Results from an ethnographic study reveal the meanings and social actions of teachers and administrators that were used to support a teachers' theory of empowerment. This practitioner's model offers a definition, principles, and behaviors that reflect teacher empowerment as it occurs in the school. Implications of this model for building intra-university and school district collaboratives are discussed. The paper proposes ways of integrating the principles of empowerment into preservice and inservice teacher and administrator education programs. Results of the one-year ethnographic study are based on narrative accounts of their daily lives by 40 elementary and middle school teachers and their administrators. According to the findings of the study, the following elements promote and sustain teacher empowerment: (1) the school culture as reflected in the cultural norms; (2) the social practices and social knowledge of empowered teachers; and (3) transformative leadership. Twenty-seven references are included. (Author/IAH)