Congratulations to K-12 Dive District of the Year Ector County Independent School District! Based in Odessa, Texas, this district has used Opportunity Culture® models since 2020, which K-12 Dive highlighted as an element in the district’s rising student success.
As K-12 Dive noted, the Texas Education Agency gave Ector County ISD (ECISD) an F accountability rating in 2019, the first year under Superintendent Scott Muri.
In 2022, the most recent year rated, the district earned its first-ever B rating from TEA.
From K-12 Dive:
Per Texas’ College, Career, College, Military Readiness metric, Muri said, the percentage of high school seniors considered prepared for postsecondary success jumped from 56% to 88% between 2019 and 2024.
In that same five-year period, the district’s youngest students also demonstrated noticeable improvement. In 2019, the state deemed 36% of Ector County 5-year-olds to be ready for kindergarten — by 2024, that metric rose to 57%.
Additionally, Muri said, the district’s teacher turnover rate dropped from 18% to 1% in those years.
“A Unique Investment in Staffing”
Muri, now superintendent emeritus, said Opportunity Culture® strategic staffing has significantly influenced student growth, according to K-12 Dive. And Interim Superintendent Keeley Boyer noted how the team leader role–reserved for teachers with a record of student learning growth, who lead small teaching teams–pushed the annual salary for 44 of the district’s roughly 1,700 teachers to over $100,000 in 2023-24. Adding Opportunity Culture® roles has helped retain teachers, Muri said, with vacancies dropping from 350 five years ago to 29.
Congratulations to the district for this honor! Public Impact® has appreciated the ongoing partnership with ECISD and the opportunity to learn from this leading district’s experiences, refining our strategic staffing model for districts around the country.
Learn more about the district’s work in this audio piece featuring Muri and related links.