The October newsletter includes how to use Opportunity Culture models to respond to NAEP results, a new video and blogs, Opportunity Culture news, and more.
What’s Happening
Opportunity Culture® News and Views
Maximize Opportunity Culture® Models to Respond to NAEP Results
The NAEP results released this week may feel deeply discouraging—if not surprising—to weary educators. But Opportunity Culture research points to sustainable, scalable ways to improve student learning—and at Public Impact, we see ways to improve learning well beyond those initial research findings. This is the moment for Opportunity Culture schools and districts—and those considering using Opportunity Culture models—to rapidly reach as many students as possible and maximize the innovative staffing of Opportunity Culture teams to dramatically boost student results.
Fidelity and Collaboration: Opportunity Culture® Directors Share Advice on Common Challenges
by Sharon Kebschull Barrett, October 17, 2022
Whether in districts large or small, rural or urban, Opportunity Culture directors often travel similar arcs from initial design issues to implementation challenges and successes. At the September virtual gathering of Opportunity Culture directors, four panelists shared how Opportunity Culture implementation has improved their district recruitment, teacher support, and student success, and discussed the collaboration needed among district offices, accountability concerns, and how their roles have changed.
New Opportunity Culture® Videos: Teacher Residencies; Collaborative Spaces
Check out our latest short videos, showing how Opportunity Culture residencies help schools create teacher pipelines and increase student support, and how one school’s building design enhances team collaboration.
Creating a Positive Classroom Culture: Tips from Opportunity Culture® Educators
With many students struggling with unresolved social-emotional issues brought on or intensified by Covid shutdowns, what are some simple strategies Opportunity Culture educators use to help create calm, safe spaces that support their students’ academic growth?
Resources to Hear, Watch, Read: September Opportunity Culture® Newsletter
The September newsletter includes new Opportunity Culture audio and video posts, tools and resources, a video playlist, Opportunity Culture news, and more.
New Opportunity Culture® Audio: Making the Most of Opportunity Culture® Innovations
By Public Impact, September 14, 2022
Since Superintendent Scott Muri, a finalist for state superintendent of the year in Texas, brought Opportunity Culture models to Ector County Independent School District in 2019, the district has seen significant improvement in student learning and teacher recruitment.
Texas Opportunity Culture® District Trumpets Recruitment Success
By Paola Gilliam and Sharon Kebschull Barrett, September 14, 2022
After struggling with teacher shortages for years, Ector County Independent School District (ISD) in Odessa, Texas, announced its best recruiting year in over a decade. In an Odessa American article, Superintendent Scott Muri attributed the recruiting success of about 450 teachers to several strategies, including Opportunity Culture implementation and pay raises.
New Opportunity Culture® Audio: Becoming a Committed Opportunity Culture® School
In the annual, anonymous survey given to Opportunity Culture educators, Ross Elementary in Ector County, Texas, received high ratings despite the stress of another Covid year. Susan Hendricks, an Opportunity Culture Fellow who was the school’s principal until she became the district’s director of leadership in August, describes the communication needed to become a committed Opportunity Culture school in the latest Opportunity Culture audio piece.
Kicking Off the New School Year: August Opportunity Culture® Newsletter
Welcome to all the new sites and schools beginning to implement their Opportunity Culture designs this fall! Educators at 116 more schools—in both new and established Opportunity Culture sites—are about to see their plans in action. It takes a lot of hard work, deep thinking, and extensive communication to bring these plans to life, and we at Public Impact wish all of you the best! Read the full newsletter here.