As superintendent emeritus of Ector County ISD (Odessa, TX), Dr. Scott Muri led a district-wide turnaround—weaving talent strategies, outcomes-based tutoring, and tight execution to deliver measurable gains. Last month, Dr. Muri testified before the U.S. Senate HELP Committee to share more about the effort.
This week, we caught up with Dr. Muri to reflect on his tenure as superintendent, how AI should reshape systems (not just tools), and why agility is the new non-negotiable for districts. We touched on ECISD’s continued, rapid progress, “braiding” multiple operational strategies to improve outcomes, system-wide project management discipline, and investing in teachers through expanded roles, stackable compensation, and robust training pipelines.
Q: Let’s set the stage; when you arrived in Ector County in 2019—right before the pandemic—what was that moment like, and how did you set the stage for serious transformation?
Muri: The district was in real trouble. Half of our schools were rated D or F, with sixteen of those being F’s. The school board faced a choice: allow a state takeover or take ownership of the work necessary to improve. They chose ownership. From day one, we had a clear “why”—to create better experiences and outcomes for 35,000 kids. We started by building a shared vision with the community and a strategic plan to match. But the real difference was in execution. We developed a strong project management oversight process—something you don’t often see in school systems—and treated every initiative like a managed project with clear goals, timelines, and metrics. Implementation wasn’t an afterthought; it was the work.
Q: You mentioned human capital as the biggest area of focus. What were the most important pieces that helped move from vision to scaled change?
Muri: We focused on three things: vision, strategy, and execution. The vision gave us direction. The strategy was what I call “strategy braiding”—helping people see how multiple efforts connect to the same outcomes for kids.
That included redesigning the traditional teacher role through Opportunity Culture, where teacher-leaders split their time between teaching and coaching peers. We restructured compensation with stackable pay—our highest-paid classroom teacher now earns $132,000—and we built multiple pipelines: our own educator preparation program, paraprofessional-to-teacher pathways, and fully funded residencies with local universities.
And then execution—the PMO kept us disciplined and data-driven. We monitored leading indicators quarterly and reported them publicly. That kind of transparency builds trust and keeps momentum.
Q: As you’ve engaged with other district and state leaders, where do you see these ideas gaining traction more broadly?
Muri: The human capital work is spreading quickly. Opportunity Culture, for instance, is seeing strong results across Texas and North Carolina. Texas Tech is about to release new research showing its continued impact.
We’re also seeing a wave of interest in outcomes-based contracting—similar to the approach I took in Ector with tutoring. We tied vendor payments directly to student growth in reading and math, and it worked. That model is being picked up by states and large districts across the country because it builds accountability into every dollar spent.
Q: We’re also seeing an uptick in questions about outcomes-based contracting. As district funding continues to be strained and federal uncertainty looms, the strategic use of dollars is only becoming more relevant. How are district leaders thinking strategically about “doing more with less”?
Muri: Absolutely. There are a few things that come to mind. First, outcomes-based contracts help make sure you’re investing where it matters. Second, strategic abandonment—the idea that you have to stop doing “good” things to make room for great ones. It’s about aligning your dollars with your highest-impact priorities.
And finally, I’d add AI. We can use it to streamline and automate parts of the work, freeing educators to focus on what really matters. But that requires redesign, not layering new tech onto old systems.
Q: That redesign piece feels critical—that AI isn’t something you “add on,” but something that reshapes how systems work.
Muri: Exactly. AI isn’t an app you tack on top of the current model. Deming’s quote—”Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets”—still applies: systems get the results they’re designed for. We need to redesign schools—how we schedule time, structure teaching roles, and use technology—so AI helps us work smarter, not harder. That’s how we make the job of teaching more sustainable and more impactful.
Q: There’s renewed urgency around high school redesign and postsecondary pathways. How are leaders reframing “readiness”?
Muri: Postsecondary readiness isn’t code for “four-year college.” It means a graduate is prepared for the pathway they choose—apprenticeship, military, two-year, four-year, or work. The world evolved; K-12 is catching up by aligning secondary and postsecondary, expanding dual enrollment and work-based learning, and creating flexible, permeable pathways.
Q: If you had to name the “next frontier” for districts that want sustained academic improvement, what is it?
Muri: Know what works and contract for outcomes. Redesign roles and compensation to put your most effective teachers where they’re needed most. And become agile organizations—able to evolve at the pace of change. If we don’t, we’ll create a new gap between systems that seize this moment and those that don’t.
Q: What makes you optimistic heading into 2026?
Muri: The people. There are so many change agents—teachers, principals, superintendents, boards, state leaders—doing the right work. Our job is to elevate those stories and support them so the good work spreads.
