Teacher Leadership and Impact Highlighted in Claremore’s Participation in OTEP
Claremore Public Schools (CPS) is proud to participate in the Oklahoma Teacher Empowerment Program (OTEP) for the second consecutive year. This statewide initiative was created by the Oklahoma Legislature in 2022 to elevate and retain highly effective teachers in Oklahoma classrooms. OTEP provides recognition and increased compensation to educators who demonstrate exceptional instructional skills, leadership, and a commitment to students.
While participation in OTEP is optional for school districts, CPS chooses to engage in this work because it aligns with our mission, our values, and our belief that excellent teaching changes everything. As Superintendent Bryan Frazier stated during this year’s recognition celebration, “Nothing in this district happens without great teaching… What matters is who the teacher is, what they do, and the quality of what they do.”
Why Claremore Chooses to Participate
During the recognition event, Oklahoma legislators emphasized the program's importance. Senator Adam Pugh remarked, “At the Capitol, we want to get this money into your pockets. We just want you to feel our appreciation for what you do every single day.” Senator Ally Seifried added that teachers are the number one factor in a student’s success and commended CPS for being “innovative and finding ways to support teachers.”
For CPS, OTEP is more than a stipend program. It is an opportunity to recognize, develop, and retain the outstanding educators who make Claremore a destination district. As Superintendent Frazier stated, “We set up what is valuable to our district, and we want to recognize the excellence being put forth by teachers who embody those values… Because when you are better, it is better for our kids, and then we are better.” In addition, “When the Oklahoma Legislature allocates funding specifically to recognize and reward exemplary teaching, CPS believes it has a responsibility to ensure those dollars reach the pockets of the educators for whom they were intended, the individuals demonstrating excellence every day across our district.”
How Teachers Are Selected
All certified teachers who meet the district’s criteria may be considered. However, districts may designate no more than 10 percent of their teaching staff for the program. For the 2025–26 cycle, CPS selected 32 teachers. To ensure a fair and transparent process, CPS began by publishing the complete rubric and criteria, which allowed teachers to review expectations and determine whether they met the qualifications. Educators who believed they qualified then submitted applications with evidence aligned to district requirements.
Site administrators evaluated each applicant using the CPS Teacher Empowerment Rubric and scored applicants on leadership, attendance, mentorship, and any applicable bonus criteria. After evaluations were completed, applicants were ranked, and the top 32 scorers across the Advanced, Lead, and Master designation levels were named CPS OTEP Teacher Leaders. This structured and transparent process ensures clarity, equity, and alignment with the values CPS has identified as hallmarks of instructional excellence.
Defining Excellence: What Makes a Top-Tier Teacher?
Before designing our district plan, CPS leaders asked a foundational question: “What makes a good teacher, and what distinguishes the top-tier educators in our buildings?” Through collaborative discussion, a shared definition emerged. Great teachers at CPS consistently demonstrate:
Expert pedagogy, which includes mastery of content, instructional strategies, classroom management, and effective teaching practices as described in the Teacher and Leader Effectiveness (TLE) framework.
Leadership beyond the classroom, including supporting colleagues, mentoring new teachers, serving on committees, and contributing to a collaborative culture.
Commitment to professional growth, including seeking learning opportunities, attending conferences, and elevating the profession as a whole.
Dependability and presence, including showing up for students, colleagues, and their work every day.
Embodiment of CPS core values, including Grit, Community, Excellence, Purpose, and Innovation.
These qualities formed the foundation of the CPS Teacher Empowerment Rubric, a transparent, evidence-based tool for identifying and recognizing teacher excellence. Together, these characteristics mirror the CPS Core Values, which guide all our decision-making and define the educational environment we strive to create for every student.
Building a Rubric That Reflects Our Values
The CPS Teacher Empowerment Rubric was intentionally designed to meet state requirements while reflecting our community's values for exceptional educators. In addition to the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s required components, which include teacher observation, out-of-classroom responsibilities, and student performance, the CPS rubric incorporates qualities that define excellence within our district. By intentionally aligning the rubric with the CPS Core Values of Grit, Community, Excellence, Purpose, and Innovation, the district ensures that the attributes we celebrate in our teachers directly support the culture we want for our students.
The rubric recognizes teachers who contribute to site and district committees through leadership and service. It elevates professional presence by emphasizing consistent attendance and reliability, because being present matters, and students succeed when teachers are consistently in front of them. The rubric also honors the mentorship teachers provide as they support and develop their colleagues. In addition, bonus points are awarded for distinguished achievements such as Teacher of the Year honors or recognition from state and national educational organizations.
Together, these elements enable CPS to holistically and meaningfully identify teacher excellence. They allow us to celebrate not only performance but also the lasting impact educators have on students, colleagues, and the broader school community.
Celebrating Our 2025–26 OTEP Teacher Leaders
CPS proudly recognizes the 32 educators selected for Advanced, Lead, and Master designations this year. These teachers represent the highest levels of instructional quality, leadership, and dedication to students across our district. In the 2025–26 school year alone, CPS distributed $349,500 to teachers through this state-funded program. This amount represents a direct financial acknowledgment of the excellence they demonstrate each day.
In the 2024–25 school year, the first year CPS participated, the district distributed $372,000 directly to 32 former Site and District Teacher of the Year recipients. Over the past two years, $721,500 in state-allocated OTEP funds have been awarded to CPS teachers.
Their dedication strengthens our classrooms, inspires our teams, and advances our mission throughout the district.
Looking Ahead
Designations are awarded annually, which offers teachers a new opportunity each year to grow, strengthen their craft, and step into leadership roles. As CPS continues to participate in OTEP, we remain committed to:
fostering innovation and collaboration as we refine and improve the process,
using transparent and meaningful measures of teacher excellence,
honoring the educators who go above and beyond, and
retaining and developing the exceptional talent that defines Claremore Public Schools.
These efforts reflect our commitment to living our CPS Core Values every day and ensuring that our students learn in a community defined by purpose, excellence, and innovation.
