What’s Happening

By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, October 7, 2021

Many Opportunity Culture directors/district leads from around the country attended an online gathering in September—a great way to share insights and begin to build this community. Special thanks to those who participated in the panel discussion: Superintendent Scott Muri of Ector County (Texas) Independent School District, and Opportunity Culture directors Jessie Garcia of Ector County; Chris Hightower of Midland (Texas) Independent School District; Anne Claire Tejtel Nornhold of Baltimore City Schools; and Erin Swanson of Edgecombe County (North Carolina) Public Schools.

By Public Impact, September 29, 2021

Researchers from Texas Tech University report that students served by Opportunity Culture multi-classroom leader teaching teams achieved learning growth in the top quartile teamwide, on average, according to their study of the Ector County Independent School District’s first Opportunity Culture year.

The district asked the researchers to conduct an independent review of its first eight Opportunity Culture schools, which began using Opportunity Culture roles in 2020–21 with 27 multi-classroom leaders. In those first schools, 72% of students—7,121 out of 9,928 students at the schools—were reached by an Opportunity Culture team. This year, the district has 17 Opportunity Culture schools and 59 multi-classroom leaders.

By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, September 29, 2021

Dr. Eric Ward, principal of Harding University High School, an Opportunity Culture school in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, died on September 22 at the age of 46. Ward, a 2019–20 Opportunity Culture Fellow, had been an educator in Charlotte for nearly 25 years, including as principal of four schools.

By Public Impact, August 26, 2021

Are your back-to-school emotions at a high pitch this year—a mix of hope and joy and concern? This month’s newsletter provides resources that may help soothe some concerns and set you up for success with your teaching teams and students—plus news about Opportunity Culture districts and a feature on a multi-classroom leader who had the opportunity to meet with U.S. Secretary of Education Cardona. What would you share with Cardona if you had the chance? Tell me—and let me know what helped in this newsletter, and what you need in future editions. Meanwhile, please share this with your colleagues so they can sign up for future newsletters!

By Public Impact, June 17, 2021

Welcome to the 2021–22 Opportunity Culture Fellows! Public Impact announces with pleasure our seventh cohort of Opportunity Culture Fellows. This year’s eight fellows are all Opportunity Culture principals who have achieved strong results and been leaders in their schools and districts. Read the full newsletter…

By Public Impact, June 17, 2021

Public Impact announces with pleasure the seventh cohort of Opportunity Culture Fellows, made up of eight principals who have achieved strong results in their schools and districts.

Fellows provide support to their cohort, take one another’s ideas back to their schools, write columns or lead webinars about their experiences, and speak locally and nationally about their Opportunity Culture roles. Their feedback and leadership are invaluable in helping to improve the Opportunity Culture initiative, and all materials related to it. Last year, for example, fellows shared their expertise in these webinars and columns.

By Public Impact, May 25, 2021

In 2020–21, Opportunity Culture roles continued to provide a model of support that kept spreading, even in an exceptionally challenging year for educators, students, and families.

Each year, Public Impact analyzes the Opportunity Culture dashboard data to improve its materials and its work with schools and districts. With the overarching goal of reaching all students with high-growth learning, Public Impact has expanded the initiative’s participating schools by 50 percent each year, on average—helping schools and districts make changes that educators love, with increased career opportunities and support.

By Public Impact, April 30, 2021

Tuesday, May 11, at 4:30 p.m. ET, Public Impact will host an online session featuring three Opportunity Culture educators to share information about Opportunity Culture roles and positions available in N.C. districts for 2021–22. Thanks to MCL Yolande Dixon of Vance County Schools, Principal Paul Travers of Guilford County Schools, and former Reach Associate—now teacher— Delmonika Vick of Edgecombe County Public Schools for sharing their stories in this session. Register here! (The session will also be recorded to view later at OpportunityCulture.org.)