Re-1 teachers may someday have an opportunity to obtain their master’s degree with help from the school district.

George Schumpelt, Special Projects Office Administrator for the Re-1 School District, brought a proposal to Tuesday’s school board meeting addressing a solution to the district’s increasing need for English as a Second Language-qualified teachers.

Schumpelt explained that through grant money, the district might be able to pay for teachers to acquire the Colorado Linguistically Different Endorsement, which recognizes that teachers have training in instructing students with a second language influence.

If the school district offered the program, teachers would take courses to obtain the Colorado Linguistically Different Endorsement. Earning the endorsement would leave those teachers 10 hours short of a master’s degree.

The courses would be offered through Adams State College, but Schumpelt said that the program could be totally Cortez-based.

"We offered a Master’s program a number of years ago, and because of the cost very few teachers participated," Schumpelt said. "We’re trying to help (teachers) with the cost."

Members of the school board, including Board President Steve Hinton, expressed concern that the program would be costly for the district.

Schumpelt assured the board that grants would pay for the endorsement program, but agreed that once a teacher earned a master’s degree, the board would have to pay a salary increase.

Schumpelt and the Re-1 School Board will continue to work to refine the proposal so that it is financially feasably for the district.