Middle School EL Teacher (2026-2027 SY)

Description

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Employment Type: Full-time, in-person lead teaching position for the 2026-2027 school year.

Salary: starting at $56,000 for certified teachers based on years of K-12 teaching experience; $44,520 to begin for pre-licensure candidates without an active TN license. 

Why Choose Valor?

Valor Collegiate Academies is a top-performing public charter school network in Nashville, Tennessee, serving 1,900 students in grades 5-12. Our mission is to empower our diverse community to live inspired and purposeful lives. This mission is made possible through an innovative school model that blends rigorous academics and whole-child education, within an intentionally diverse school environment. Our results include:

• A-Rated Charter Network in Tennessee: Scored as an A-rated charter network by the Tennessee Department of Education, earning perfect scores in Academic Achievement, Academic Growth, Growth of Highest Need Students, and College & Career Readiness.
• Top 1% for Student Growth: Our middle schools consistently rank in the 99th percentile in student growth statewide, based on TVAAS data from the past 5 years.
• National Leader in SEL: Over 50 partner schools nationwide have adopted and implemented Valor’s Compass model for social-emotional learning.

At Valor, you'll join an academically excellent and supportive community that is dedicated to your growth as an educator. With personalized coaching and high-quality professional development, we invest in your development so you can make the greatest impact for students.

Core Responsibilities Include:      

Planning & EL Co-teaching:      

• Prepare, internalize, and plan daily lessons and activities that are built on Valor’s EL framework to meet the needs of EL students in grades 5-8, with the aim to make academic content more accessible for multilingual learners 
• Develop strategies and implement scaffolds to ensure academic growth and achievement with EL students           
• Partner and collaborate with EL teachers and Special Education teachers to ensure all students are receiving appropriately accommodated grade-level academic support           
• Prepare, modify, and scaffold materials for class activities, do nows, exit tickets, and homework            
• Implement assessments that measure progress towards academic standards and identifies gaps in learning; use scholar work and data to inform instruction and intervention strategies            
• Collect, enter, and analyze academic data to provide targeted instruction and interventions that promote a culture of learning            
• Engage in weekly 1:1 coaching meetings to deepen content expertise and develop instructional mastery           
• Submit lesson plans weekly for feedback and review by instructional coach           
• Engage in weekly collaborative curriculum meetings (known as Intellectual Preparation) with a planning partner and instructional leader            
• Update scholar gradebook and proactively communicate academic progress with parents/guardians, other teachers, administrators, and/or school counselors            

ILP Case Management:       

• Collect and track data on individual student skills to determine the effectiveness of programming and measure progress toward learning goals     
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and district EL regulations     
• Administer and implement accommodations for relevant assessments (e.g. WIDA ACCESS, TNReady, benchmarks, etc)      
• Collaborate and co-teach with general education teachers to ensure the successful implementation of established curriculum and students' Individualized Learning Plans     

Student Mentorship & Family Engagement:       

• Facilitate student Circles once a week to guide a group of student’s academic, behavioral, and social-emotional success           
• Implement activities and SEL lessons daily during structured Mentor time, as well as provide academic coaching for students in mentor group           
• Respond to students' behavior in real-time using school-wide intervention systems and classroom management practices           
• Track and input student behavior feedback and data through Kickboard by the daily school deadline to share with families, school leaders, and the Compass Team            
• Maintain a 4:1 positivity ratio to strengthen school culture and student relationships           
• Serve as the main point-of-contact for families to communicate any student-specific, grade-level, or school-wide information           

School-Based Responsibilities & Faculty Engagement:          

• Enforce, uphold, and exhibit school’s values, student management policies, and culture           
• Willingly, kindly, and actively upholding Valor’s organizational commitments           
• Own an arrival duty, recess or lunch duty, transition, and/or dismissal duty           
• Participate in and prepare for school events that occur outside of normal school hours, such as parent-teacher conferences, grade level student trips, ILP meetings, report card conferences, and new student orientation. The estimated time commitment per school year is approximately 25 hours.            
• Engage in ongoing professional development, which includes attending 3 weeks of new hire orientation and faculty training in July 2026 and participating in weekly professional learning sessions throughout the school year (i.e. weekly academic PL, culture PL, State of School meetings)           
• Engage in faculty Circle once a week on Wednesday afternoons, and complete and present 2-3 pieces of faculty Badge Work per school year   

What We Offer: 

• Childcare Benefit: Valor-subsidized childcare and priority seating at Little Wonders Day Care
• Comprehensive Benefits: 75% coverage of health, dental, and vision benefits; retirement benefits including a hybrid pension and 401K with 5% employer matching.
• Paid Time Off: 8 PTO days annually and access to an org-wide PTO sharing program.
• Family Leave: 8 weeks of fully-paid parental leave
• Waitlist Priority: priority position on Valor's new student waitlist for enrollment
• Professional Growth: 100+ hours of PD annually, 1:1 coaching, and career advancement opportunities.
• Additional Perks: Access to an on-campus gym, unlimited classroom supplies, and a dedicated course budget for every teacher.

Compensation: At Valor, we value the dedication and experience teachers bring to the classroom. Our salary schedule is designed to be fair and transparent, based solely on years of K-12 teaching experience and standardized across the organization at the BA degree level. Starting at $56,794 for certified teachers with no prior experience, salaries increase annually to support career growth and long-term stability, allowing teachers to focus on what matters most: inspiring students. We also recognize long-term commitment with $2,500 years-of-service bonuses awarded after 3, 5, 7, and 10 years of teaching in a Valor classroom, celebrating teachers for their ongoing contributions.

Role Requirements:   

• Must have an active Tennessee teaching license with an endorsement in ESL PreK-12, or must be enrolled in an approved job-embedded educator preparation program
• Must have authorization to work in the United States without requiring employer sponsorship 

Key Mindsets:

• You believe all students can succeed and have a proven track record of promoting their growth and achievement.
• You enjoy cultivating meaningful relationships with students, families, and staff to support a positive learning environment.
• You crave feedback and are deeply committed to continuously developing your skills as an educator.
• You have a passion for serving a diverse community of students and families.
• You are willing to learn and adopt school-wide tech platforms (e.g., Kickboard, Infinite Campus, Google Suite). 
• You model, live, and reinforce our school’s core values, commitments, and policies 

Interview Process:         

1. Resume Review 

2. Phone Interview 

3. Teacher Performance Task 

4. Virtual Sample Lesson & Leadership Interview 

5. Reference Checks 

6. Offer Extension 

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

Valor believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that enables students and staff to thrive. As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We actively seek applications from people of all backgrounds to strengthen our community and the perspectives needed to thrive in a diverse world.