By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan Hassel; first published on EdNext. What if every student actually could have an excellent teacher? According to a new study released through the CALDER Center, it might be possible. Study authors Ben Backes of American Institutes for Research (AIR) and Michael Hansen of the Brookings Institution found that students in classrooms […]
When Good Teachers Oversee Multiple Classrooms, Does Learning Improve?
EdWeek, January 12, 2018, by Madeline Will
When highly effective teachers are given a hybrid role to lead other teachers, the students on their team perform better in math and, to a lesser extent, reading, according to a new study.
Brookings-AIR Study Finds Large Academic Gains in Opportunity Culture
Students in classrooms of team teachers led by “multi-classroom leaders” showed sizeable academic gains, according to a new study from the American Institutes for Research and the Brookings Institution. The team teachers were, on average, at the 50th percentile in the student learning gains they produced before joining a team led by a multi-classroom leader. […]
Opportunity Culture Voices: From Action Plan to Teacher of the Year — in One Year
This column is by Stacie Bunn and was published on EdNC.org, November 9, 2017 Editor’s Note: Stacie Bunn is an Opportunity Culture Fellow. Learn more about the Opportunity Culture initiative here. In 2012, after 15 years of classroom experience and a year as an instructional coach, I became the multi-classroom leader (MCL) for science at […]
Opportunity Culture + Summit Learning: North Little Rock Pilots Statewide Plan
To kick off a statewide Arkansas initiative to reach all students with excellent teaching, North Little Rock Middle School will begin creating an Opportunity Culture for teachers and students this fall, using teams led by multi-classroom leaders—experienced, excellent teachers who are paid more to lead a team, and are held accountable for student outcomes, teacher […]
Opportunity Culture Voices: How My West Texas School Elevated Struggling Young Readers (and Their Teachers)
For years, my school, Washington Elementary in Big Spring, Texas, struggled to meet all our students’ literacy needs. We group students in tiers, as in the “Response to Intervention” model, but each year we were still left with extremely large groups in Tier II and Tier III — struggling students and chronically struggling students. Each […]
Advanced Teaching Roles: Guideposts for Excellence at Scale
For the growing number of Opportunity Culture schools—and schools using accountable teacher leadership and other advanced teaching roles—Public Impact provides a new suite of tools. They guide districts and schools to achieve excellence in teaching and learning with these roles, like the very best Opportunity Culture schools nationally. The tools are based on four years […]
Opportunity Culture Voices: When Students Own Their Academic Results, They Transform Their Schools
When you’re not sure where to start, ask your students! Well, not always, but when I came to Charlotte, North Carolina’s James Martin Middle School as a multi-classroom leader in 2014, I felt overwhelmed. I started as the MCL for sixth grade, where for the previous three years the students had been experiencing negative learning […]
Opportunity Culture Voices: Extending Great Teachers’ Reach in Turnaround (or Any) Schools
What does the start of a school turnaround look like? When Mark Johnson left West Charlotte High School as his Teach for America stint ended, he likely could not have imagined a bright future for the school. I arrived a year later, in 2009. The high-poverty, highly segregated school was struggling, and I stayed only […]
One More Time Now: Why Lowering Class Sizes Backfires
By Emily Ayscue Hassel and Bryan Hassel; first published on EdNext. You’ve probably read an article with a headline like this. Why say it again? Because class-size reduction continues to be so seductive. Our own state of North Carolina is just the latest in which policymakers have succumbed, causing a political firestorm this winter. Here it’s Republicans, […]
Opportunity Culture Voices: Scheduled for Success
When I became a multi-classroom leader for the exceptional children’s (EC’s) team, I expected to be able to use my 15 years of experience as an EC teacher and dean of students to coach teachers, especially special education teachers, and help them grow. But I quickly discovered that the people who needed support the most […]
Teacher Leadership Roles Come to Edgecombe County
EdNC, February 14, 2017, by Liz Bell
When teachers get really good, they often stop teaching. After years in the classroom, the desire to move onto something with higher pay, more responsibility, and greater challenge is understandable. When that time comes, Public Impact is hoping to give teachers a meaningful alternative to transitioning into administration.