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Cumberland moves to expand Opportunity Culture model; district seeks grants to fund teacher supplements
Summary
District staff described Opportunity Culture teacher-leader roles, reported academic performance trends at participating schools and asked the committee to approve a consulting contract and funding approach to expand the model to additional schools over two years.
Cumberland County Schools staff told board committee members on Jan. 30 that the district will seek to expand its Opportunity Culture model — a teacher-leadership framework intended to extend the reach of effective teachers — to additional schools and requested approval of a scope of work and consulting contract to support the expansion.
Ruben (presenting) said Cumberland began Opportunity Culture work in 2018 through a state Advanced Teacher Roles (ATR) grant and that the district was one of the first 10 North Carolina districts to join. Opportunity Culture uses multi-classroom leaders (MCLs), reach associates and team teachers to increase students’ access to excellent instruction while keeping top teachers in the classroom.
Staff described multiple MCL models — partial release and full release — and said MCLs can earn up to $15,000 extra in Title I schools. District data shown in the presentation indicated increases in performance composites at schools implementing Opportunity Culture over the last four years, though growth varied where leadership turnover or implementation gaps occurred.
For expansion, staff asked to add up to five schools in 2025–26 and up to 10 total across the next two years. Public Impact, a consulting partner, proposed a total contract package of $285,000 ($89,000 for co-design and an additional $195,000 for coaching and professional learning) to support co-design, scheduling, training and summer professional development. Staff said they will pursue additional grant funding but also discussed using Title I/Title IV funds or existing department packets to cover costs if necessary.
Board members raised questions about accountability measures for MCLs, vetting and selection of reach associates, whether supplements are recurring and how expansion affects nonparticipating schools. Staff responded that MCLs and reach associates go through multi-step application and interview processes, that MCL placements are not permanent and that teachers will be removed from roles if teams do not show growth.
Why it matters: The proposal affects staffing, teacher pay, and schedules at participating schools and carries multi-year budget implications if supplements are locally funded. The committee approved the scope-of-work contract and directed staff to finalize contract language and funding plans.
What’s next: Staff will begin co-design with interested school improvement teams if contracted and will return implementation and budget updates to the board. The district will continue grant-seeking and will discuss local funding strategies with finance staff and county leaders.
