Where Is This Happening?

North Little Rock School District began using Opportunity Culture models in 2017–18 as a pilot for the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE)’s statewide initiative to reach all students with excellent, personalized teaching. The ADE is continuing to expand the Opportunity Culture initiative to more districts, including:

• Brinkley Public Schools: This district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2021–22 school year.
• Crossett School District: This district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2021–22 school year.
• Cutter Morning Star Public Schools: The district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2022–23 school year.
• Earle School District: This district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2021–22 school year.
• Forrest City School District: The ADE expanded Opportunity Culture implementation to this district in the 2019–20 school year.
• Gentry School District: This district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2020–21 school year.
• Lee County School District: The district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2022–23 school year.
• Lincoln Consolidated School District: The ADE expanded Opportunity Culture implementation to this district in the 2019–20 school year.

Maricopa County: Arizona’s Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent helped Phoenix-area districts implement Opportunity Culture models beginning in 2016–17. Participating districts in Arizona include:

• Maricopa Regional School District #509
• Nadaburg Unified School District #81
• Phoenix Elementary School District #1
• Valentine Elementary School District #22

Fulton County Schools: This Georgia district, which sandwiches the separate school district for the city of Atlanta, began using Opportunity Culture models in 2016–17.

Chicago Public Schools: The third largest school district in the United States began using Opportunity Culture models in 2018–19.

Indianapolis Public Schools: Indianapolis Public Schools, the first district in the country to include Opportunity Culture roles in its teacher contract, began using Opportunity Culture models in 2016–17.

Baltimore City Public Schools:  This Maryland district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in 2019-20.

Public Impact launched the Opportunity Culture initiative in 2013, beginning with the Project L.I.F.T. innovation zone in Charlotte. Opportunity Culture districts in North Carolina now include:

• Cabarrus County Schools: Cabarrus County Schools in North Carolina began using Opportunity Culture models in 2014–15.
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools:  In 2013–14, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools became the first district to implement Opportunity Culture models, expanding to many more schools within the district each year.
• Cumberland County Schools: This North Carolina district, based in Fayetteville, began using Opportunity Culture models in 2021–22.
• Edgecombe County Public Schools: This rural North Carolina district began using Opportunity Culture models in 2017–18. Opportunity Culture models were implemented district-wide in 2019–20.
• Guilford County Schools:  This North Carolina district, based in Greensboro, began using Opportunity Culture models in 2018–19.
• Halifax County Schools: This rural, eastern North Carolina district began Opportunity Culture implementation in fall 2019.
• Hertford County Public Schools: This rural, eastern North Carolina district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2020–21 school year.
• Lexington City Schools: This small North Carolina district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in 2019–20.
• Mount Airy City Schools: This district began to implement Opportunity Culture models in 2022-23.
• Nash County Public Schools: This district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in 2022-23.
• Thomasville City School District: This district intends to implement Opportunity Culture models in its four schools.
• Vance County Schools: This North Carolina district along the Virginia border began using Opportunity Culture models in 2017–18.
• Wilson County Schools: This North Carolina district began using Opportunity Culture models in 2021–22.
• Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools: This North Carolina district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2020–21 school year.

Several North Carolina districts also participated in a pilot of Remotely Located Multi-Classroom Leadership—a partnership of the College Board, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM), and Public Impact to create a five-person team of teachers in various N.C. districts led by a multi-classroom leader based at NCSSM. Learn more about the pilot in this “first look” in EdNC.

Hamilton County Schools: This Tennessee district, based in Chattanooga, began implementing Opportunity Culture models in 2019-20.

Memphis Charter Cohort: With support from the Memphis Education Fund, schools from several Memphis charter organizations began designing Opportunity Culture models in 2019-20. Participating charter organizations include:

• Compass Community Schools
• Frayser Community Schools
• Leadership Prep Charter School
• Memphis Scholars
• STAR Academy Charter School

Opportunity Culture implementation began in Texas in the 2015–16 school year when the Texas Education Agency (TEA) made Texas the first state to support multiple districts in implementing Opportunity Culture designs. Opportunity Culture districts in Texas now include:

• Aldine Independent School District: This Houston-area school district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2021–22 school year.
• Big Spring Independent School District: The Big Spring ISD, a district in west Texas, began Opportunity Culture implementation in the 2015–16 school year.
• Ector County Independent School District: In 2020-21, Ector County ISD in Odessa, Texas, along with Midland ISD, began designing Opportunity Culture models with residencies in partnership with the University of Texas Permian Basin.
• El Paso Independent School District: El Paso ISD, the largest  of the school districts serving El Paso, Texas, began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2021–22 school year.
• Fort Bend Independent School District: The district began to implement Opportunity Culture models in 2022-23.
• Harlandale Independent School District: Harlandale ISD, in south-central San Antonio, began implementation in the 2016–17 school year.
• Houston Independent School District: The eighth-largest district in the U.S. intends to begin by implementing Opportunity Culture models in 18 schools in 2022–23.
• Klein Independent School District: This Houston-area school district began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2021–22 school year.
• La Vega Independent School District: La Vega ISD, outside Waco, began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2021–22 school year.
• Midland Independent School District: In 2020-21, this Texas district, along with Ector County ISD, began designing Opportunity Culture models with residencies in partnership with the University of Texas Permian Basin.
• Mineral Wells Independent School District: Mineral Wells ISD began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2017–18 school year.
• South San Antonio Independent School District: South San Antonio ISD began implementation in the 2017–18 school year.
• Spring Independent School District: The district began to implement Opportunity Culture models in 2022-23.
• Spring Branch Independent School District: Spring Branch ISD, which serves portions of western Houston, began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2017–18 school year.
• Uplift Education: This charter management organization began to implement Opportunity Culture models in Tarrant County (the Fort Worth area), in 2022–23.
• Waco Independent School District: Waco ISD began implementing Opportunity Culture models in the 2021–22 school year.

• Chesapeake Public Schools: This district began to implement Opportunity Culture models in 2022-23.
• Winchester Public Schools: This district began to implement Opportunity Culture models in 2022–23.