School Laws of Oklahoma

Chapter 6 - Personnel
Article III: School Employees Negotiations Act

Section 749. School District Employer - Employee Relations. (70 O.S. § 509.1)

It is the purpose of this act to strengthen methods of administering employer-employee relations through the establishment of an orderly process of communications between school employees and the school district. The district courts are vested with jurisdiction to prevent and restrain violations of this act and shall have jurisdiction in all other cases arising under this act to grant relief to the employer or recognized employee organization for violations of this act using procedures set forth in Sections 1381 through 1397 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

Sick leave bank plan for teachers can be negotiated. May 18, 1983 (AG Op. No. 83-33)

A school district engaging in collective bargaining may not grant greater, or lesser, salary and/or benefits to employees who choose not to be represented by authorized collective bargaining agent. December 29, 1987. (AG Op. No. 87-85)

A collective bargaining agent is required to represent fairly and impartially all members of an appropriate bargaining unit, without regard to whether they are members of the labor organization, in the processing of grievances arising under a collective bargaining agreement. December 29, 1987. (AG Op. No. 87-85)

Section 750. Negotiations Representative of Professional Educators - Bargaining Representatives. (70 O.S. § 509.2)

A. The board of education shall recognize an employee organization designated by an election of the employees in an appropriate bargaining unit as the exclusive representative of all the employees in such unit. The members of an employee organization shall be employees as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this subsection and Section 1-116 of this title. The recognition of such employee organization shall be made by the board no later than fourteen (14) days after the election. Any person who desires not to be represented by any organization may so state in writing to his or her board of education. Appropriate bargaining units are defined as follows; however, such definition shall not be construed, of itself, as requiring that bargaining units engage in bargaining or act to disengage from bargaining:

1. Employees who are employed and certified as principals and assistant principals and who have responsibilities for the supervision of classroom teachers shall constitute an appropriate unit;

2. All other employees who are required by the position in which employed to be licensed or certified as teachers or entry year teachers as those terms are defined in Section 1-116 of this title and who do not hold supervisory authority with respect to other teachers in the district shall constitute an appropriate unit; and

3. All employees who are not required by their job description to be a principal, licensed or certified teacher, superintendent or other certified or noncertified administrator shall constitute a separate bargaining unit. Provided that, employees with access to confidential, labor relations information of the school district, or managerial employees whose responsibilities include making employment recommendations to the superintendent and for which their position does not require a certificate, shall be excluded from this or other bargaining units. Also excluded is any employee position agreed to be excluded from the bargaining unit by the employee organization and the school district.

Provided, if employees categorized according to paragraphs 2 and 3 of this subsection were organized for bargaining as a single unit as of April 14, 1986, or are at any time employed in a district having fewer than seventy-five employees in the two categories taken together, the employees may, for such time as a majority of the employees in each category indicate by secret ballot vote they share a single community of interest, constitute a single appropriate unit. Further provided, any final judgment of the Supreme Court denying such community of interest in any school district shall have the effect of rendering inappropriate all units, in whatever school districts they exist, which include employees of both categories.

B.

1. Within seven (7) business days of receiving a sealed packet containing an employee petition filed by or on behalf of thirty-five percent (35%) or more of the employees in a unit, such petition calling for an election to determine which, if any, employee organization represents the employees in a bargaining unit, the board shall arrange for verification that there are a sufficient number of correct names to constitute at least thirty-five percent (35%) of the employees in the unit. Such arrangements shall include the transmitting of the sealed packet and a list of employees eligible to be included in the bargaining unit to the individual designated pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 2 of this subsection.

2. The petition calling for the secret ballot election shall contain only the names of employees of the bargaining unit who have signed and dated the petition. Within thirty (30) days of receipt of the sealed packet by the district court judge in and for the county in which the school district has its main office, the sealed packet shall be opened and the petition shall be verified by an individual designated by the district judge of such court for the county in which the school district has its main office. Upon verification of the number of signatures on the petition, the district court judge shall notify in writing the district board of education and any employee organization that has requested notice of the verification. Under no circumstances shall the individual so designated reveal the names of employees who signed or did not sign the petition. If an employee has signed more than one petition, the name of the employee shall be removed from each petition.

3. The period of time for signing of a recognition petition shall commence upon receipt of written notification by the local school board from an organization indicating that it intends to circulate a petition and shall cease thirty (30) days thereafter. Provided, if an organization recognized as representative of a unit for bargaining is being challenged for discontinuation of representation as provided in paragraph 7 of subsection C of this section or is being challenged by another organization seeking recognition, the period for signing shall commence on the first day of February and end on the last day of that same February.

C.

1. Not less than forty-five (45) days nor more than sixty (60) days after receipt of notification that the petition has been verified as sufficient, a secret ballot election shall be held to determine which, if any, employee organization shall represent the unit. No election shall be held for a unit within which a valid election was held in the preceding two (2) years. On or after March 2, 1995, the board shall recognize within ten (10) days an organization which has obtained signed authorization from a majority of the employees eligible to be included in the unit but has not been recognized. No election shall be held for such unit within two (2) years of recognition. An appropriate election ballot shall be printed for this election, which contains the names of all employee organizations having presented a petition verified as signed by at least thirty-five percent (35%) of the employees eligible to be in the unit to represent or currently recognized as representing the unit; provided, no such organization shall be shown on the ballot unless the organization pays to the board a filing fee of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00). The ballot shall also provide an option whereby any employee of the unit may indicate a preference that the unit not be represented by any organization. Every organization that receives at least fifteen percent (15%) of the vote in the election shall be reimbursed the Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) by the board. The board shall use any remaining filing fee money to help offset the cost of the validation process of the petition, if any, as well as any election costs incurred.

2. When none of the choices on the ballot receives a majority of the votes, a runoff election shall be conducted on the fourteenth day following the first election between the two choices which received the largest number of votes in the preceding election.

3. The employee organization or organizations and the school board shall, by agreement, determine the method by which each election shall be conducted. All costs incurred in an election shall be shared equally by all parties involved.

If no agreement can be reached by thirty (30) days prior to the election, the board of education shall notify the county election board of the county in which the board is located of such fact, and the following method for conducting the secret ballot election shall be followed and conducted by the county election board:

a. At the time of such notice, the board of education shall provide to the county election board:

(1) a list of all the polling places for the election, such list to include every middle school or junior high school and the central administration office in the district;

(2) a list of names of all the persons eligible to vote in the election, such list to be in alphabetical order and duplicated in such number that there shall be one for each polling place, plus an additional five copies;

(3) the names of each organization entitled to have its name appear on the ballot; and

(4) the date of the election which shall not be a special election date specified by subsection B of Section 3-101 of Title 26 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

b. Ballots for the election shall be printed by the county election board in the same manner as for other elections conducted by the county election board, insofar as is possible. The names of organizations shall be listed on the ballot in the order in which said names are furnished to the county election board by the board of education. The option specifying that no organization shall represent the employee bargaining unit shall be listed last on the ballot, in such language as may be specified by the board.

c. The secretary of the county election board shall appoint an inspector, judge and clerk for each polling place. The inspector, judge and clerk shall be selected from among the regular precinct officials in the county.

d. Polling places shall be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election. Any eligible person who appears to vote no later than 7:00 p.m. shall be entitled to vote.

e. Eligible voters may vote after signing their signatures beside their names on the list of names of all the persons eligible to vote in the election. The voter shall place his or her ballot in the ballot box in the presence of the inspector.

f. Each organization entitled to have its name appear on the ballot shall be permitted to appoint one challenger at each polling place. Each such challenger shall be properly identified as such, and shall be limited to inquiring of a prospective voter, said prospective voter’s name, address, job classification and work site. The challenger may challenge the right of any prospective voter to vote by so informing the judge. Upon being so challenged, the prospective voter may vote if, after being informed by the judge of such a challenge, the voter signs his or her signature beside his or her name on the list of names of all the persons eligible to vote in the election. If same occurs, the judge shall write the words “Challenged by _____” beside the voter’s signature.

g. The county election board shall certify in writing the results of the election to the board of education on the day following the election and on the same day shall mail a copy of the certification to all employee organizations that have requested copies of the certification.

h. Costs of the election shall be paid to the county election board by the board of education. The costs shall include the regular salaries of the inspector, judge, and clerk, in addition to all other necessary and reasonable costs. Such costs shall include compensation for members of the county election board, including the secretary.

i. Anyone guilty of voting more than one time in the election will be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) or thirty (30) days in the county jail.

4. No employee shall use regularly scheduled duty time for campaign purposes.

5. A list of the employees eligible to vote in the election including their names, addresses, phone numbers, job classification and work site shall be provided not less than fourteen (14) days before the election to each organization listed on the official ballot.

6. Any board or organization challenging the results of any election held pursuant to the provisions of this section shall post with the district court a bond of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) which shall be forfeited if the court finds that the challenge is in bad faith.

7. In any February more than two (2) years after recognition of an organization pursuant to the provisions of this section and upon the receipt of a petition calling for discontinuation of representation signed by thirty-five percent (35%) of the employees eligible to be included in the unit, a board shall call an election to determine whether the members of a unit wish to discontinue being represented for bargaining. If a majority of the votes cast are votes to discontinue representation, efforts to gain recognition by any organization shall be prohibited for a period of two (2) years commencing with the expiration of the contract then in force. The ballots used in such election shall, without reference to any organization by name, offer the single choice of continued representation or discontinuation of representation.

Teachers’ petition to board of education to disband association did not comport with Negotiations Act which requires that the petition call for discontinuation of representation, where dissolution of association would not necessarily constitute discontinuation of representation by some other bargaining agent. Washington Assoc. of Classroom Teachers v. ISD No. I-05, 862 P.2d 83 (Okla. App. 1993)

An organization must receive a majority of votes in order to be recognized by the local board of education. June 6, 1990 (AG Inf. Op. No. 90-544)

An employee organization which is currently recognized as representing the bargaining unit shall have its name placed on the election ballot without being required as a precondition, to submit a petition containing the names of thirty-five percent (35%) of bargaining unit members. March 30, 1987 (AG Op. No. 87-24)

Local School Board has an affirmative obligation to participate in the settlement of unresolved disputes between competing bargaining organizations. Maule v. ISD No. 9, 714 P.2d 198 (Okla. 1985)

Nonprofessional educator organizations may designate bargaining representatives or negotiators who may or may not be employees of the district. October 27, 1983 (AG Op. No. 83-92)

Recognized organization may designate persons not employed by district to act as negotiators, consultants or members of team involved in negotiations. June 10, 1982 (AG Op. No. 82-171)

School administrator can serve on committee representing classroom teachers in negotiations with local board of education, if he is not serving as representative of board of education. February 19, 1980 (AG Op. No. 80-3)

Organization petitioning election may keep petitions for reasonable time prior to submitting petitions to board of education for purpose of verifying petitions. December 27, 1978 (AG Op. No. 78-231)

30 days for signing petition are calendar days and not days of pupil attendance. December 27, 1978 (AG Op. No. 78-231)

Local board of education cannot conduct election to determine organization to represent educators for negotiations. November 14, 1975

Designation of professional organization during school year does not automatically terminate after such year. January 28, 1975 (AG Op. No. 74-265)

Majority of professional educators of school district is necessary to elect individual bargaining representatives of professional organization. January 28, 1975 (AG Op. No. 74-265)

Election of individual bargaining representatives of professional organization must be conducted under auspices of the organization. January 28, 1975 (AG Op. No. 74-265)

Question of whether part-time employees are entitled to participate depends upon whether they have a sufficient “community of interest” with other employees, which is a question of fact. February 8, 1974 (AG Op. No. 73-256)

Only one professional organization may represent professional educators. February 8, 1974 (AG Op. No. 73-256)

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Section 751. Dispute Resolution. (70 O.S. § 509.2a)

A. In the event of a bargaining unit determination or a bargaining election dispute, the following procedure shall apply:

1. In the event of a bargaining election dispute, within seven (7) calendar days of receipt of verification of number of signatures on the petition from the county election board or the receipt of election results from the county election board or other organization agreed upon by the parties to conduct the election, either party shall give notice in writing of a dispute and the facts on which the dispute is based to the other parties involved, and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction requesting appointment of a dispute resolution committee. In the event of a bargaining unit determination dispute either party shall give notice in writing of a dispute and the facts on which the dispute is based to the other parties involved, and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction requesting appointment of a dispute resolution committee. The status quo that existed between the parties prior to the incident giving rise to the dispute shall be maintained through the resolution of the dispute including district court proceedings unless the court orders otherwise upon proper application by a party; any election scheduled pursuant to a disputed petition shall be stayed pending resolution of the dispute including district court proceedings;

2. Within ten (10) days of receipt of notification that a dispute resolution committee is needed, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall form a dispute resolution committee consisting of three (3) members selected at random from the list of fact-finders maintained by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 509.7 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The State Superintendent shall notify the members of the committee of their selection and set a date for the committee’s first meeting to be held no later than seven (7) calendar days following selection of the committee. The committee shall elect a chair at its first meeting;

3. Within five (5) calendar days after the selection of the chair, the representatives of the parties involved in the dispute shall present to the members of the committee written comments on the issues related to the dispute. Each party shall furnish the other parties copies of documents presented to the committee. Within fifteen (15) calendar days of selection of the chair, the chair shall convene the committee for a meeting with the representatives of the parties. Within twenty (20) calendar days of selection of the chair, the committee shall present its findings and recommendations in writing to the board of education and other parties involved in the dispute;

4. If any party decides to reject the committee’s recommendations the party must, within seven (7) days after receipt of the committee’s written recommendation, request a meeting of the parties involved in the dispute. At the meeting the parties shall exchange written statements expressing their rationale for rejecting any recommendation and shall attempt to clarify differences;

5. At any time following issuance of the dispute resolution committee’s findings and recommendations but prior to the initiation of judicial review, the committee shall provide necessary clarification to all parties at the request of any party. The committee shall provide written clarification within ten (10) calendar days of the request;

6. The local board shall file a copy of the written findings and recommendations, including any written clarifications, of the dispute resolution committee with the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. If the effort to resolve differences is successful, the parties shall forward a copy of their agreement to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. If the effort to resolve differences is unsuccessful, the local board of education shall notify the State Superintendent of Public Instruction in writing of the parties’ inability to agree;

7. Within fifteen (15) calendar days of the date of notification of the parties’ inability to agree any party may appeal for judicial review of the committee’s findings and recommendations in the district court of the county in which the administrative office of the school district is located. The review shall be conducted by the court without a jury and shall be confined to the written record consisting of the dispute resolution committee’s findings and recommendations, written statements furnished to the dispute resolution committee by the parties, and written statements exchanged among the parties as required in this section. In cases of alleged irregularities in procedures required in this section, the court may take testimony. The court, upon request or upon its own motion, shall hear oral argument and receive written briefs; and

8. The court shall accept the dispute resolution committee’s findings and order the parties to comply with the dispute resolution committee’s recommendations if the findings and recommendations are found to be valid and the proceedings are found to be free of prejudicial error to any party. Provided the court may enter an order overruling the committee’s findings and recommendations, in whole or in part, and order its resolution of the dispute, if the court finds that the committee’s findings, inferences, conclusions, or decisions are:

a. in violation of constitutional provisions,

b. in excess of the authority of the committee,

c. made upon unlawful procedure,

d. affected by other error of law,

e. clearly erroneous in view of the reliable, material, probative, and competent evidence, including matters properly noticed by the committee, upon examination and consideration of the entire record as submitted but without otherwise substituting its judgment as to the weight of the evidence for that of the committee on question of fact,

f. arbitrary or capricious, or

g. lacking findings of fact upon issues essential to the decision.

The court’s final order shall be issued no later than sixty (60) days following the date the appeal is filed.

B. An aggrieved party without a motion for a new trial may secure a review of any final judgment of a district court under this section by appeal to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The appeal shall be taken in the manner and time provided by law for appeal to the Supreme Court from the district court in civil actions.

Teachers’ petition to board of education to disband association did not comport with Negotiations Act which requires that the petition call for discontinuation of representation, where dissolution of association would not necessarily constitute discontinuation of representation by some other bargaining agent. Washington Assoc. of Classroom Teachers v. ISD No. I-05, 862 P.2d 83 (Okla. App. 1993)

An organization must receive a majority of votes in order to be recognized by the local board of education. June 6, 1990. (AG Inf. Op. No. 90-544)

Section 752. School Board Representatives. (70 O.S. § 509.3)

The local board shall choose representatives who shall bargain for the board, and the recognized organization shall choose representatives who shall bargain for the organization. The local board representatives shall be presently serving on the board or employed by said board and no other person shall represent the board. Provided nothing herein shall prohibit the employment of legal counsel for consultative purposes by local board or organization.

A board of education may be represented in negotiations by current board members or an independent contractor employed by the board to represent it. September 15, 1997 (AG Op. No. 97-70)

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Section 753. Negotiations. (70 O.S. § 509.6)

Once an organization has been recognized, the board of education or its duly designated representative must meet with the duly designated representative of the organization and within sixty (60) days shall complete an agreement outlining negotiation procedures. The board of education and the representatives of the organization must negotiate in good faith on wages, hours, fringe benefits and other terms and conditions of employment. To negotiate in good faith shall mean both parties must be willing to consider proposals in an effort to find a mutually satisfactory basis for agreement and must be willing to discuss their respective contract proposals. If either party objects to the other’s contract proposals, the objecting party must support its objections with rationale. Any allegation by either party that there has been a failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall be resolved through the dispute resolution procedure for resolving a unit determination dispute as set forth in subsection A of Section 509.2 [509.2.a] of this title.

School board’s authority to reprimand teacher may not be delegated to binding arbitration provision in collective bargaining agreement between school board and teachers’ organization. Raines v. ISD No. 6, 796 P.2d 303 (Okla. 1990)

School board’s statutory duty or discretion vested in board by statute may not be negotiated term in collective bargaining agreement. Raines v. ISD No. 6, 796 P.2d 303 (Okla. 1990)

Decisions statutorily vested in the exclusive authority and discretion of the school board including the decision to nonrenew the employment of a probationary teacher cannot be subject to binding arbitration pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. Mindemann v. ISD No. 6, 771 P.2d 996 (Okla. 1989)

A local school district is required to use negotiation process to determine the distributions of the state aid increase provided in Ok. Sess. L. 1988, c.298, § 51, if either the classroom teacher or support personnel staff requests such negotiations whether or not the other group of employees is using the negotiations process. March 7, 1989 (AG Op. No. 88-95)

The duty to negotiate in good faith requires that boards of education and representatives of school employee organizations treat extra-duty compensation paid members of an appropriate collective bargaining unit, as a mandatory subject of bargaining. AG Opinion No. 81-126 is hereby withdrawn. March 30, 1987 (AG Op. No. 87-21)

School district employee cannot miss work to further negotiations without loss of pay. June 20, 1979 (AG Op. No. 79-176)

Section 754. Fact Finding Committee. (70 O.S. § 509.7)

A procedure for resolving impasses will be developed by the board of education and the representatives of the organization. Said procedure shall include the actions set forth in this section and may include such other actions as are agreed to by both parties. Unless otherwise provided for by law, “days” means calendar days. Time limits set forth herein may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties.

A. If negotiations are not successfully concluded by the first day of school, impasse shall exist. At any earlier time, either party may declare impasse. Upon reaching of impasse, the items causing the impasse shall be referred to a three-member fact-finding committee. This committee shall consist of:

1. One member who shall be selected by the representatives of the organization within five (5) days after the reaching of impasse;

2. One member who shall be selected by the local board of education within five (5) days after the reaching of impasse; and

3. One member who shall serve as chairperson of the committee and shall be selected as follows:

a. The State Board of Education shall appoint as fact-finders not less than twenty nor more than thirty persons to be placed on the State Superintendent’s list of fact-finders. The appointees must reside in Oklahoma, must be neutral and unbiased and must be knowledgeable in the fields of school operations, school finance, personnel management, dispute resolution and hearing procedures. The appointees shall not currently be elected public officers or employees of a board of education or officers or employees of an organization of education employees. No person who is related within the second degree by consanguinity or affinity to an elected public officer, to an employee of the local board of education that is involved in the impasse, or to an employee of an organization of education employees shall be eligible to serve as a fact-finder.

b. An appointee shall serve until such appointee resigns or is removed by the State Board of Education from the State Superintendent’s list of fact-finders. An appointee must be removed immediately if he or she becomes an elected public officer or employee of a board of education or an officer or employee of an organization of education employees.

c. Within ten (10) days of being notified that a fact-finder is needed, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee shall provide the names of five potential fact-finders selected at random from the list of appointees who are available to serve as a member and the chairperson of the committee. The parties shall select the fact-finder from the five names within fifteen (15) days after receiving the list of fact-finders.

d. It shall be the responsibility of the State Board of Education to establish rules, regulations, training, hearing procedures, and payment schedules to implement the provisions of this paragraph.

B. Within five (5) days after the selection of the chairperson, the representatives who have been negotiating for the board and for the organization shall meet to exchange written language on each item at impasse. The exchanged documents shall also be furnished by each party to the chairperson and other members of the committee.

C. The chairperson shall convene the committee for fact finding. This committee shall meet with the representatives of both parties. Within twenty (20) days after the chairperson is selected, the committee shall present written recommendations to the local board and to the organization.

D. If either party decides it must reject one or more of the committee’s recommendations, said party must, within seven (7) days after the committee has presented its recommendations, request a meeting of the representatives who have been negotiating for the board and for the organization. The parties shall meet within seven (7) days of the request, unless both parties deem it unnecessary. At such meeting, the representatives shall exchange written statements expressing each party’s rationale for rejecting each recommendation found unacceptable and shall attempt to clarify any remaining differences. The representatives shall then resume good faith effort to resolve the remaining differences; provided, after fourteen (14) days after the exchange of the written statements, either party may discontinue such effort.

E. The local board shall file a copy of the fact-finding report with the office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. If the effort to resolve differences is successful, the parties shall draft a written agreement and present the agreement to both parties for ratification, and such agreement shall also be forwarded to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. If the effort to resolve differences is unsuccessful, the local board of education shall forward to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction in writing its final disposition of the negotiations impasse process within thirty (30) days of the effective date of implementation.

When an impasse is reached, both parties may agree to additional conditions to be imposed on the fact finding committee. Recommendations of the fact finding committee that are not affirmatively rejected by a party are deemed resolved and any subsequent negotiations are restricted to only the items still at impasse. July 31, 1998 (AG Op. No. 98-14)

Section 755. Agreed Procedure for Resolving Impasses Exclusive - Strikes Forbidden. (70 O.S. § 509.8)

The procedure provided for herein for resolving impasses shall be the exclusive recourse of the organization. It shall be illegal for the organization to strike or threaten to strike as a means of resolving differences with the board of education. any member of an organization engaging in a strike shall be denied the full amount of his wages during the period of such violation. If the organization or its members engage in a strike, then the organization shall cease to be recognized as representative of the unit and the school district shall be relieved of the duty to negotiate with such organization or its representatives.

Professional organization’s strike relieves school district of its duty to recognize such organization, but only for the duration of the strike. ISD No. 89 v. Okla. City Federation of Teachers, 612 P.2d 719 (Okla. 1980)

Section 756. Discrimination for Exercise or Non-exercise of Rights Under Act Prohibited. (70 O.S. § 509.9)

No employee shall be discriminated against by the board of education, superintendent or any other administrative officer of a district or by any employee organization, its officers or any member thereof because of his exercise or nonexercise of rights under this act. It shall be prohibited for an employee organization, employee or employer to impede, restrain or coerce an employer or employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in Sections 509.1 through 509.10 of this title.

Section 757. Prior Agreements. (70 O.S. § 509.10)

Nothing in this act shall be construed to annul or modify or to preclude the renewal or continuation of any lawful agreement heretofore entered into between any school district and any representative of its employees, except to the extent that such agreement is in conflict with the provisions of this act.

Section 757.1. Professional Educator Associations Equal Access. (70 O.S. § 509.11)

A. No school district, employee of a school district, or employee organization shall deny by any means, including a collective bargaining agreement, a statewide professional educators’ association equal access to employees of the school district, to the same extent that access is granted to other educators’ associations. For purposes of this section, access shall include, but is not limited to:

1. Setting up informational tables at in-service or other similar teacher meetings;

2. Speaking at in-service or other similar teacher meetings;

3. Distributing information in school mail boxes or through the school e-mail system;

4. Utilizing school district meeting rooms during nonworking hours;

5. Representing employees in employment matters, when requested by the employee;

6. Posting information on school district bulletin boards; and

7. Utilizing school district printing services.

B. Any association which utilizes school district facilities or services shall reimburse the district for any costs incurred by the district.

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