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Job Title: Teacher, TOSA Instructional Specialist - (2025-2026) - Instructional Support and Requisition ID number: 103213
Close Date: 11:59 PM on
Organizational Unit: Instructional Support (10000976)
Site: Davis Center (0001)
FTE: 1.0FTE@ 42 Weeks; this is based on full-time equivalency with 1.0 being full time
Union: Teachers(04)
Functional Area: Teaching
Salary Range: $53,629/Year - $109,468/Year
Benefits: Dental insurance | Health insurance | Vision insurance | Paid time off | HSA & FSA | Retirement plan
Resume and Cover Letter are mandatory to apply for any position.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Valid Minnesota teaching license
• Minimum of five years successful teaching experience as demonstrated by the Standards of Effective Instruction (SOEI)
• Minimum of three years successful instructional coaching experience or like instructional/curriculum/professional development teacher leadership experience..
• Current knowledge of assessments practices, standards and benchmarks and ability to link achievement results to program enhancement and curriculum differentiation.
• Tenured in Minneapolis Public Schools preferred.
• Successful completion of the Standards of Effective Instruction (SOEI) observer certification (must be completed upon hire)
• Highly preferred: demonstrated success in working with students and staff of racially diverse backgrounds
• Preferred: recent classroom teaching experience
• Experience related to mentoring, coaching teacher leadership such as experience as a secondary observer, PLC Lead, cooperating teacher, lead teacher or other teacher leadership positions

• Demonstrated expertise in designing and implementing standards-based instruction and assessment, applying differentiated learning strategies and improving student achievement in the classroom TOSA, Instructional Specialist (IS) | updated April 2025 2

  Demonstrated ability to use a range of quantitative and qualitative data to enhance all students’ learning Strong interpersonal skills with adults and students Ability to establish and maintain trustful, confidential and supportive relationships with teachers to help develop them as professionals

• Demonstrated commitment and ability to foster collegiality and collaboration with colleagues

• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Demonstrated dedication to personal professional growth, including: establishing professional goals and assessing growth along a mentor continuum; engaging in ongoing process of reflection; and inquiry to deepen mentor practice SALARY: 1.0, 39 weeks licensed FTE as determined by the MFT salary schedule

Final candidates may be invited to interview with a committee. Final appointment to this position will be contingent upon passing a criminal background check.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Function: The Instructional Specialist (IS) is a released teacher on special assignment (TOSA) position that will partner with district and school leadership to ensure high quality learning happens for all MPS students. The IS plays a key role in increasing student learning at sites by supporting all teachers in continuous improvement of instructional practice; meeting the expectations outlined in the Standards of Effective Instruction (SOEI); implementing a strong MTSS framework in classrooms; and ensuring classroom practices are aligned to the School Improvement Plan (SIP) and the district Strategic Plan. The IS will achieve these goals by:

• Coaching teams of teachers and individual teachers to reflect and identify next steps to improve instructional practice, increase equity and social emotional learning in order to improve students’ academic outcomes
• Conducting teacher observations: both unscored, and scored, short and focused observations
• Supporting the building’s structures for professional learning, instructional practice, and MTSS
• Being an active member of the district MTSS team by participating in professional learning opportunities and collaborating across departments

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and facilitate coaching cycles with teachers to continuously improve classroom practices, including a focus on:
• Instructional strategies
• Analysis of student work, including formative assessment, to inform instructional decisions and lesson planning
• Opportunities for authentic student engagement, inclusion of student voice and choice
• Use of instructional and curricular resources
• Conduct secondary observations for probationary and tenured teachers as aligned to the MPS Classroom Observation Model1
• Provide follow-up coaching with teachers to work towards personal goals related to SOEI observations, site and professional goals, including:
• Classroom management
• Instructional strategies
• Classroom climate
• Organizing content for meaningful learning
• Identifying appropriate staff development for teachers to align with professional needs
• Communicate and collaborate with district and school personnel
• Attend district IS Team meetings and IS professional development as planned for by the MTSS team
• Attend any Secondary Observer training focusing on inter-rater reliability, SOEI related topics (some of this is field-based work)