Opportunity Culture Audio

When a coalition came together to form PA Needs Teachers in 2022, led by Teach Plus Pennsylvania and the National Center on Education and the Economy, it first advocated for policy wins around bringing teachers into the profession, such as student teacher stipends. But Pennsylvania had another problem—teachers got in, but then they got out.In February, Teach Plus Pennsylvania policy fellows published Reimagining Teaching: How Strategic Staffing Can Empower Teachers & Accelerate Learning in PA, calling for state support for staffing redesign for districts. Having studied strategic staffing models and seen Opportunity Culture® design in action in North Carolina schools, the guests in this Opportunity Culture® Audio piece explain how they envision staffing design making a difference across the commonwealth—for teacher satisfaction, student success, and the economy—and why it gives them hope for a sustainable teaching profession for educators at all stages of their career.“Educators are deeply committed to students, but the job itself has increasingly become difficult to sustain.”—Jill Weller-Reilly, Teach Plus Pennsylvania senior policy fellow/2024 Policy Fellow of the Year“We’re losing around 7,000 teachers a year, and we aren’t bringing in that many as newly certified teachers.”—Laura Boyce, Teach Plus Pennsylvania executive director“It just comes down to the simple truth that many of our problems in teaching right now aren’t just about who is in the classroom, but how the learning environment is actually structured. And don’t get me wrong, like, student teaching stipends are important. Recruitment campaigns are important, multiple career pathways in the profession are important to fill vacancies. But staffing design asks the deeper question of why is the role unsustainable, right?”—Christopher Brown, Teach Plus Pennsylvania policy fellow“Our educators are the workforce behind the workforce, essentially, and they are the profession that makes all other professions possible.”—Nathan Driskell, National Center on Education and the Economy chief policy officerRelated LinksTranscript: PA Needs Teachers—and Needs Them to StayReport: Reimagining Teaching: How Strategic Staffing Can Empower Teachers & Accelerate Learning in PAMay 5, 2026, agenda and written testimony; video: Pennsylvania House Education Committee—Education Workforce Informational Meeting, at which Jill Weller-Reilly was a panelistOpportunity Culture® Audio: In Mississippi, Responding to a Teacher Retention CrisisPA Needs TeachersTeach Plus PennsylvaniaNational Center on Education and the Economy

When Rockingham County Schools, a rural North Carolina district, needed a teaching team leader with a record of high-growth learning for high school math, it faced a dilemma many rural areas confront: no candidate with that record of learning growth who was also ready to lead adults. The Remotely Located Multi-Classroom Leader® role came to the rescue. Public Impact® designed this MCL™ role to allow a team leader in another school down the street or across the state or country to remotely lead a teaching team. So the Rockingham and Edgecombe County districts joined forces, with a proven Edgecombe County team leader taking on a two-person math team in Rockingham as well, providing coaching and guidance to quickly improve instruction for a first-year teacher and a veteran teacher who had not previously taught high school.Get a quick overview of how the districts worked together and the results for Rockingham’s teachers and students in this podcast with Moriah Dollarhite, Rockingham’s human resources director.“It was something that was definitely a nontraditional approach. But I think what helped was being transparent about the challenges we were facing and staying focused on the why. We weren't trying something new just to innovate. We were trying to ensure that our teachers and students had access to that high-quality support. And once people understood that, they began to see that there was going to be some great results in it, and that encouraged the buy-in.”—Moriah Dollarhite, director of human resources, Rockingham County Schools Opportunity Culture®, Public Impact®, and Multi-Classroom Leader® are terms used in this podcast for which Public Impact® holds a registered trademark, and MCL™ is a trademarked term.Related LinksTranscript: When Districts Share Staff, Students and Teachers Win

In recent months, both Mississippi First and Teach Plus Mississippi have issued reports advocating for bold legislative action that would fund staffing redesign pilots, and they highlighted Opportunity Culture® design.In this audio piece, hear from the leaders of both groups and a Teach Plus Mississippi policy fellow about the dire need they hear from teachers throughout the state to ease the conditions leading to burnout and to great teachers leaving the profession altogether—and their hopes for how things could change for teachers, students, and parents if schools start using the teaching teams proven to support teachers and increase student learning.When she visited schools already using Multi-Classroom Leader® teams, Teach Plus Mississippi Policy Fellow Sharon Buckhanan said, “the teachers had nothing but good things to say. They loved it. They loved how it worked. They loved seeing the students improve and the data that was being collected from it of how the design was working.”In a state that has made great strides, becoming a national leader in literacy, policymakers can make another major difference by supporting districts in bringing that joy to many more teachers, they say.Note: Opportunity Culture®, Public Impact®, and Multi-Classroom Leader® are terms used in this podcast for which Public Impact® holds a registered trademark, and MCL™ and Reach Associate™ are trademarked term.Related Links:Transcript: In Mississippi, Responding to a Teacher Retention Crisis“A Lever to Ignite Reading Achievement”—Opportunity Culture® Audio interviews Dr. Michael Cormack about his experience bringing Opportunity Culture® design to Jackson Public Schools in MississippiMississippi First; The Weight They Carry: Life as a Teacher in MississippiTeach Plus Mississippi; Reimagining School Staffing: Recommendations from Teach Plus MS Policy FellowsOpportunity Culture® staffing redesign details and results

At Jackson Public Schools in Mississippi, Deputy Superintendent Michael Cormack brought big changes to student outcomes—no surprise after his leadership of the Barksdale Reading Institute, which sparked the state’s stunning literacy turnaround. Under Cormack, Jackson’s state accountability rating went from an F to a C, and he kicked off an initiative to boost the percentage of third graders who passed the state assessment on the first try from 55 to 75%.In 2025, to strengthen the district’s literacy efforts, he introduced the combination of Opportunity Culture? teaching teams and a focus on high-quality instructional materials. Starting in five elementary schools—to be expanded to all 22 elementary schools in 2026–27—in pre-K through second grade, with a focus on literacy, the district worked with Public Impact?, which founded the Opportunity Culture? initiative, and Leading Educators, which provided literacy curriculum, coaching, and development for teachers.We caught up with him just before he started his new job as CEO of KIPP Atlanta Schools, to get his reflections on the early difference this work is making in Jackson and thoughts for the future."The third-grade reading achievement issue doesn’t begin in third grade. As you all know, it begins much, much sooner. And so we really wanted to start with our focus in pre-kindergarten through second grade, to shore up our foundational skills program and to leverage teaching teams as a vehicle to do that in these five pilot elementary schools.“I think what’s really exciting is that we get an opportunity to take some of our strongest early educators and give them a platform for elevating their practice while also helping to support their colleagues. And so our Multi-Classroom Leaders are doing really dynamic work with colleagues to make certain that everyone understands the science of reading and has the practical tools within the curriculum to implement those practices effectively.”—Dr. Michael CormackOpportunity Culture®, Public Impact®, and Multi-Classroom Leader® are terms used in this podcast for which Public Impact® holds a registered trademark, and MCL™ and Reach Associate™ are trademarked term.Related LinksTranscript: “A Lever to Ignite Reading Achievement”: Deputy Superintendent Michael CormackAudio: For Louisiana District, HQIM + Opportunity Culture® Teams Sparks Early Wins

Chatham County Superintendent Anthony Jackson, named as the 2020 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year while serving as superintendent of Vance County Schools, says districts—especially rural systems—can do far more if they focus investments on the capacity of their staff. A self-proclaimed “disciple” of the Opportunity Culture® initiative, he has led both districts to take calculated risks leading to strong learning outcomes for students. In this podcast, Jackson discusses how Opportunity Culture® models’ flexibility combined with guardrails helped address the different problems each district faced. He notes some early success at the high school level, and he stresses the importance of scaling up implementation district-wide—-with urgency while at a predictable pace—to ensure that all students have access to excellent teaching, consistently.Opportunity Culture is the exact, I’ve always said this to you all, it’s the perfect name. It is the perfect name because I think it really does speak to what’s possible if we would just invest in those people who are standing in front of kids, if we would respect those people who are standing in front of kids, if we would elevate those people who are standing in front of kids, and if we would celebrate the outcomes of those people who have benefited from those people that we have celebrated and elevated. It’s a cycle. It says that they are definitely those people who should be where they are. And it celebrates that districts have made the right decisions about an instructional initiative that is more than just a fad. It says that it’s going to stand the test of time and that it’s going to be around. And you never lose out when you benchmark what you do against just really, really high and rigorous standards. You will never lose that battle.—Dr. Anthony JacksonOpportunity Culture® and Multi-Classroom Leader® are registered trademarks of Public Impact®; MCL™ is a trademarked term.Related Links:Transcript: A Rural “Force Multiplier”—Opportunity Culture® Design: Superintendent Anthony Jackson Video: Teach Boldly: Vance County SchoolsVideo: Innovation Does Not Need PermissionVideo: NC Superintendents of the Year on Their Opportunity Culture® DistrictsBlog: Vance County Schools’ Jackson Named N.C. Superintendent of the YearBlog: What Do Superintendents Say About Opportunity Culture® Models?Blog: Keeping Advanced Roles Alive and Thriving: Vance County’s Experience

 For Charlotte-Mecklenburg Superintendent Crystal Hill, leading 185 schools and 141,000 students, success means providing deep support for a staff that now sees 60 percent of its teachers coming from a non-traditional background. The district, a pioneer in piloting Opportunity Culture® team teaching models and in quickly scaling up to many more schools, posted dramatic learning growth results in 2024–24. What has it taken to get there, and how will the district try to sustain those results? Dr. Hill shares her thoughts with host Sharon Kebschull Barrett and Public Impact® Co-President Bryan Hassel. "Your teachers will thank you, because they are screaming for this level of support. Our most recent teacher working conditions surveys last year…specifically in the areas of professional development, coaching, support, those were our strongest areas, and I believe it’s because of this model." —Dr. Crystal HillRelated Links:Transcript: “Teachers Are Screaming for This Level of Support":  Charlotte Superintendent Crystal Hill Blog Post: Up to 3X Rate of High Learning Growth with Opportunity Culture Designs—New DataPress Release: North Carolina Data: Up To 3X More Learning Growth in Schools Using Opportunity Culture Staffing Designs

When Charlie Butler returned to his hometown to become superintendent of the Madison Parish School District in northeastern Louisiana, he was looking for innovative ways to help the persistently low-performing system. With help from a state “instructional coherence cohort,” the district combined the support of Opportunity Culture® teaching teams with a focus on the implementation of high-quality instructional materials to address longstanding issues—and quickly started to see successes for both students and educators. In this podcast, district and state leaders describe how they worked together to make it happen.“It’s remarkable to see the growth in the teachers and the way that they approach the work, the way they’re committed to the work… you feel it across the campus.”—Jesse Unkel, who led the instructional coherence cohort

When Carlsbad Municipal Schools Superintendent Gerry Washburn joined the district, it was facing high teacher vacancies and low student success—and a lot of low morale. A chance conversation with Ector County, Texas, Superintendent Scott Muri showed Washburn a new option—Opportunity Culture® school redesign. With inclusive leadership and a determination to get design and implementation of new staffing roles right, plus a strong district team and principals, Washburn saw schools begin to soar and lead the state: “I’ve been stunned at the acceleration that we’re seeing.”Opportunity Culture® and Multi-Classroom Leader® are registered trademarks of Public Impact®; MCL™ is a trademarked term.Related LinksTranscript: Vacancies Plummet, Student Results Rocket in Carlsbad, New Mexico: Superintendent Gerry WashburnVideo: Carlsbad Connections: How Teaching Teams Mesh for SuccessStaffing Design Workshops—Learn more and register!In-Person Site Visits—Learn more and register!Strong Results in New Mexico DistrictMaking the Most of Opportunity Culture Innovations

In the first of an occasional “Superintendents Speak” series, Superintendent Rodney McNeill of Greene County and Superintendent Rodney Peterson of Person County discuss why they chose to use Opportunity Culture® models in their districts, and why they elected to have their districts go through a fast-track design workshop together in the spring, to be able to begin using Multi-Classroom Leader® teaching teams in the fall. Both districts feel the pressure of nearby, larger districts—and districts already using Opportunity Culture® models—that are able to pay teachers more.“I want teachers to have more tools in their toolboxes. I want them to teach kids with confidence. I want them to know what good, sound instruction looks like and what it feels like,” McNeill said.Opportunity Culture® and Multi-Classroom Leader® are registered trademarks of Public Impact®; MCL™ is a trademarked term.Related LinksTranscript: Choosing to Use Opportunity Culture® Design, on Fast TimelineStaffing Design Workshops—Learn more and register!In-Person Site Visits—Learn more and register!

Should districts and schools considering redesigned staffing wade in, or dive in? Hear what superintendents and district leaders have told us over the past decade about their thoughts on how to best improve student learning growth and teacher careers.

When Superintendent Stephanie Howard came to Midland ISD in the Permian Basin of Texas, she knew what success with Opportunity Culture® teaching team models should look like, after working with them in neighboring Ector County ISD as a deputy superintendent. Although Midland ISD was using these teams as well, several Opportunity Culture® fundamentals weren’t being followed. Howard and Jessie Garcia, who had also worked in Ector County, took a year to do a complete reset—an effort now paying off in learning growth for students, sustainable higher pay for teacher-leaders that can reach six figures, and stronger teacher support and retention. Hear how they did it in our latest episode!

Math Team Reach Teacher™ Brian Tavenner discusses his wholehearted belief in the power of extensive small-group instruction to improve all students’ outcomes and the difference it makes in how he works with student learning data. He delves into reflections and how small groups work in his middle school classes, with 50 students split in half through Reach Associate™ support. 

For the 2023–24 school year, Winchester Public Schools had student learning growth results to celebrate: Their seventh-grade math students were number 1 in the state for learning growth; fourth-grade math was in the top 10, and eighth-grade math was in the top 12. All three of these grades had 100 percent of their students reached by Multi-Classroom Leader teaching teams. And across the district, 15 teams are now reaching 100 percent of students in a subject or grade, with nine teams students’ making high growth. Listen to this audio piece to hear why Winchester educators give much credit to small-group instruction for these results. 

Superintendent Jason van Heukelum of Winchester Public Schools developed a rigorous selection process at the division level to guard against bias and to send a message that teachers selected for the team leader role have to produce results.

With the Multi-Classroom Leader™ role, some teachers who want to grow in their  profession choose to stay in the classroom because they've been empowered to lead without having to be an administrator, says Winchester Public Schools superintendent Jason van Heukelum. 

Viewing Opportunity Culture® implementation as a single, cost-neutral solution for multiple issues—student outcomes and educator career paths and satisfaction—Winchester Public Schools Superintendent Jason van Heukelum discusses why the district “jumped all in” and how that’s working out, with strong learning growth results. For the 2023–24 school year, seventh-grade math students were number 1 in the state for learning growth; fourth-grade math was in the top 10, and eighth-grade math was in the top 12. All three of these grades had 100 percent of their students reached by Multi-Classroom Leader™ teaching teams. And across the district, 15 teams are now reaching 100 percent of students in a subject or grade, with nine teams students’ making high growth.

 Since 2017, the Vance County, N.C., school system has used Opportunity Culture® teaching teams to improve teacher retention and student learning. How has the district sustained implementation through a pandemic and transition to a new superintendent? Superintendent Cindy Bennett discusses what the district values in the support these teams provide, and how it continues to learn and adjust its use of the model—with a focus on Aycock Elementary, now in year six of implementation and exceeding the state’s expectations for student learning growth. For more, read "Keeping Advanced Roles Alive and Thriving: Vance County's Experience"

Successful Opportunity Culture implementation in a school district isn’t all up to the schools: Getting broad participation and communication from multiple district offices provides the support schools need. In North Carolina’s Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, Area Superintendent Timisha Barnes-Jones and Tina Lupton, executive director of professional learning, have collaborated closely to ensure that Opportunity Culture support exists at all levels. They share how collaboration is laying the foundation to spread Opportunity Culture models throughout the district, and early successes, including seeing several of their “transformation schools” came off the state’s low-performing list.

A recent report from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that high-dosage tutoring reaches only about one in 10 students—despite the national push for it. But if schools build innovative staffing models such as Opportunity Culture models, small-group tutoring can happen routinely, during the school day. Schools should think now about using their Covid funding for planning and implementation, to create a sustainable, long-lasting tutoring culture. Listen to (or read) this post to learn more.

Lucama Elementary, a rural, Title I school in Wilson County, North Carolina, implemented several Opportunity Culture roles in 2021–22. Following a focus on data-driven, small-group tutoring, instruction based on the science of reading, and greater educator collaboration through Multi-Classroom Leader teams, the school dramatically increased student learning growth. Principal April Shackleford and Lucama educators explain their success, and why it led them in 2022 to expand to schoolwide Opportunity Culture roles.

Superintendent Scott Muri, a finalist for state superintendent of the year in Texas, has Opportunity Culture experience in multiple districts; since he brought Opportunity Culture models to Ector County Independent School District in 2019, the district has seen significant improvement in student learning and teacher recruitment. Hear Muri’s thoughts on the impact of Opportunity Culture innovations in areas including teacher residencies, teacher leadership, and other district offices, and the importance of staying faithful to the model.

Susan Hendricks was the principal of Ross Elementary in Ector County, Texas, before becoming the district’s director of leadership in August. Under her leadership, Ross Elementary received high ratings on the annual, anonymous survey given to Opportunity Culture educators. When we spoke with Hendricks earlier this year, she credited that success to having structures in place that the whole school understands and committing to the belief that the Opportunity Culture initiative is “who you are.”

Principal Julie Shields leads a school that ranks very high on Opportunity Culture surveys for communicating its Opportunity Culture plans and impact. She spoke with Public Impact about how she thinks through a communications strategy to keep Opportunity Culture implementation strong over many years.

As Anne Claire Tejtel Nornhold, who leads the Opportunity Culture work in Baltimore City Public Schools, prepared to move out of that role in spring 2022, she spoke with Public Impact about what worked well and her advice for other district Opportunity Culture directors. Nornhold is a strong advocate for Opportunity Culture implementation as a powerful means to improve student outcomes and retain great educators. Listen to her reflections in our latest Opportunity Culture Audio piece, with her advice on focusing on a strong selection and accountability process, support for multi-classroom leaders, and having high-quality district-level Opportunity Culture support.

What if you could improve student outcomes even in a time of rising teacher shortages? Many schools and districts report feeling stuck on the hamster wheel of trying to fill all their open positions—a struggle that has been worsening for years. Listen to this recording of our post about the solution that could take principals out of chronic emergency hiring mode, and how two principals have used that solution.

Angela Caldwell, an Opportunity Culture expanded-impact kindergarten teacher in Guilford County, North Carolina, and her teaching assistant, Lora Terry, speak with Public Impact about their teaching partnership and the impact they see small-group tutoring making on student learning growth. Listen as they share their tips for creating a successful partnership!

Former Edgecombe County Public Schools principal, Jenny O'Meara, talks about introducing a morning time for students intended to help them start every day with a teacher of their choice.

In this first Opportunity Culture Audio piece, we hear from Jenny O’Meara, who until 2021 served as a principal for a middle school using Opportunity Culture roles. O’Meara worked in Edgecombe County Public Schools in a rural part of North Carolina, which has taken its Opportunity Culture implementation district-wide. After stepping away from her principalship, she sat for an interview about her Opportunity Culture experience, including reflections on working with her school’s first multi-classroom leader, or MCL, and valuable lessons to share with current principals.