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Reset for Success: Hear From Midland Superintendent in New Audio

March 27, 2025

When Superintendent Stephanie Howard came to Midland ISD in the Permian Basin of Texas, she knew what success with Opportunity Culture® teaching team models should look like, after working with them in neighboring Ector County ISD as a deputy superintendent. Although Midland ISD was using these teams as well, several Opportunity Culture® fundamentals weren’t being followed.

I talked with Howard and Jessie Garcia, who also worked with the models in Ector County, about how they led Midland through a complete implementation reset—an effort now paying off in learning growth for students, sustainable higher pay for teacher-leaders that can reach six figures, and stronger teacher support and retention. Hear how they did it in our latest audio piece—and don’t miss the bonus “go big or go home” clip from Superintendent Howard!

#16. Reset for Success: How Midland ISD Revamped Teaching Teams for Results

March 26, 2025

When Superintendent Stephanie Howard came to Midland ISD in the Permian Basin of Texas, she knew what success with Opportunity Culture® teaching team models should look like, after working with them in neighboring Ector County ISD as a deputy superintendent. Although Midland ISD was using these teams as well, several Opportunity Culture® fundamentals weren’t being followed. Howard and Jessie Garcia, who came to Midland from Ector County as well, took a year to do a complete reset—an effort now paying off in learning growth for students, sustainable higher pay for teacher-leaders that can reach six figures, and stronger teacher support and retention. Hear how they did it in our latest audio piece.

Multi-Classroom Leaders help to improve MISD student success

February 14, 2025

From First Alert 7, by Rachel Fortunato, February 12, 2025

MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) – Over the past few years, MISD has been teaching its teachers how to be Multi-Classroom Leaders otherwise known as MCLs. The district says teachers that have become Multi-Classroom Leaders have led to student success overall. The program allows teachers to serve as coaches and mentors for other teachers and train them in proven instructional techniques.

“What a great way to help other teachers,” said Emily Terry, an MCL and 6th Grade Math Teacher for Midland ISD.

Read the full story here…

Congratulating K-12 Dive District of the Year, Ector County ISD

December 3, 2024

A teaching team leader instructs students in small-group tutoring sessions in 2022 in Ector County ISD. Educators in the team leader role lead small teaching teams while continuing to teach students part of the time. Congratulations to K-12 Dive District of the Year...

District of the Year: Ector County ISD

December 3, 2024

From K-12 Dive, by Anna Merod, November 27, 2024

Five years ago, Texas’ Ector County Independent School District was significantly underperforming, said Scott Muri, the district’s superintendent emeritus. Today, it’s a different story.

When Muri joined as the district’s superintendent in 2019, he said, students were “struggling academically in school,” and “all the metrics were heading in the wrong direction.” That same year, the Texas Education Agency gave Ector County ISD an F accountability rating. 

But now, Ector County ISD, with about 34,000 students, is on the upswing. Signs point to significantly improved student achievement, and the district earned its first-ever B rating from TEA in 2022, the most recent year rated. …

Tutoring is not the only effective strategy that Muri says has helped shape students’ rising success. Strategic staffing through the district’s Opportunity Culture program has significantly influenced student growth, too, he said. 

In this program, the district’s most effective teachers instruct half-time and then coach and mentor other educators the rest of the day. Ector County ISD’s program launched over four years ago in partnership with Public Impact, a staffing organization based in North Carolina, Muri said.

Read the full article…

Educators get first-hand look at ECISD Opportunity Culture

November 7, 2024

From Odessa American, by Ruth Campbell, November 7, 2024

Now in its fifth year of implementing Opportunity Culture, Ector County ISD got some visitors from across the state and country Thursday to see how it’s done.

Educators from Florida and Fort Worth and officials from the Texas Education Agency and Public Impact, which deploys the Opportunity Culture initiative, were in town.

The Opportunity Culture model multiplies the impact of highly effective teachers, thereby improving student performance. It also enhances efforts to recruit and retain highly qualified instructors by offering career advancement opportunities, sustainable higher pay, and on-the-job professional development and support, a news release said.

Read the full article here…

Click here for information on attending upcoming site visits to districts using Opportunity Culture®​ models.

MISD welcomes visitors to highlight strategic staffing initiative

November 7, 2024

From Odessa American, November 7, 2024

The visit included campus tours, observing classrooms at South Elementary and Alamo Junior High, and interacting with Multi-Classroom Leaders (MCLs). MCLs are high-performing teachers who are selected to lead and coach groups of teachers to train them on instructional strategies and ongoing mentorship. Aside from the leadership opportunities, MCLs also earn financial stipends of up to $17,000 per year.

Visitors also had the opportunity to learn how the Opportunity Culture model can be implemented in their own districts. Topics of discussion included training and selection of MCLs, instructional support, and strategic staffing all designed to improve student outcomes.

Read the full article…

Click here for information on attending upcoming site visits to districts using Opportunity Culture®​ models.

Fort Worth ISD needs to improve. Could this plan help teachers step up their game?

November 4, 2024

From Fort Worth Star-Telegram, by Silas Allen, November 4, 2024

As officials in the Fort Worth Independent School District look for ways to improve academic progress, they’re pinning hopes on a new staffing model designed to ensure that more kids get a high-quality teacher.

The model, called Opportunity Culture, is based on the idea of having a few highly effective teachers spend part of the day acting as coaches and mentors for other educators in their building. The district is piloting the model at three campuses this year, with plans to expand if it’s successful.

Although Fort Worth ISD leaders say it’s too early to say how the program is going here, education researchers say it’s shown promise elsewhere.

Read the full article here…

Big Welcome: Community pulls out the stops for new ECISD teachers

August 1, 2022

From OA Online, August 2, 2022 by Ruth Campbell

Topping off its best recruiting year in more than a decade, Ector County ISD welcomed about 450 new teachers to the district Monday.

The Teacher Welcome Event, held at the Odessa Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, is organized by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce. Vendors, welcome signs, mascots and cheerleaders marked the occasion, along with prize drawings, food and plenty of swag. Superintendent Scott Muri said there were “450-ish” teachers who were either brand new to the district or teachers who have taught elsewhere.

“We’ve had the best recruiting year in over 10 years, so we’ll have a great start to the school year because of that,” Muri said. He said the recruiting success is a result of a combination of factors such as ECISD’s investment in talent, which is part of its strategic plan, pay raises, the Teacher Incentive Allotment and Opportunity Culture.