Instructional Culture Coach (Coach on Special Assignment)

Detroit Public Schools Community District; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Detroit Public Schools Community District is seeking an Instructional Culture Coach (Coach on Special Assignment) to strengthen teachers, coaches, and school leaders in creating safe, structured, culturally responsive, and engaging classrooms across Detroit Public Schools Community District.

The COSA provides school-based coaching aligned to the District's Instructional Quality priorities, focusing on management, culture, and climate.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of successful teaching experience, urban setting preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in classroom management and culture.
• Experience coaching adults or leading professional learning.
• Strong facilitation, data analysis, and relationship-building skills.
• Expertise in instructional coaching and improvement through observation and feedback.
• Applies culturally responsive and equity-centered practices.

Responsibilities

• Provide ongoing, job-embedded coaching through classroom observations and feedback.
• Support teachers in establishing routines, student engagement, and positive behavior systems.
• Monitor growth using district data collection and progress-monitoring tools.
• Model high-leverage classroom culture strategies in authentic settings.
• Collaborate with school leaders to strengthen culture and climate at district level.
• Lead professional learning experiences on classroom culture and restorative practices.
• Analyze data to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement.
• Participate in quarterly data reviews and school improvement planning.

Skills

Classroom management

Culture building

Adult coaching

Data analysis

Relationship building

Facilitation

Collaboration across schools

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's preferred

Job description

Job Title

Position Title: Instructional Culture Coach (Coach on Special Assignment)

Location

Location: Office of Academics

Salary

Salary: DFT Salary Schedule +$3,000 stipend

Reports to

Reports to: Senior Executive Director of Instruction Quality and Support

Bargaining Unit

Bargaining Unit: DFT

Benefits Eligible

Benefits Eligible: Yes

Travel

Travel: Travel within the district may be required.

Annual Schedule

Annual Schedule: 40 weeks

Telecommuting Eligibility

Telecommuting Eligibility: School based. Not eligible for telecommuting

Job Description

In accordance with the Agreement between Detroit Federation of Teachers and the Board of Education of the School District of the City of Detroit, the following vacancy is announced:

The Instructional Culture Coach is responsible for strengthening teacher, coach, and school leader capacity to create safe, structured, culturally responsive, and academically engaging classrooms across Detroit Public Schools Community District. The COSA directly advances the Department of Instructional Quality and Support's mission to develop the knowledge, skills, and culture of every educator and school leader so that every classroom is a place where students feel safe, valued, and ready to learn.

The COSA provides school-based, job-embedded coaching aligned to the District's Vision of Excellent Instruction, with a focused emphasis on the Management, Culture & Climate domain. This role supports teachers in developing classroom environments where expectations are clear, routines are consistent, relationships are strong, students are engaged, and learning time is protected.

Through observation, directive elbow coaching, modeling, rehearsal, real-time feedback, and follow-up practice cycles, the COSA helps teachers implement high-leverage practices that improve classroom culture and strengthen instructional conditions for student success.

The COSA also partners with Assistant Principals, Deans of Culture, instructional coaches, and school leaders to help build and sustain coherent schoolwide systems for Management, Culture & Climate. This includes supporting consistent routines and procedures, proactive behavior supports, student engagement structures, restorative responses, positive classroom relationships, and data-informed continuous improvement. The COSA¿s work is grounded in the belief that classroom culture is not separate from instruction; it enables instruction. By helping teachers and leaders establish classrooms where students feel safe, respected, affirmed, and accountable for learning, the COSA supports schools in ensuring every educator and student is equipped to Thrive.

This position directly advances the Instructional Quality & Support priorities to: Establish a districtwide culture framework, deliver job-embedded coaching cycles, and strengthening School-Based leadership in culture.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's preferred
• Minimum 5 years of successful teaching experience (urban setting preferred)
• Demonstrated expertise in classroom management/culture
• Experience coaching adults or leading professional learning
• Strong facilitation, data analysis, and relationship-building skills
• Demonstrates expertise in instructional coaching and the ability to improve teacher practice through observation, feedback, modeling, and job-embedded support.
• Applies culturally responsive and equity-centered practices to create inclusive learning environments and support equitable outcomes for all students.
• Demonstrates knowledge of adult learning theory and effectively facilitates professional learning, coaching conversations, and collaborative team meetings.
• Uses multiple sources of data to analyze trends, monitor progress, and make informed decisions that improve teaching, learning, and classroom culture.
• Demonstrates proficiency in implementing restorative practices, including restorative conferences and community circles, to strengthen relationships and promote positive student behavior.
• Collaborates effectively across schools and departments while applying systems thinking to support continuous improvement and the implementation of districtwide initiatives.
• Demonstrates measurable improvement in classroom culture walkthrough scores across assigned schools.

Essential Functions

• Provide ongoing, job-embedded coaching through regular classroom observations, actionable feedback, and deliberate practice cycles aligned to the district's Classroom Culture Framework, with an emphasis on classroom management, climate, and culture.
• Support teachers in establishing effective routines and procedures, increasing student engagement and accountability, implementing positive behavior systems, and utilizing proactive redirection strategies.
• Monitor teacher growth and coaching outcomes using district data collection and progress-monitoring tools.
• Model high-leverage classroom culture strategies in authentic classroom settings to demonstrate effective instructional and management practices.
• Collaborate with teachers to co-plan and co-teach lessons that build instructional capacity and promote sustainable improvements in classroom culture.
• Facilitate laboratory classroom experiences that provide opportunities for observation, reflection, and collaborative debriefing.
• Design and facilitate high-quality professional learning experiences at both the school and district levels focused on the foundations of effective classroom culture, restorative practices, and culturally responsive teaching.
• Support Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in analyzing classroom culture challenges, identifying solutions, and implementing evidence-based practices that improve student outcomes.
• Partner with Assistant Principals, Deans, and other school leaders to strengthen their capacity to conduct effective classroom walkthroughs, provide timely and actionable coaching feedback, and lead schoolwide culture systems that promote positive learning environments.
• Support the implementation of district walkthrough certification processes and ensure consistency in classroom culture expectations across schools.
• Analyze classroom walkthrough data, student behavior trends, and teacher growth indicators to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.
• Participate in quarterly data reviews, school improvement planning, and continuous improvement cycles to inform coaching priorities and measure the impact of classroom culture initiatives.

Security Clearance

Internal Applicants If you are a current Detroit Public Schools Community District employee, you do not have to submit to a new security clearance, unless your new role requires a different type of criminal background check.

External Applicants In alignment with Michigan law, if you are hired to fill a position, you will be required to submit to a Detroit Public Schools Community District criminal background check. Information regarding required background checks will be shared at point of hire.

Method Of Application

Applicants must apply through the online application system. Only applications submitted through the online application system will be considered for any posted position and all applications require a resume to be considered.

Successful candidates are required to submit official transcript(s) at point of offer to hire. Teaching service outside of the Detroit Public Schools Community District must be verified by the applicant's prior employer(s) prior to hire. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all documentation (including copies) as requested.

Applicants requesting assistance during the application process should contact the Office of Human Resources via email at [email protected] or phone at [phone].

DPSCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability and/or religion. Contact the Civil Rights Coordinator for more information at [phone] or detroitk12.org/compliance.