Union Public Schools

Executive Summary

Union Public Schools, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, serves a richly diverse community of nearly 15,000 students across multiple city limits. With over 2,000 staff—including more than 1,000 teachers—Union is committed to delivering high-quality, equitable education supported by robust professional learning.

Before 2023, Union relied on outdated, manual systems for managing professional development (PD), which created bottlenecks and inefficiencies. In response, the district implemented a digital solution that streamlined its entire PD process. The result? Empowered teachers, smoother administrative workflows, and real-time data that informs decision-making—all achieved through a remarkably seamless rollout.

The Challenge

Union faced several key challenges in its PD systems:

• Manual Paper Processes: Teachers signed into PD using paper sheets, requiring hours of manual data entry to track attendance and reconcile records across HR and payroll.
  
• Fragmented Event Listings: Teachers and administrators lacked a centralized view of available PD opportunities, making it difficult to plan and manage participation.
• ‍Inconsistent Coaching and Feedback: Without a unified system, documenting and tracking coaching cycles was cumbersome, and leadership had limited visibility into overall progress.

The Solution

Union’s implementation of the KickUp Professional Learning Management System delivered several critical improvements:

• Centralized PD Hub: Teachers now browse, register, and track PD sessions in one place, with clear visibility into their own learning history.
  
• Simplified Administration: Principals and site leaders create and manage PD events independently, with streamlined attendance tracking and reporting.
  
• Smarter Workflows: Integration with tools like Red Rover ensures that PD and substitute tracking are fully coordinated.
  
• Clear Accountability: Automated processes and reporting provide real-time insights into participation and engagement, dramatically reducing manual oversight.
  

Impact & Results

The results have been transformative:

• Time Savings & Efficiency: KickUp’s streamlined event creation and management has saved Union an estimated 8,274 hours of administrative time this year. With nearly 900 professional learning events created, what would have taken months of manual effort is now managed in minutes—giving staff more time to focus on meaningful educator support.
• 1,024 Teachers Supported: Every teacher now has real-time access to their PD records, empowering them to take charge of their professional growth.
  
• 141 New Teachers Onboarded Seamlessly: The district’s new system supported smooth onboarding of 141 new teachers for the 2023–24 school year, ensuring they were integrated into the PD process from day one.
  
• Full Adoption: 100% of schools are actively using the system for both district-wide and site-level PD.
  
• Enhanced Engagement: Teachers report feeling more ownership of their learning, thanks to the freedom to select sessions aligned to their interests and needs.
  

The Future

Union Public Schools plans to build on its success by:

• Expanding Coaching Documentation: All instructional coaches will document their coaching cycles digitally, providing richer data to monitor impact and guide improvements.
  
• Growing Collaborative Learning: The district is exploring ways to support Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) through its PD platform, fostering deeper collaboration among educators.
  
• Refining Data & Feedback: By enhancing survey questions and maximizing reporting tools, Union aims to continuously align PD offerings with evolving district goals.
  

Conclusion

Union Public Schools has successfully transformed its professional learning infrastructure, shifting from outdated, manual processes to a modern, data-informed system. The district’s 1,024 teachers and 78 administrators now have access to streamlined PD management that enhances engagement, transparency, and efficiency—laying the groundwork for continuous growth and improvement.

For districts looking to modernize their professional learning environments, Union’s journey demonstrates how a smart, user-friendly solution can deliver meaningful results—fast.