Teacher, TOSA Instructional Specialist - (2025-2026) - Instructional Support

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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.

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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) 

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