Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

Why is the DOE expanding teacher leadership opportunities?

The TCP approach in teacher leadership is a strategy to increase access to highly effective teaching, support student achievement, promote teacher retention, and provide development opportunities for teachers to continually build instructional practice.

What is DOE's Teacher Career Pathways (TCP)?

NYC Teacher Career Pathways (TCP) is a strategic approach to teacher leadership in the country’s largest school district. TCP believes that by extending opportunities for educators to lead beyond their individual classroom, teachers can be powerful levers of change for school communities. The NYC DOE and UFT gave new form to this belief through the UFT-DOE teacher contract, which establishes differentiated teacher leader roles—Model Teacher, Peer Collaborative Teacher, and Master Teacher. TCP teacher leaders serve as change agents in their school communities by partnering with their colleagues and school leaders to identify and strengthen effective instructional and policy practices as well as build innovative learning initiatives aligned with school goals.

Career Pathways and Roles

What roles are available through Teacher Career Pathways?

The following teacher leadership roles are offered through TCP:

  • Model Teachers use their classrooms to serve as a laboratory and resource to support the professional growth of colleagues. Working closely with other teacher leaders, the Model Teacher is a resource to other teachers by demonstrating effective teaching strategies.
  • Peer Collaborative Teachers support their colleagues through coaching and intervisitations to improve instructional and student learning aligned to the Danielson Framework for Teaching. Teachers who qualify for the Peer Collaborative Teacher role also qualify for the Model Teacher role.
  • Master Teachers work closely with school and/or district leadership to promote excellent teaching through purposeful sharing of best practices, peer coaching, and creating a collaborative learning culture that bolsters instruction at the school or district level. Teachers who qualify for the Master Teacher role also qualify for the Peer Collaborative Teacher and Model Teacher roles.

Please note that because of the competitive nature of Master Teacher positions, Master Teacher applicants must first apply and qualify as a Peer Collaborative Teacher before applying for the Master Teacher role.

What are the benefits and commitments associated with taking on a role within Teacher Career Pathways?

Because teacher leader roles include responsibilities in addition to regular classroom duties, teachers taking on these roles are eligible to additional compensation for their teacher leadership work. TCP teacher leaders are also eligible for release time to fulfill the obligations of their role.

Model TeacherWork 2 additional hours per month and 2 additional summer days (during the week preceding Labor Day)Receive a $7,500 salary additional/year for work done related to the role
  • Relieved of all professional periods
  • Released from at least 1 teaching period if teaching in a 7-period per day elementary schedule or 2 periods/week if in an 8-period per day elementary schedule
Peer Collaborative Teacher5 additional hours per month and 5 additional summer daysReceive a $12,500 salary additional for the yearRelieved of at least one teacher period per day (20% release time) and all professional periods
Master Teacher8 additional hours per month and 8 additional summer daysReceive $20,000 salary addition for the yearRelieved of at least one teacher period per day (20% release time) and all professional periods

How do the Teacher Career Pathways roles differ from merit pay?

Teacher leaders are compensated for the extra time and added responsibilities they perform to provide developmental opportunities for colleagues.

Eligibility and Selection

Who is eligible to apply?

Teacher Career Pathways positions represent career growth and development opportunities, not merit pay. Teacher leaders have the expectation to collaborate and help their peers, while strengthening their own practice. To be eligible to apply for a Teacher Career Pathways role, a teacher must meet the following criteria:

  • A current, full time DOE educator (with at least one class of record, 40% of your time spent in the classroom).
  • Tenured as of the first day of the school year
  • Receive an Advance overall rating of "Highly Effective," "Effective," (or "Satisfactory," if applicable) for the preceding school year

How are teachers selected for Teacher Career Pathways roles?

A joint DOE/UFT committee establish criteria and screen applicants to create a pool of qualified candidates. Please note that principals make final hiring decisions from among the pool of qualified candidates. Schools have the opportunity to interview and select qualified teacher leaders for Teacher Career Pathways roles based on the needs, context, and budget of their school community.

Does earning a teacher leader qualification mean one will be staffed in a teacher leader role?

No. Principals make final hiring decisions for the teacher leader roles based on the needs of their school. Principals may only staff teachers who qualified through the joint DOE-UFT screening process.

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