Find Your Teacher Career Path

Department chairs empower the teachers in the entire academic department, typically by same grade level or subject area. Serving as a leader to fellow teachers, you will: 
 

• Help teachers in the department establish effective teaching strategies and create new curricula. 
• Serve as a liaison between the teachers and school administration.
• Create a positive team environment to support fellow teachers.
• Host regular meetings to review current policies, upcoming assessments and curriculum.

National Board Certification is the most advanced certification available for teachers. Many districts offer higher pay if you get National Board Certified!

National Board Certified teachers show skills like:
 

• Excellent instruction. 
• Expert classroom management.
• High-quality support for students with diverse needs.
• Strong community-building, both in the classroom and with student families. 

Mentor teachers are accomplished and experienced educators. They help early-career and student teachers develop their teaching style and learn effective teaching skills. Many school districts offer stipends to mentor teachers! 

As a mentor teacher, you will: 
 

• Co-plan and co-teach with early-career and student teachers.
• Observe and provide student teachers with feedback on how to improve their classroom instruction.
• Share best teaching practices and strategies with beginning teachers.

We often learn best from our peers! As a peer observer, you'll support fellow teachers through classroom observation and provide them feedback on how to improve their teaching. Typically, peer observers are requested by a teacher or a school administrator. 

As a peer observer, you will: 
 

• Connect with your colleagues to discuss teaching goals.
• Sit in the classroom and observe your colleagues in action.
• Provide detailed and supportive feedback to help your fellow teachers grow.

A principal creates a strong and supportive school environment by building genuine connections with students, staff and families alike. Principals and assistant principals work closely together to make that happen. 

As a principal, you will: 
 

• Establish academic goals and clear strategies for your staff to accomplish them.
• Work closely with the school staff to build a healthy environment in the classrooms. 
• Create and lead professional development plans to help teachers grow.

Instructional specialists assist teachers in a specific area of academic need, like reading or math. 

As an instructional specialist, you might: 
 

• Coach fellow educators on instruction. 
• Work closely with teachers to build teaching plans. 
• Host skill-building workshops with teachers

Student support specialists are dedicated to empowering students and families in academic, social and professional development. Many student support specialists take on different roles based on their teaching experience and other training.

Here are some examples of student support specialist jobs:
 

• School Counselor 
• School Social Worker 
• Speech and Language Pathologist 
• School Psychologist

The dean of students is responsible for school culture. Deans lead by example and work with almost everyone in the school community, from teachers to counselors to nurses and parents, to create a positive atmosphere. 

Here are some of the responsibilities you can expect as a dean:  
 

• Build relationships with staff and student families to create a strong, supportive community. 
• Help staff manage classrooms in a way that supports student learning. 
• Make sure student policies are implemented fairly and equitably. 
• Track data on school culture metrics.

School superintendents work closely with districts to create new initiatives and achieve major goals. They are licensed professionals—and many began as teachers themselves. Their educational background helps them effectively communicate, manage large teams and understand the big picture. 

Here are just a few of the tasks you might take on as a superintendent:
 

• Serve as liaison between school district staff and the school board.
• Work with the school board to develop goals and long-term plans for the district, based on student needs.
• Communicate with the media about events or policies that affect the larger district community.
• Oversee the district’s finances, budget and spending.
• Track student achievement and implement program changes.

Chief Operations Officers play a major role in keeping schools running across multiple departments. If you have outstanding organizational skills, this position might be ideal for you!

Chief Operational Officers generally oversee departments like:
 

• Facilities & Buildings Maintenance
• Food & Nutrition Services
• Student Registration
• School Safety
• School Transportation

District coordinators work closely with students, teachers and staff from different schools. They help develop programs and services for the school district.

Here are some of the coordinator positions you could hold, depending on your experience and interests: 
 

• College and Career Readiness Coordinator
• Counseling Coordinator
• Postsecondary Coordinator 
• Student Outreach Coordinator
• Technology Coordinator

Great communicators are always in demand—and teachers are communications experts. You might even join your district’s communications team one day! 

As a communications director, you’ll do things like:
 

• Promote public awareness of the district and its mission and goals.
• Connect with district staff, families and the wider community about what’s happening in the district.
• Manage public relations with the media and local community.
• Get the word out about opportunities for your community to get involved.

Directors of Special Education oversee and support programs that serve students with disabilities. In Minnesota, you must be licensed for this role. You'll work with teachers, families, and district leaders to ensure students receive the resources and individualized support they need to thrive.

Through this position, you can: 
 

• Develop and implement programs that support students with different learning needs.
• Ensure compliance with federal and state special education laws.
• Train and mentor special education staff and teachers.
• Advocate for inclusive practices that benefit all students.

As an experienced educator, you can transition into a teaching role at a college or university. Most professor positions require a PhD, so you may choose to work towards an advanced degree while you're teaching. You could also apply to your school district for a sabbatical to begin your doctorate! 

As a college professor, you could do things like: 
 

• Train new teachers in effective lesson planning, instruction and classroom management.
• Teach in your content area, with a focus on how to plan engaging lessons.
• Train administrators on how to build a strong school culture and support student achievement.

Interested in education policy? You could help research and inform decisions at the local, state or even federal level! 

Here are a few places you might work as a policy staff member:
 

• Your local mayor’s office
• Your county office of education
• Your state department of education
• Legislative branches at the state or federal level
   

Love to learn? You might earn an advanced degree to begin a career in education research. Education researchers often work for universities or think tanks. You’ll develop research plans, conduct studies, evaluate results, and publish your findings—all to help educators and students!

There are infinite topics to study, but you might tackle big questions like: 
 

• What's the best class size for learning?
• How do young children respond to digital learning tools?
• What’s the best way to support English language learning?
• What's the best learning environment for students with disabilities?

Many networks, nonprofits and organizations exist to make schools better for students and staff alike. With firsthand teaching experience, you can bring an educator's voice to the table. 

You might decide to join an organization focused on issues like: 
 

• Public health and wellness for students.
• Specific content areas, such as early childhood or science education.
• Quality education and support for underserved students. 
• Ensuring teacher voices are heard and considered in educational policies.

As a teacher, you’ll get an on-the-ground look at the needs of educators, schools and students. You could use your experience and leadership skills to start an organization that helps meet an unmet need.

Here are just a few of the kinds of products and services education startups offer (The sky’s the limit!):
 

• Online teacher training
• Online courses, study tools and tutoring for students
• Community-building opportunities for teachers and families
• Lesson plans and support materials in your content area
• Software and tech tools that support classrooms or administration

Social entrepreneurs lead businesses for the greater good—not just for profit. As a teacher, you’ll encounter all kinds of societal issues that need attention. Your expertise could help you lead an organization that works toward social change.

Nonprofits might address issues like:
 

• Helping students build social and emotional regulation skills.
• Closing the achievement gap between high- and low-income students.
• Bringing resources and educational experiences to underserved schools.
• Supporting early-career teachers, especially those from underrepresented groups.

Teaching is all about relationships. And you can put those relationship skills to use in other areas too! Account managers typically focus on client satisfaction, rather than sales. From nonprofits to the private sector, you could have a successful career managing client portfolios in a variety of fields. 

As an account manager, you might:
 

• Manage one-on-one client relationships.
• Advocate for clients to make sure their needs are being met.
• Offer guidance to help clients reach their goals. 
• Negotiate contracts and monitor account performance.

Teachers are quick on their feet and able to solve problems creatively and effectively. Those skills can help you tackle challenges for businesses and organizations. 

As a data analyst, you can expect to: 
 

• Audit and analyze company and customer data.
• Analyze company systems and processes.
• Problem-solve and recommend ways a company can improve and grow.