Education Leadership Coach (Kankakee and Chicago, Illinois)

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. The Education Leadership Coach will train and coach a cohort of Teacher Leaders in Chicago Public Schools and in Kankakee USD111 as they lead change in their schools as a part of the Teacher Led Continuous Improvement Network (TLCIN). The Education Leadership Coach is a critical leadership opportunity for a skilled coach looking to support school reform driven by teacher leaders, and to collaborate with schools to strengthen the ecosystem of support necessary for a school to thrive.

TLCIN 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 TLCIN school team, Education Leadership Coach and Hub team, 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 Leader 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.
• Collaborate across the Network to plan and deliver professional development sessions (cohort meetings and quarterly convenings) for Teacher Leaders across the Network.
• Actively works to develop strong, collaborative relationships with school and district partners, fostering trust and mutual respect to position Teach Plus as a valued and strategic partner in advancing instructional leadership and equity-focused goals.
  • 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, best practice sharing, and connecting the district to other resources that will grow opportunities for students
• Support the school/district not only through leading teacher teams but also by engaging as thought partners in shaping the broader ecosystem needed to transform student outcomes.

What You’ll Need to be Successful

• 5+ years of experience coaching teachers and/or school leaders in diverse school environments; instructional coaching experience required and school leadership experience preferred.
• Individuals who have led instructional, transformational work in education, high school coach experience preferred but not required.
• 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

Start Date and Term

The target start date for this position is as soon as possible, though we are flexible based on the selected candidate’s availability. This is a grant-funded position through June 30, 2026, with renewal considered annually based on performance, continued funding, ongoing work with partners, and the organization’s evolving needs.

Location, Travel

This is a hybrid (virtual/school-based) coaching role that prioritizes strong, consistent relationships with educators through regular, face-to-face engagement. Coaches are expected to conduct weekly in-person school visits, providing on-the-ground support, modeling practices, and facilitating improvement efforts directly with teachers and school leaders. We expect that the coach would be able to work from home on average twice a week.

Travel to schools in Kankakee and Chicago for in-person meetings are required. In addition to school visits, this role requires active participation in the following in-person responsibilities:

• Monthly in-person team meetings (one per month)
• Bi-monthly Illinois team meetings
• Four in-person convenings per year
• NSI Hub retreats and Summer Institutes
• Teach Plus full-staff retreat (every 1-2 years)

While some cohort and internal team meetings may be conducted virtually, this position is designed for individuals who can commit to being present in schools and at key events throughout the year.

Commitments

Monthly evenings and occasional weekends may be required to support educator sessions or accommodate teacher schedules. Attendance is mandatory at the following events unless pre-approved by a manager:

• Monthly professional learning sessions for coaches
• Content planning meetings
• Coach team meetings
• NSI cohort meetings
• Convenings
• NSI Hub retreats
• Summer Institutes

This role is ideal for individuals who are energized by collaboration, responsive coaching, and building strong partnerships within schools and across a coaching team.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is between $85,000 and $95,000. 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.