OSEA’s voice and ability to advocate for classified educators are amplified statewide now that four members have been appointed to state boards and commissions.
State President Sarah Wofford joined the Oregon Board of Education this summer. State Secretary Mary Hofer was appointed to the Teachers Standards and Practices Commission in the spring. Zone I Director Misty Talerico brought the classified perspective to the Educator Advancement Council at the beginning of the year. Sally Duerfeldt of Eugene Chapter 1 now sits on the Oregon Educator Benefits Board (OEBB).
OSEA has these opportunities to be heard thanks to members who testified to the State Legislature in 2023. We made our stories about the importance of including the classified perspective in education policy discussions heard – lawmakers subsequently passed House Bill (HB) 3383, requiring that classified educators be given seats at the table in the decision-making bodies of state education agencies.
“For far too long, classified have not been recognized for the contributions we make to the education system on a statewide and national level,” Wofford said. “Now we are finally able to provide that education for people and provide that voice for classified.”
“On average, an elementary student talks to seven classified in a day, but only one or two teachers. But this is the first time the state has asked for our opinion on what would make a better education system,” she said. “If you take more than half of the education system and you don’t listen to them, you’re not going to get a full picture of what’s happening.”
Wofford is the first classified educator to sit on the Oregon Board of Education, which sets educational policies for Oregon’s 197 public school districts and 19 education service districts (ESDs). She’s excited to shine a light on the hard and often undervalued work classified school employees put into keeping their schools and workplaces running smoothly.
“It is going to take a lot of continuous talking about classified to make sure that people understand what we truly do and all that we are,” Wofford said. “I feel really fortunate to be that person and have that opportunity to show up and show people what classified are all about.”
Hofer has a deep understanding of the Teachers Standards and Practices Commission’s requirements through her work as a Registrar at Bend High School. It’s her job to help teachers maintain current licenses and ensure they have the necessary endorsements to fulfill teaching schedules.
Hofer hopes to add her insight as a classified school employee to help the commission envision more pathways to earning a teaching license. “My dream is a system where classified can get credit for the work experience we already have,” Hofer said. “An educational assistant who has been working with special education students for 10 years or more, for example, they should have a path to teaching that draws on that experience, if that is what they want.”
As she learns more about how license requirements are created and updated, Hofer is even more dedicated to ensuring that classified voices are part of the process. “Any decision that affects a classroom teacher also affects the support staff in that room,” she said. “We have experience, we have knowledge, we have bonds with our students. We have a lot of valuable strengths and it’s time to make that seen.”
The Educator Advancement Council supports mentorship, professional development, networking, regional collaboration and other resources for Oregon’s educators. The council is made up of 21 directors from a variety of backgrounds, including teachers in elementary, middle and high schools, superintendents, a school board member, state education agency representatives and now classified staff.
“I’m excited to bring awareness to classified as educators,” Talerico said. “We’re often the first in and the last out, and our students look to us for guidance... To have that perspective as classified, hearing from our members, I’m excited to be able to be that voice with the other directors.”
Before joining OEBB, Duerfeldt already had experience with classified benefits – her chapter bargained to create her current position as the Classified Benefits Coordinator for the Eugene School District. On OEBB, she will take her expertise statewide.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to go beyond what I’m capable of doing now in my current role and have a platform to make further improvements to classified benefits and wellness resources,” Duerfeldt said. “I have a huge heart for people who are just struggling to make ends meet and often end up in positions where they are forced to choose between their finances and their health.”
We all know that classified educators have a unique and valuable view of our education system at work. Now we have the opportunity to highlight the work classified do and contribute to education policy conversations at the highest level statewide, thanks to the advocacy of dedicated OSEA members!