Three pilot schools in the Metropolitan Nashville Innovation Zone, or “iZone,” implemented Multi-Classroom Leadership beginning in 2013–14, one of the Opportunity Culture® school models designed to reach more students with excellent teachers, for more pay, within regular budgets. The schools aim to reach at least 80 percent of students with excellent teachers in charge of their learning.
The “iZone” (since replaced by the Office of Priority Schools) was created in the summer of 2011 to turn around low-performing schools by engaging in strategic redesign.
The three Opportunity Culture® schools—Buena Vista Elementary, Robert Churchwell Museum Magnet Elementary, and Bailey STEM Magnet Middle School (now Stratford STEM, lower campus)—created school design teams of teachers and administrators that selected the Multi-Classroom Leadership model. Under this model, an excellent teacher reaches more students with excellence by continuing to teach while leading a team of teachers, helping them develop and excel through extensive co-planning, co-teaching, and feedback on the job. Accountable for the learning results of all the team’s students, the teacher-leader earns more—through regular funding, not temporary grants.
READ these related resources:
- Metropolitan Nashville’s Innovation Zone: High-Need Schools Help Teacher-Leaders with Paid, Yearlong Student Teachers
- MNPS iZone Opportunity Culture® News Release
WATCH these related videos:
Multi-classroom leaders in Opportunity Culture® schools in Metro Nashville share thoughts about why they love their jobs.
Principals of two Opportunity Culture® schools in Metro Nashville discuss why an Opportunity Culture® is the “it factor” in changing the game for teachers and students.
Teachers on multi-classroom leader teams in Metro Nashville Opportunity Culture® schools explain why they love their collaborative teams.