Please consider the following job responsibilities in the areas of Leadership, Accountability, Support and Communication when contemplating candidates for an Academic Coach. An effective Academic Coach will spend 50-60% of their time on classroom coaching with teachers (planning, demonstration, observation, co-teaching and study of lessons) while the other 40-50% of their time will be spent on coaching responsibilities (own training, professional development for staff, data review and conversations, staff development coordination with principal, record keeping/logs). Furthermore, an effective Academic Coach should be a full-time, supplemental, teacher-focused resource that is utilized in the following capacities.

I. Leadership

• Assist in the structure and design for high-quality, school- and team-based professional learning that supports teacher and student learning
• Acts as a catalyst to support continuous academic improvement
• Articulates the intended results of professional learning on teacher practice and student achievement
• Models use of effective collaboration skills

II. Accountability

• Facilitates the analysis of student achievement and teacher professional development data to determine the impact on student learning and teacher practice
• Increases teachers’ capacity to analyze research to make instructional decisions
• Advances teachers’ understanding and use of various strategies to assess student progress toward established goals and to improve teaching practice

III. Support

• Acts as a resource to support job-embedded professional learning and improved academic achievement in the school
• Engages teachers in data analysis and interpretation of data from multiple sources to determine student and teacher needs
• Facilitates a variety of in-depth, sustained professional learning experience aligned with the school improvement goals for student achievement
• Advances teacher’s deep understanding and use of content knowledge and research-based instructional strategies to help students meet rigorous academic standards
• Provides classroom-based support for implementation of new and/or refined instructional practices

IV. Communication

• Creates structures and processes for collaborative work that promote collegiality and shared responsibility
• Assures that time available for professional learning and collaboration is used to enhance quality teaching and student learning
• Keeps school leader, school board and other stakeholder aware of activities, progress, obstacles and successes in student achievement and improved teacher practice