July 22, 2021, CHAPEL Hill, N.C.—Bringing a fresh approach to teacher training, five more Texas school districts will be providing yearlong, paid teacher residencies on teaching teams led by excellent teachers in the 2021–22 school year, by implementing Opportunity Culture roles in partnership with local universities and US PREP National Center (University-School Partnerships for the Renewal of Educator Preparation).
The national Opportunity Culture initiative, led by Public Impact, is now in more than 45 districts and charter school organizations in 10 states. Opportunity Culture teaching roles extend the reach of excellent teachers and their teams to more students, for more pay, within recurring budgets. Two of those districts, Ector County and Midland ISDs in west Texas, began Opportunity Culture implementation in 16 schools in fall 2020, placing 15 residents from the University of Texas Permian Basin on Opportunity Culture teams. Ector County and Midland will expand this work to 18 more schools in 2021–22.
These districts are making Opportunity Culture plans now for 2021–22:
- Aldine ISD and Klein ISD, working with the University of Houston, University of Houston-Downtown, Sam Houston State University, and Relay Graduate School of Education.
- El Paso ISD, working with the University of Texas at El Paso
- La Vega ISD and Waco ISD, working with Texas Tech University and Tarleton State University.
Additionally, Spring Branch ISD, which has been an Opportunity Culture district since 2017, will place paid, yearlong residents on Opportunity Culture teams in 2021–22, working with the University of Houston.