An

Opportunity Culture for Teaching &

Learning at Project L.I.F.T. Schools
Moving Toward a Highly Paid, High-Impact Profession




At Project L.I.F.T., we are committed to building an Opportunity Culture in our schools, in which all teachers have career
opportunities dependent upon their excellence, leadership, and student impact. Advancement allows more pay and
greater reach. All teachers and staff have the opportunity, in every role, to develop to their full potential through
collaboration with and leadership from excellent teachers.

This year, L.I.F.T. is building on our implementation success by creating more Opportunity Culture positions and
expanding to new schools! Seven L.I.F.T. schools (Allenbrook Elem., Ashley Park PreK-8, Bruns PreK-8, Byers PreK-8,
Thomasboro PreK-8, Ranson Middle, and West Charlotte High) are implementing new school models that redesign
teachers jobs and use age- and child-appropriate technology to put excellent teachers in charge of more students
learning and other teachers development, for more pay. One of these models is Time Swap, where students spend
approximately 25-50 percent of their in-school time working with paraprofessionals to cover basic knowledge and skills.
Excellent teachers use freed time to teach additional classes, focusing primarily on personalized and enriched portions of
instruction.

As expanded impact teachers, excellent teachers can reach more students for more pay, and develop and advance in
their careers without having to leave the classroom, in a role that takes advantage of their talents.

Teacher Job Description

Expanded Impact Teacher

Summary
The expanded impact teacher plans and delivers in-person instruction for multiple classes in a school where students
rotate between a paraprofessional and the expanded impact teacher. While one class of students works with a
paraprofessional to cover basic knowledge and skills, the expanded impact teacher teaches another class of students,
focusing on delivering personalized and enriched instruction. The teacher is responsible for planning, preparing, and
delivering instruction, and monitoring student progress to determine instructional needs. (S)he is also responsible for
monitoring the effectiveness of the paraprofessionals instruction and making or recommending changes. The teacher
collaborates with team members, such as other teachers, tutors, and assistant teachers, to review student progress and
change instruction as needed to ensure high-progress, enriched learning for every child. The team leader variation
combines this role with multi-classroom leadership, and includes input into choosing and managing team members and
digital resources.







Adapted with permission from OpportunityCulture.org, 2012 Public Impact 2013 Project L.I.F.T. projectliftcharlotte.org

Responsibilities
Planning and Preparation
- Set high expectations of achievement that are ambitious and measurable for students
- Plan backward to align all lessons, activities, and assessments
- Determine how students spend instructional time (e.g., with digital software for knowledge and skill acquisition,
large and small groups with teacher, project-based learning, and individual interventions with tutors or assistant
teachers, etc.)
- Design in-person instruction that is enriched (developing higher-order thinking skills) and personalized (reflecting
learning levels and interests of individual students)
- Design assessments that accurately assess student progress and/or incorporate digital assessments

Classroom Environment
- Hold students accountable for high expectations of behavior and engagement that are ambitious and measurable
- Create physical classroom environments conducive to collaborative and individual learning
- Establish a culture of respect, enthusiasm, and rapport

Instruction
- Hold students accountable for ambitious, measurable standards of academic achievement
- Identify and address individual students social, emotional, and behavioral learning needs and barriers
- Identify and address individual students development of organizational and time-management skills
- Invest students in their learning using a variety of influence techniques
- Incorporate questioning and discussion in student learning
- Incorporate small-group and individual instruction to personalize and tailor instruction to individual needs
- Monitor and analyze student data from assessments to inform enriched instruction by teacher, follow-up tutoring by
tutor(s) or assistant teacher(s), and changes in digital instruction
- Provide paraprofessional(s) with student groupings and specific instructional assignments for follow-up tutoring
- Communicate with students and keep them informed of their progress

Professional Responsibilities
- Solicit and eagerly receive feedback from supervisor and team members to improve professional skills
- Maintain regular communication with families, and work collaboratively with them to design learning both at home
and at school, and to encourage a home life conducive to learning success
- Collaborate with other teachers, tutors, assistant teacher(s) and lab monitor(s) to analyze student data, group
students, teach, and assign interventions
- Participate in professional development opportunities at school









Adapted with permission from OpportunityCulture.org, 2012 Public Impact 2013 Project L.I.F.T. projectliftcharlotte.org

Qualifications
-

Bachelors degree
Knowledge of subject matter being taught
Appropriate NC licensure for subject and grade Level
One to two years teaching experience with prior evidence of high-progress student outcomes in relevant subjects
Critical competencies:
o Achievement the drive and actions to set challenging goals and reach a high standard of
performance despite barriers
o Impact and Influence acting with the purpose of influencing what other people think and do
o Initiative and Persistence the ability and actions to do more than is expected or required in order
to accomplish a challenging task
o Teamwork the ability and actions needed to work with others to achieve shared goals
o Belief in Learning Potential a belief that all students, regardless of circumstances, can learn at
levels higher than their current achievement indicates.
o Coachability - The ability to receive feedback positively and implement a change in practice
effectively.
o Planning Ahead a bias toward planning in order to derive future benefit or to avoid problems
o Job Mastery ability to develop and acquire expertise that enables one to improve job outcomes
over time

Hours
-

Full-time teaching position

Core subject teacher teaches multiple classes in alternating time blocks through the day
Core subject teacher has built-in planning and collaboration times to complete administrative tasks, analyze data,
and plan instruction

Pay
-

Supplement of $9,200 in addition to salary based on district pay scale, plus benefits. Potential team and individual
bonuses.

Reports to:
- Principal or Multi-Classroom Leader

Visit our website at www.projectliftcharlotte.org/opportunity-culture for more details.











Adapted with permission from OpportunityCulture.org, 2012 Public Impact 2013 Project L.I.F.T. projectliftcharlotte.org

Interview Process for Opportunity Culture roles (Non-L.I.F.T. Educators)

During each stage of the process the L.I.F.T. talent team will conduct a review and advance applicants to the next stage if
requirements are met. Only the applicants who advance through all the stages will be considered for Opportunity
Culture roles in Project L.I.F.T. and invited to attend our exclusive Opportunity Culture Meet and Greet in April.

1. Apply to desired position(s)
2. L.I.F.T. Interview
3. Student Achievement Data
4. Opportunity Culture Interview

Being a part of Project L.I.F.T. is hard work, but it pays off. Project L.I.F.T. invests in you by providing exceptional
professional development, coaching and classroom support that you will not find anywhere else because we want you
to become the best educator possible. We believe our supports will help you achieve your professional goals and
experience as much success as possible.

Interview Process for Opportunity Culture roles (Current L.I.F.T. Educators)

During each stage of the process the L.I.F.T. talent team will conduct a review and advance applicants to the next stage if
requirements are met. Only the applicants who advance through all the stages will be considered for Opportunity
Culture roles in Project L.I.F.T. and invited to attend our exclusive Opportunity Culture Meet and Greet in April.

1. Apply to desired position(s)
2. Opportunity Culture Recommendation Form and Student Achievement Data
3. Opportunity Culture Interview

Adapted with permission from OpportunityCulture.org, 2012 Public Impact 2013 Project L.I.F.T. projectliftcharlotte.org