In the Media

By Odessa American, August 5, 2026

Five years ago, Ector County ISD took the leap to adopt Opportunity Culture staffing and instructional design, an initiative from Public Impact designed to extend the reach and impact of the most effective teachers on a campus. This year Ross Elementary took that to the next level by becoming the first school in the nation to earn Level 3 Certified Opportunity Culture School status. The historic milestone reflects the school’s intentional efforts to create an environment where innovation and teamwork could thrive.

“This achievement is an incredible honor,” said new Ross Elementary Principal Amanda Anderson who served as principal intern at the school last year. “It reflects the dedication and commitment of the educators who have poured their hearts into serving Ross students.”

“We congratulate Ross Elementary on being the first in the nation to reach Level 3,” Public Impact Co-President Bryan C. Hassel said in a news release. “Ross has shown how to make this team staffing and instructional design, with higher pay and accountability for student results, become simply the way a school does things — a great example for other schools around the country.”

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From The 74, by Greg Toppo, July 29, 2026

In Carlsbad, N.M., a tiny district in the southeastern corner of the state, nine of its 12 schools have turned teacher assignments upside-down, inviting their best teachers to coach a team of colleagues, model lessons and take direct responsibility for the achievement of every student the team serves.

In exchange, each teacher-leader earns substantially more — without leaving the classroom.

The idea grew out of an emerging staffing model called Opportunity Culture, now in its fourth year in the Carlsbad Municipal School District. It’s reshaping how schools there and elsewhere deploy teachers. …

Read the full article here and learn more about Opportunity Culture^® models in Carlsbad here.

From Bipartisan Policy Center, July 8, 2026, by Adam Johnston

Why America’s One-Teacher Classroom Needs to Change

American classrooms in 2026, in which one teacher instructs 20 to 30 students, are strikingly similar to those from 100 years ago. Most teachers, like a century ago, have two main pathways to advance in their profession. The first option is remaining in the classroom, incrementally increasing their paycheck over decades. The second is to leave the classroom either for administrative roles in schools or to enter a new field entirely. However, there is a third option: Strategic staffing models allow teachers to grow in their careers without leaving the classroom. This explainer outlines what it means to rethink teaching through effective strategic staffing models and which organizations are leading this work.

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Public Impact released a report in 2009 calling for a new approach to teacher staffing where the most effective teachers could reach more students through redesigned roles. They named the approach Opportunity Culture and officially launched the model in 2013.

Key components of Opportunity Culture are: differentiated teacher roles and pay, expanded reach of effective teachers, and small-group tutoring. By the end of 2025, more than 1,150 schools were using this approach, most of which were eligible for Title I funds that serve low-income communities. A study examining 44 Opportunity Culture schools showed student performance improved across math courses. After implementing Opportunity Culture, the teacher vacancy rate decreased 17 percentage points in Ector County, TX, schools while Desert Willow Elementary School in New Mexico posted state-leading literacy proficiency results.

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By the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), April 2026

Traditional school staffing models have remained largely unchanged for decades. Strategic school staffing offers a path forward that is tailored to today’s instructional demands, labor market realities and the needs of the current generation of students. 

This policy guide provides legislators, state boards of education, state agency leaders, governors’ offices and district policy leaders with a practical framework for addressing barriers, enabling high-quality implementation, and helping districts to scale up thoughtfully-designed strategic staffing models. [Report has focus on Opportunity Culture design]

Read the report…

From Education Week, by Sarah D. Sparks, April 03, 2026

… Federal support for collaborative teaching could encourage more states and districts to improve the scheduling, mentoring, and evaluation structures needed to support formal teacher collaboration—and bolster the already rapid spread of team-teaching models, such as Arizona State University’s Next Education Workforce Initiative and the nonprofit Public Impact’s Opportunity Culture.

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From The Future of Education podcast with Michael B. Horn, March 2, 2026

Bryan Hassel and Ashley Williams from Public Impact joined me to discuss the Opportunity Culture model, which is transforming the traditional “one teacher, one classroom” approach. We explored how this model extends the reach of excellent teachers through leadership roles, shared practical lessons from scaling the model, discussed challenges like overcoming ingrained mindsets and transition costs, and looked ahead at how technology, policy changes, and innovative staffing can make these transformations more accessible and sustainable for schools everywhere.

Listen to the podcast…

From EdNC, by Amy Rhyne, February 23, 2026

[Note: Chatham County Schools uses Opportunity Culture^® staffing design]

In education, perception can sometimes move faster than facts. Opinions are formed without ever stepping inside the school building. A single letter, spoken loudly enough, can become shorthand for quality and shape a school’s reputation, influencing enrollment decisions and community trust. For two schools in Chatham County Schools, a “D” letter grade did just that. Although dismissed by reputation alone, a different story was unfolding inside the classrooms — one built on alignment, leadership, and intentional instructional change

The shift did not begin with a slogan or public campaign. It began with committed leaders and staff.

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From EdNC, Amy Rhyne, February 16, 2026

[Note: Nash County Schools uses Opportunity Culture^® staffing design]

When state law required every North Carolina school district to submit an annual Literacy Intervention Plan (LIP) by Oct. 1, the mandate was clear. What has been less clear until recently is what strong implementation actually looks like once the paperwork is submitted.

That question came into focus during a recent report to the North Carolina State Board of Education, where one district’s work was spotlighted as having moved well beyond compliance.

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From The Warren Record, By Luci Weldon Feb 11, 2026

The superintendent said that Warren County Schools is continuing a number of measures to improve local education. To increase teacher recruitment and retention, the school system is participating in the Opportunity Culture^® Grant, which allows teachers to mentor and coach other teachers while continuing their student instruction roles. Another program is designed to help other school system employees who would like to become teacher.

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