of three groups: You do a job, you build a career, or you fulfill your calling. He offers the following comparison and invites readers to consider where they see themselves:

CAREER

CALLING

Mainly About You Something You Choose Separated From Your Best Life You Can Take or Leave It Something You Can Do Measured by Success

Mainly About Others Something Chosen for You Integrated Into Your Entire Life Never Leaves You Something You Must Do Measured by Significance

He then poses this question: “Wouldn’t you like to find and fulfill a calling that makes a difference and gets you excited every day for the rest of your life? Finding your calling is like finding your why – the reason you exist, your purpose for living. When you do, it changes everything.” ■

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