Researchers from Texas Tech University report that students served by Opportunity Culture multi-classroom leader teaching teams achieved learning growth in the top quartile teamwide, on average, according to their study of the Ector County Independent School District’s first Opportunity Culture year. The district asked the researchers to conduct an independent review of its first eight Opportunity Culture […]
Growing Opportunity Culture Residencies in Texas
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 […]
The 2021 National Cohort of Opportunity Culture Fellows
By Public Impact Public Impact announces with pleasure the seventh cohort of Opportunity Culture Fellows, made up of eight principals who have achieved strong results in their schools and districts. Fellows provide support to their cohort, take one another’s ideas back to their schools, write columns or lead webinars about their experiences, and speak locally […]
Annual Opportunity Culture Dashboard Update Highlights Growth, Educator Support in 2020–21
By Public Impact 510+ schools committed to Opportunity Culture 3,400+ teachers with advanced roles or on-the-job development 83,000+ students reached by excellent teachers extending their reach $9.2 million in extra pay for teachers in 2020–21; $29.9 million since Opportunity Culture began 49 Opportunity Culture sites in 10 states—and growing Strong educator support: 98% of surveyed […]
Federal Policy for Opportunity Anew
By Public Impact In the wake of Covid-19, the U.S. pre-K–12 education system needs more than a refresh. We need to think anew. In a new Public Impact brief, we recommend the means through federal policy to bring critical, effective instructional and emotional supports to millions of teachers and their students—for a price tag the country can […]
Opportunity Culture Spreads in Arkansas, North Carolina with State Support
By Public Impact After the continued promising results in Opportunity Culture schools in their states and around the country, Arkansas and North Carolina have awarded grants to seven districts to design their Opportunity Culture plans for implementation in 2021–22. Opportunity Culture schools use new roles—based on the cornerstone role of Multi-Classroom Leadership—to reach many more […]
Opportunity Culture: Teaching, Leading, Learning
By Public Impact Why and how should you use Opportunity Culture? Watch our two-part video to get the scoop! What barriers keep teachers and students from experiencing great support and strong learning outcomes? Part 1 highlights barriers that an Opportunity Culture can remove. Part 2 details how an Opportunity Culture provides on-the-job, consistent support for […]
Explore Eight Years of Data in Interactive Restart Dashboard, Progress Report
By Paola Gilliam and Sharon Kebschull Barrett When a school struggles to support student learning year after year, schools need dramatic changes, but for too long the choice seemed to be to close the school or attempt an internal turnaround. How has the third option—restarting a school with the same students but with a new […]
New Report Highlights Charter Successes During Covid Shutdowns
By Paola Gilliam A sudden shift in the spring to effective online learning challenged all schools—but we quickly began to see anecdotal evidence of some charter schools reacting quickly and serving students well. In a new report we wrote with the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, we offer evidence that some charter schools—smaller networks and […]
Database of State Reopening Plans Shows Alarming Lack of Clear Expectations for Student Learning
Without decisive state expectations and action on remote learning, student learning will suffer: That’s the message from a new analysis of state reopening plans by CRPE (the Center for Reinventing Public Education) and Public Impact. Our just-released database of state reopening plans and accompanying blog post highlight the need for state action now, before it’s too late. As CRPE’s […]
Pinpointing Problems in COVID Response Plans
“Student learning is an afterthought in many state reopening plans; that’s a huge mistake” We’ve been working with the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) to create a database of all states’ reopening plans, accompanied by a series of briefs and analyses. The database will be published soon. Meanwhile, a new blog by CRPE’s Ashley […]
Committing to Anti-Racism: Public Impact’s Statement
The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor are the tip of a mammoth iceberg of racial injustice in our nation. Behind these three injustices are millions of others, large and small, that, when unaddressed, leave those in power unchecked and emboldened to perpetuate more. As loud as the shouting of protestors may […]