In the Media

By the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), April 2026

Traditional school staffing models have remained largely unchanged for decades. Strategic school staffing offers a path forward that is tailored to today’s instructional demands, labor market realities and the needs of the current generation of students. 

This policy guide provides legislators, state boards of education, state agency leaders, governors’ offices and district policy leaders with a practical framework for addressing barriers, enabling high-quality implementation, and helping districts to scale up thoughtfully-designed strategic staffing models. [Report has focus on Opportunity Culture design]

Read the report…

From Education Week, by Sarah D. Sparks, April 03, 2026

… Federal support for collaborative teaching could encourage more states and districts to improve the scheduling, mentoring, and evaluation structures needed to support formal teacher collaboration—and bolster the already rapid spread of team-teaching models, such as Arizona State University’s Next Education Workforce Initiative and the nonprofit Public Impact’s Opportunity Culture.

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From The Future of Education podcast with Michael B. Horn, March 2, 2026

Bryan Hassel and Ashley Williams from Public Impact joined me to discuss the Opportunity Culture model, which is transforming the traditional “one teacher, one classroom” approach. We explored how this model extends the reach of excellent teachers through leadership roles, shared practical lessons from scaling the model, discussed challenges like overcoming ingrained mindsets and transition costs, and looked ahead at how technology, policy changes, and innovative staffing can make these transformations more accessible and sustainable for schools everywhere.

Listen to the podcast…

From EdNC, by Amy Rhyne, February 23, 2026

[Note: Chatham County Schools uses Opportunity Culture^® staffing design]

In education, perception can sometimes move faster than facts. Opinions are formed without ever stepping inside the school building. A single letter, spoken loudly enough, can become shorthand for quality and shape a school’s reputation, influencing enrollment decisions and community trust. For two schools in Chatham County Schools, a “D” letter grade did just that. Although dismissed by reputation alone, a different story was unfolding inside the classrooms — one built on alignment, leadership, and intentional instructional change

The shift did not begin with a slogan or public campaign. It began with committed leaders and staff.

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From EdNC, Amy Rhyne, February 16, 2026

[Note: Nash County Schools uses Opportunity Culture^® staffing design]

When state law required every North Carolina school district to submit an annual Literacy Intervention Plan (LIP) by Oct. 1, the mandate was clear. What has been less clear until recently is what strong implementation actually looks like once the paperwork is submitted.

That question came into focus during a recent report to the North Carolina State Board of Education, where one district’s work was spotlighted as having moved well beyond compliance.

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From The Warren Record, By Luci Weldon Feb 11, 2026

The superintendent said that Warren County Schools is continuing a number of measures to improve local education. To increase teacher recruitment and retention, the school system is participating in the Opportunity Culture^® Grant, which allows teachers to mentor and coach other teachers while continuing their student instruction roles. Another program is designed to help other school system employees who would like to become teacher.

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From District Administration, by Matt Zalaznick, February 10, 2026

Retaining high-quality teachers strengthens the community inside the district, says Dr. Stephanie D. Howard, superintendent of Texas’ Midland Independent School District. In her experience in a smaller district, reducing class size was not the answer to driving student achievement. When she took the helm at Midland in 2023, the district was struggling with inexperienced educators and substitute-filled classrooms. To tackle retention and student achievement, Howard focused on Midland’s partially implemented “Opportunity Culture” model. The approach extends the reach of highly effective teachers and embeds coaching within small, empowered teams.

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From K-12 Dive, Anna Merod, February 9, 2026

The Education Department’s push for strategic staffing models, particularly team-based instruction, comes as these newer kinds of solutions to improve teacher recruitment and retention are gaining traction in districts nationwide.

Public Impact, a for-profit organization that has created a similar team-based staffing approach known as Opportunity Culture, saw over 1,000 schools implementing or planning to use its staffing designs in 2024-25. More than 90% of those schools are eligible for Title I funds. 

Opportunity Culture also announced in February that 25 additional school systems will use its staffing model in 2026 through state funding in New Mexico and North Carolina as well as private funding in Oklahoma. 

Read the full article…

From District Administration, by Michelle Centamore, November 25, 2025

Teacher retention was the top priority when Dr. Stephanie D. Howard rejoined Midland ISD as superintendent in January 2023. The district was struggling with inexperienced educators and substitute-filled classrooms.

It wasn’t Howard’s first time leading in Midland. Years earlier, she served as principal of Robert E. Lee High School (now Midland Legacy High School). She later moved into district administration and served as superintendent in the Plains and Crane ISDs. Her perspective and experience as deputy superintendent in Ector County shaped her approach to teacher retention.

In a smaller district, she said, reduced class sizes had not delivered results. “Half of our kids weren’t reading on grade level,” Howard said. That “aha moment” showed her teacher quality mattered more than class size.

To tackle retention and student achievement, Howard focused on Midland’s partially implemented “Opportunity Culture” model. The approach extends the reach of highly effective teachers and embeds coaching within small, empowered teams.

Read the full article…