SY26-27 Early Childhood Assistant Teacher

DC Prep; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

403(b) retirement plan

Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave

Job summary

DC Prep is seeking an Early Childhood Assistant Teacher in Washington, DC, to support instructional planning and delivery for preschool to 8th-grade students. This full-time role emphasizes collaboration with the Lead Teacher to foster an inclusive classroom environment and effectively engage with students and families.

The ideal candidate has experience working with children in urban settings, a passion for student achievement, and a bachelor's degree. Join a supportive team committed to educational excellence!

Qualifications

• Experience working with students in an urban public school with high achievement.
• Desire to support student achievement in under-served communities.
• Capability to thrive in ambiguity and critical decision making.

Responsibilities

• Support instructional planning and delivery through collaboration.
• Assist the Lead Teacher with communication to families.
• Engage in ongoing professional development and coaching.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Ability to connect with students and families

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Job description

Early Childhood Assistant Teacher

Start Date: August 2026

Role Type: Full‑Time, 10 months

Location: Washington, DC

FLSA Status: Exempt

Who We Are

DC Prep is a high performing network of public charter schools serving over 2,100 preschool through 8th‑grade students across six campuses in Wards 5, 7, and 8. We’re proud of the high bar we set for ourselves to achieve results–our students deserve our best! We recognize that how we support our students to be successful is just as important as the results we achieve, which pushes us to reflect on how we facilitate student academic, social, and emotional development, support our team members’ professional growth, and engage families as partners.

Responsibilities

• Supporting instructional planning and delivery by:
  • Supporting and co‑leading productive, purposeful, inclusive, safe and equitable routines, structures, and transitions during various components of the school day.
  • Reviewing unit maps, lesson plans, and materials ahead of time to be prepared to implement the lessons designed by the Lead Teacher.
  • Implementing assigned small groups, including monitoring progress to drive toward student growth and mastery in literacy and math.
  • Collaborating with the Lead Teacher to engage students in targets for Early Childhood learning standards.
  • Assisting the Lead Teacher in teaching with intentional structures that maximize student learning.
  • Assisting in the creation of core resources used by the whole class.
  • Reading all IEPs and 504 plans and preparing to support specialized instruction in accordance with plans.
  • Supporting the delivery of assessments.
  • Prioritizing regular team‑teaching check‑ins with the Lead Teacher for collaborative planning.
  • Assisting in collection and grading of classwork and homework.
  • Assuming Lead Teacher responsibilities in the event of an absence.
  • Supporting a strong classroom community by:
    • Collaborating with the Lead Teacher to ensure that the vision for classroom community and strong Tier I supports are in place.
    • Leading various components of the school day while carrying out all aspects of the vision for classroom community.
    • Assisting in collecting data on student behaviors/academics as needed to support the development or monitoring of intervention plans.
    • Implementing student academic and behavior plans with fidelity.
  • Supporting strong communication by:
    • Assisting the Lead Teacher with communication of whole‑class news and upcoming information/deadlines with families.
    • Meeting regularly to agree upon and establish classroom norms and expectations.
  • Engaging in ongoing professional development and coaching by:
    • Determining with the Lead Teacher which weekly lessons to support and execute.
    • Participating in weekly individual or group professional development and coaching sessions.
    • Collaborating with the Lead Teacher to plan for increased ownership of academic instruction as the year progresses.

Who You Are

You have a background working with children in a school setting and want to translate that experience into becoming a Lead Early Childhood teacher who sets a positive tone for students as they embark upon their academic careers. You are eager to participate in DC Prep’s development and coaching program, work with an instructional coach to develop the skills needed to apply for a lead teacher role over the course of a school year, and are passionate about ensuring students from underserved communities learn without limits.

Qualifications

• Experience working with students in an urban public school with a record of high student achievement highly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree from a competitive college or university preferred.
• Desire and willingness to do “whatever it takes” to support student achievement in traditionally under‑served communities.
• Passion for connecting with students and families.
• Extraordinary oral skills to effectively communicate with varied audiences.
• Comfort with and ability to write efficiently and effectively for curriculum writing, email communication, and documentation.
• Superior analytical skills and sound judgment to make critical decisions autonomously.
• Capability to thrive in circumstances involving ambiguity and nuance.
• Meticulous organizational ability to set priorities, organize workload, handle multiple responsibilities and meet deadlines.
• Emotional constancy and extraordinary interpersonal skills to ensure purposeful and professional colleague relationships.
• Positive attitude, maturity, and personal stability sufficient for a demanding position.
• Deep belief in DC Prep’s mission, values, and commitment to diversity.

Compensation and Benefits

• Highly competitive salary.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, short‑ and long‑term disability insurance; maternity, paternity, and adoption leave; and a 403(b) retirement plan.

Essential Functions

• DC Prep teachers are on duty at their assigned campus Mondays through Fridays from 7:15 am to 4:15 pm and must be prepared to receive students in the classroom at 7:30 am. On Wednesdays, staff report until 5:00 for professional development.
  • Occasionally, staff may be required to report to a different campus for professional development or all‑network events.
• All staff perform clerical duties related to instructional supplies, student reports and records, attendance reports, assessments, etc.
• Staff regularly perform morning, lunch, and afternoon duties as assigned by their principal.
• Additional responsibilities may arise during the school year, including attendance at staff and student field trips, after‑school events, family‑teacher conferences, home visits, and other events involving parents and students, as needed. This list is not exhaustive, and compulsory events outside of school hours will be communicated with ample notice.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to sit and work at a desk/computer for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to spend the majority of the day standing or mobile throughout the classroom, as well as talk, hear, grasp, reach and lift up to 30 lbs with or without accommodations.
• Ability to concentrate in active and noisy environments such as cafeterias and playgrounds, to more moderate situations such as classrooms or large‑group professional settings.
• Must be able to perform repetitive wrist/hand/finger movements while working on a computer and/or related office equipment.
• Ability to handle potential high‑stress conditions.

Join Us

Do you believe that learning has no limits? Are you eager to join a supportive, innovative, and collaborative community of educators? Are you committed to growing your strengths as an educator through individualized professional development and coaching? Apply today!

We’re an equal‑opportunity employer and hire without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability. We strongly encourage diverse candidates to apply.