Certification and Validation
Helping you recruit talent and showcase your Opportunity Culture® instructional strength
With Opportunity Culture® certification and validation, schools and districts can:
The Opportunity Culture® website lists certified and validated organizations and highlights them in other publicity; see more benefits and requirements below.
Congratulations to the 366 schools in 28 districts that have been awarded the new designation of Certified Opportunity Culture School™ based on their 2023–24 plans and implementation!
See the list of these schools, across 8 states, here.
The Process
Gain certification by submitting your state, district, or school design information in the Opportunity Culture® portal (annual subscription required)
Publicize your status as you attract educators and families to your schools and communicate with state leaders and funders
Validate your certification level by demonstrating the strength of your Opportunity Culture® model—and get coaching to go to the next level—through feedback rounds conducted by Public Impact®
Certification Level Requirements and Benefits
Schools and districts increase their chances of achieving high-growth student learning with each increased level of certification, according to data and research.
Certification levels convey strength of implementation in key areas, including selectivity of Opportunity Culture® roles, student access to instruction led by Opportunity Culture® teams, incorporation of small-group tutoring into staffing plans, and financial sustainability of staffing plans.
Validation is available for each level, using feedback rounds conducted by Public Impact®, to provide reassurance to your community and help boost impact.
See certification level requirements below—then CLICK the boxes to see the publicity opportunities for schools at each level. See here for all the details on certification standards and levels.
Provisional Certification
Design plan meets basic Opportunity Culture® standards but has not yet been implemented. Also recognizes legacy schools adding certification and data, and schools redesigning after lapses.
Publicity for Schools
- Recognized through Opportunity Culture® social media posts and on the Opportunity Culture® website
Certification Level 1
Design and implementation meet basic Opportunity Culture® standards associated with student learning results and educator satisfaction.
Publicity for Schools
- Recognized through Opportunity Culture® social media posts and on the Opportunity Culture® website
Certification Level 2
Design and implementation meet higher Opportunity Culture® standards associated with student learning results and educator satisfaction.
Publicity for Schools
- Same as Level 1, plus highlighted in the Opportunity Culture® newsletter
Certification Level 3
Design and implementation meet the highest Opportunity Culture® standards associated with student learning results and educator satisfaction.
Publicity for Schools
- Same as Levels 1 and 2, and eligible to be invited as webinar panelists or guests, or as subject of a spotlight story, video, or podcast
The first step: Community Membership
School system has purchased an annual subscription to the Opportunity Culture® portal and has provided all educators access to the included professional learning and staffing design materials.
Click box to see more benefits.
Benefits
- Access to school design guidance and tools to plan and implement roles, pay, schedules, and budgets
- Access to resources and data submission to achieve certified status
- Access to on-demand professional learning with certificates available for CEUs
- Access to staff survey and basic report
- “What works” newsletters to learn from research and implementing systems
Certification Benefits for Students, Families, and Educators
Check out key benefits of certification levels to students and families—then CLICK the boxes for key benefits to educators. See here for all the details on certification standards and levels.
Provisional Certification
Key Benefits to Students/FamiliesSchool has:
- Planned to reach 75%+ of students with excellent teachers and at least 90 minutes of small-group tutoring weekly; and more!
- Signed pledge to implement plan
- Given all staff access to design and learning tools
Provisional Certification
Key Benefits to EducatorsSchool has:
- Planned to implement teacher-leader roles covering at least 75% of core subjects, other advanced roles, and at least 90 minutes of small-group tutoring weekly
- Signed pledge to implement plans
- Given all staff access to design and learning tools
Certification Level 1
Key Benefits to Students/FamiliesSchool is reaching:
- At least 50% of students* in core subjects with teacher-leaders who have prior student success and are paid 12% extra or more
- All students on teacher-leader teams with 30–60 minutes of small-group tutoring or it is reaching some students with added advanced teacher roles
*Or 25% of school first year
Certification Level 1
Key Benefits to EducatorsSchool is:
- Paying teacher-leader roles at least 12% extra
- Reaching at least 50% of students, and their teachers, with teacher-leaders in core subjects
- Helping teachers add small-group tutoring time or adding other advanced teaching roles
- Protecting time for leadership and collaboration
Certification Level 2
Key Benefits to Students/FamiliesSchool is reaching:
- At least 75% of students* across core subjects with teacher-leaders who have prior student success and are paid 18% extra or more
- All students on teacher-leader teams with 60–90 minutes of small-group tutoring or it is reaching at least half of teacher-leader teams with added advanced teacher roles
*On average in core subjects
Certification Level 2
Key Benefits to EducatorsSchool is:
- Paying teacher-leader roles at least 18% extra
- Reaching at least 75% of students, and their teachers, with teacher-leaders across core subjects
- Helping teachers add more small-group tutoring time or adding an advanced teacher role to half of teams
- Protecting more time for leadership and collaboration
Certification Level 3
Key Benefits to Students/FamiliesSchool is reaching:
- At least 75% of students in each core subject with teacher-leaders who have prior student success and are paid 20% extra or more
- All students on teacher-leader teams with 90-120 minutes of small-group tutoring
- And at least half of teacher-leader teams with added advanced teacher roles
Certification Level 2
Key Benefits to EducatorsSchool is:
- Paying teacher-leader roles at least 20% extra
- Reaching at least 75% of students, and their teachers, with teacher-leaders in each core subject
- Helping teachers add even more small-group tutoring time
- Adding an advanced teacher role to half of teams, at least
- Protecting even more time for leadership and collaboration
Why Our Team is Excited About Certification
Hear Public Impact® team members’ thoughts on how the certification and validation processes help schools implement Opportunity Culture® models and reassure parents about their strength.
Certification is a Road Map for Schools
Certification Helps Schools See How Their Practices Compare
Contact our team to learn more!