From KWTX, December 7, 2021, by Katie Aupperle
Texas Education Agency Commissioner of Education Mike Morath visited Kendrick Elementary in the Waco Independent School District on Tuesday during his tour of schools across the state in an effort to observe teachers and students, review their progress and witness, firsthand, the impacts of the pandemic. Read more…
From Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, December 3, 2021, by Meghan Ensell
The country experienced a “hangover” from the last workforce-oriented push in education, which focused on teacher evaluation and within that, far too much on ridding schools of the least effective teachers, says Bryan Hassel, co-president of Public Impact, an education policy and management consulting firm in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Read more…
From Baltimore City Public Schools, December 2, 2021
Collaboration, encouragement, guidance, and support are pivotal for growth. When educators collaborate, students benefit. Two years ago, City Schools launched Opportunity Culture to help educators do just that. Since then, this unique program has expanded exponentially — from three Opportunity Culture Schools in 2019 to 20 this school year, now impacting 7,000 City Schools students supported by the collaboration of more than 150 educators. And several more City Schools principals are currently exploring bringing this program to their schools. Read more…
By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, first published by EducationNC, September 22, 2021
Jimmel Williams knows great teachers. After all, he is one, with the student results to show for it. But last fall, he says now, his teaching fell short.
With his Charlotte students all learning remotely, his efforts felt off, though he couldn’t fully put his finger on what wasn’t working. He kept making changes each week to get students more engaged in their learning, but the tweaks weren’t enough. Finally, he realized what he needed — to both take tighter control and give some up. Read More…
From OA Online, September 15, 2021
The Ector County ISD Board of Trustees voted 6-0 to approve Anthony Sorola as associate superintendent of operations. Sorola, who was OK’d during a Tuesday night workshop, replaces Stephanie Howard, who is now superintendent at Crane ISD….
… An evaluation of Opportunity Culture conducted by Texas Tech University indicates that the program is working well in Ector County ISD, especially during a pandemic year. According to the presentation, students perform better on standardized tests when taught by teachers in the Opportunity Culture program. Read More…
By Sharon Kebschull Barrett, first published by EducationNC, August 16, 2021
When multi-classroom leader Kenyatta Davenport got the chance to talk to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, her message was simple: Teachers haven’t given up, but we need your support to get students back on track after the coronavirus — and fast.
Simple — and short, since she had limited time to speak to Cardona when he visited Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools on July 12. But Davenport would definitely tell him more if she had the time. Read More…
From OA Online, August 17, 2021
Grow Our Own, one of the newer committees under the Education Partnership of the Permian Basin, is busy gathering data to figure out next steps. This was one of several committee reports shared in an Education Partnership of the Permian Basin Zoom meeting Tuesday. Grow Our Own focuses on strengthening educational pathways and experiences for students that are parallel to the workforce needs of Permian Basin businesses….
….“From a retention perspective and a recruitment perspective, it’s a significant opportunity for teachers in our area,” ECISD Superintendent Scott Muri said. “… We will have teachers in ECISD that will make over six figures next year for the very first time. That’s because of TIA and coupled with Opportunity Culture.” Read more…
From Sam Houston State University, July 30, 2021, by Wes Hamilton
Sam Houston State University’s College of Education is partnering with Aldine and Klein Independent School Districts to offer paid teacher residency programs for Bearkat students. Opportunity Culture, is providing year-long, paid teacher residencies designed to bring a fresh approach to teacher training.
“Expanding our partnerships with Klein ISD and Aldine ISD through Opportunity Culture increases our ability to provide innovative, impactful ways for future teachers to have the dynamic preparation experiences needed to make this kind of difference,” said Stacey Edmonson, dean of the College of Education. “These partnerships open doors not only to expanding high-impact preparation for current teacher candidates, but also to increasing access to the teaching profession for future candidates.” Read More…
From Midland-Reporter Telegram, June 21, 2021
Public Impact is pleased to announce that Midland ISD Principal Christin Reeves of Emerson Elementary, and an Ector ISD principal, Susan Hendricks of Ross Elementary, have been selected as members of the 2021–22 Opportunity Culture Fellows.
This cohort of Opportunity Culture Fellows is made up of eight principals from North Carolina, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee, and Maryland who have achieved strong results in their schools and districts. The national Opportunity Culture initiative, founded by Public Impact and now in more than 45 sites in 10 states, extends the reach of excellent teachers and their teams to more students, for more pay, within schools’ recurring budgets. Read more…
From OA Online, June 18, 202
Public Impact has announced the seventh cohort of Opportunity Culture Fellows, made up of eight principals, including one from Ector County ISD, 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 and nationally about their Opportunity Culture roles. Their feedback and leadership are invaluable in helping to improve the Opportunity Culture initiative, and all materials related to it. Last year, for example, fellows shared their expertise in these webinars and columns. Read more…