Instructional Support Education Leadership Coach
Job Description
Our Why
Teach Plus is a national nonprofit whose mission is to empower excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that advance equity, opportunity, and student access. The Teach Plus team exists to breathe life into the Student Opportunity Mandate: All students should have the opportunity to achieve their potential in an education system defined by its commitment to equity, responsiveness to individual needs, and ability to prepare students for postsecondary success. At the heart of our work is advocacy for collective impact, beginning with classroom teachers.
What We Do
At Teach Plus, we believe in equity-driven teacher leadership. When we invest in developing our most talented teachers into teacher leaders who are well-informed, persuasive, and prepared to lead, they have deep leverage in advancing equity for students, especially for students of color, low-income students, and those from underserved communities. To close the opportunity gap and to ensure equitable access to a world-class education for all students in the schools and communities we serve, we ignite systems change at multiple levels through our Policy Fellowship and Instructional Leadership programs designed to inspire and equip teachers. We are committed to leading change in our Equity Focus Areas.
What You’ll Do
Teach Plus’ Teacher-Led Practice Initiatives are innovative programs that engage, develop and support teacher leaders to generate, implement, and manage change in district & school policies that impact teaching and learning, school culture & climate, and teaching practice. Joining the current team of 3 collaborative coaches who have been with the project for 3 years, the Education Leadership Coach will train and coach a cohort of Chicago Public School Teacher Leaders as they lead change in their schools as a part of the Chicago Network for School Improvement (NSI-Chicago). The Education Leadership Coach is a critical leadership opportunity for a skilled coach looking to support school reform driven by teacher leaders.
NSI-Chicago Teacher Leaders work together as teams of high-performing educators with administrators who understand shared leadership’s power. Teacher Leaders, with the support of their NSI school network team, Education Leadership Coach and Continuous Improvement Specialist, serve in leadership roles, leading teams of their peers in collaborative inquiry to support the work of their school-based grade level or content team to significantly increase student achievement.
Specifically, the Education Leadership Coach will be responsible for the following:
Coach and Support Teacher Leaders
- Foster High Functioning High Impact Teacher Leader-led teams by observing and strategically contributing to weekly Teacher Leader-led team meetings and professional development. Ensure that the primary work of each team is to improve equitable teaching and learning for all students through evidence-based continuous improvement cycles. Ensure that teacher-leader initiative work is based on evidence and achieves the desired impact on instructional practice and student learning.
- Coach and develop Teacher Leaders through coaching sessions and teacher leader cohort meetings. Meet weekly with each Teacher Leaders to plan for upcoming team meetings, debrief previous meetings, and engage in leadership coaching and feedback. Plan and facilitate monthly cohort meetings for teacher leaders.
- Support School Leadership as a part of the school leadership team. Meet regularly with the principal and school administration to ensure program fidelity.
- Collaborates across the Network to plan for and deliver portions of the Summer Institute, a multi-day hands-on training for Teacher Leaders, and professional development sessions (cohort meetings and quarterly convenings) for Teacher Leaders across the Network.
- Collaborates with district and network leaders, with the support of Teach Plus staff, to monitor progress, build district and network capacity to support teacher leadership, and share best practices.
- Attend designated district and network professional development to ensure alignment of support with district and network priorities.
- Meet with Teach Plus staff to review data and discuss priorities.
- Identify opportunities for collaboration and best practice sharing.
What You’ll Need to be Successful
- 5+ years of experience coaching teachers and/or school leaders in diverse school environments; instructional coaching preferred, math focus a plus
- Preference is given to leaders who have led instructional, transformational work in education
- A relentless focus on data, including analysis and using it to inform instruction and make continuous improvement decisions
- Experience in leadership development and facilitation of inquiry with teachers and/or school leaders
- Experience creating and building professional development materials and training and leading adult learning
- Commitment to and previous experience with educational equity and a belief in the power of teachers to bring about positive change for all students
Our Commitment to Diversity
To better serve the teachers and students at the core of our mission, Teach Plus is committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds and gender identities to apply to our positions.
Start Date and Term
The target start date for this position is May 2023, but it is flexible based on the candidate’s availability. This is a two-year grant-funded position, with renewal on an annual basis based on performance, funding of continued work with partners, and the organization’s needs.
Location, Travel, and Commitment
Applicants must live in the Chicagoland area. This is a school-based coaching position (minimum 2 visits per school per month) with an obligation for regular in-person coaching, attending team meetings, and in-person convenings (4 per year). Coaching sessions, cohort meetings, and internal team meetings are typically virtual.
This role requires occasional nights and weekends to support sessions and meet with teachers. Attendance is mandatory at monthly coach professional learning sessions and content planning, coach team meetings, NSI Hub retreats, NSI cohort meetings, convenings, and Summer Institutes unless approved by the manager.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is between $80,000 and $90,000. The salary offered will be determined based on the selected candidate’s specific qualifications, years of relevant experience, specialized knowledge, and internal pay equity. Teach Plus provides a benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 3% matching 401k plan, disability, life insurance, and Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and childcare expenses. Teach Plus offers generous time-off benefits, including 15 vacation days, three personal days, five sick days, 13 holidays, July break, Winter break, and summer ½ day Fridays in July and August. Additionally, Teach Plus offers a 4-week paid sabbatical for every five years of service.
