Rockwood School District teachers and staff now have access to discounted tuition on online degree programs through a new partnership with Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO), the district announced on X Thursday, Aug. 6.

The agreement, called the SEMO Educators Advantage program, gives Rockwood faculty and staff a tuition discount on undergraduate, graduate and paraprofessional pathway programs offered online. The district and university formalized the partnership in July.

"Rockwood is excited to partner with the Educators Advantage Program and expand opportunities for our employees to pursue continued professional growth," Dr. Jennifer Martin, Rockwood's director of human resources, said in the July announcement. "Investing in education strengthens both individual career development and organizational excellence."

The announcement comes 18 days before the Aug. 24 first day of school, when the district's more than 19,000 students return to 34 buildings across Chesterfield, Wildwood, Ballwin and Eureka. For families, the partnership signals another investment in the educators who staff their children's classrooms.

Rockwood already has a strong credentialing culture. According to district data, 83 percent of its teachers hold a master's degree or higher, and the average teacher has 14 years of classroom experience. The SEMO partnership adds a university-backed, tuition-discounted track alongside internal programs like Ignite Rockwood Leadership, which accepted 22 educators into its ninth-year cohort in June.

To keep the discount, enrolled staff must recertify their eligibility each semester through SEMO's Office of Admissions. The exact discount amount has not been disclosed.

SEMO President Dr. Brad Hodson said in the July press release that the university views the Rockwood agreement as part of a broader push to support Missouri educators. SEMO has similar partnerships with other Missouri districts, including Advance R-IV.

Rockwood staff interested in the program can find details at semo.edu/online.