Teacher Leadership Program
Through an innovative partnership with Washington University in St. Louis, Teach St. Louis supports certified teachers currently working in high-needs schools in the St. Louis region. Through our Teacher Leadership Program, teachers have the opportunity to improve their craft and develop instructional expertise, deepening their impact on students and modeling best practice within their school communities.
Our Teacher Leadership Program offers two pathways in order to accommodate the varied experience and background of our teachers. Teachers can work towards a Master of Arts in Teaching in Learning or pursue a one-year Certificate in Instructional Excellence. Participants in both pathways receive high-quality instructional coaching from Teach St. Louis as well as content-specific coursework and professional development.
Program Pathway #1: Master of Arts in Teaching & Learning
The Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL) consists of 30 credit hours, and is typically completed over the course of two years or six semesters, with classes in Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters.
The coursework is specifically designed for working adults, and much of it operates in a hybrid format.
Individualized instructional coaching is a key component of the program. A Teach St. Louis instructional coach and faculty member meets regularly with each participant to set differentiated development goals that are focused on critical levers to drive student learning.
Additional information about the TEACH grant program and eligibility requirements are available here.
Program Option #2: Certificate in Instructional Excellence
Candidates who have previously earned a Master’s degree are encouraged to participate in the professional certificate option, which entails:
Bi-weekly Capstone Seminar throughout the full academic year, focused on goal setting, student investment, assessment and remediation, and reflection.
Bi-weekly individualized coaching from a Teach St. Louis instructional coach and faculty member
The focus of our Teacher Leadership Program is to enhance each teacher’s instructional expertise with the goal of accelerating student learning. Graduates of the Teacher Leadership Program (in eligible schools and districts) who demonstrate significant professional growth and successful student outcomes will become eligible to serve as mentor teachers, hosting Teach St. Louis residents in the following year.
Who We Seek
Our Teacher Leadership Program seeks diverse teachers who are committed to our region’s public schools and are ready to build the skills and expertise to take their classrooms from good to great. We are looking for passionate learners who believe that all students in their classroom are capable of achieving ambitious goals and outcomes.
What We Offer
At Teach St. Louis we believe that great teachers thrive in a joyful professional community that encourages critical feedback and reflection. We offer participants with the opportunity to learn with a cohort of equally committed and talented peers who provide support and collaborative learning throughout the program.
Through our Teacher Leadership Program, participants participate in coursework that is practice-focused, grounded in data, and relevant to each teacher’s day to day work in the classroom. At the end of the academic year, TLP graduates will know that they are more effective teachers, not only through the knowledge and skills built in the program, but through their impact on student learning and achievement.
Program Eligibility
To be eligible for the TLP, all candidates must demonstrate these qualifications:
Be certified in the state of Missouri in the content area and grade level in which they teach.
Have at least two years of experience teaching in their content-area.
Demonstrate a growth mindset, committed to learning and improving their teaching practice.
Be employed as the teacher of record with a Teach St. Louis partner or be employed as the teacher of record in a high-needs school in the St. Louis region.
What Participants Say
Carl Carlson is an eighth-grade science teacher at KIPP Inspire Academy and participated in our pilot of the Teacher Leadership Program in 2023. With 15 years of teaching experience, Carl chose to participate in the program - in part to earn his Master’s degree - but also to intentionally focus on data-driven practices. By participating in our Master’s Capstone course and focusing on effective remediation and assessment strategies with his STLTR coach, Carl’s student mastery doubled - 72 percent of his students showed mastery on his interim assessments by the end of the school-year!
“Looking back on my year in the leadership program, I can see that many of the gains my students made were a result of some of the practices I learned and then implemented mid-way through the year,” Carl said. “I know that with a focused, purposeful start to this school year, we’re continuing to build on these successes starting on day one. I’m so grateful for my time with Teach St. Louis and the ways in which they have helped me grow in my career.”
Program Finances
Pathway #1: Master of Arts in Teaching & Learning
To earn a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL), Teach St. Louis estimates that participants will complete the program with a total out-of-pocket cost of approximately $5,500.
Through our partnership with Washington University in St. Louis, tuition is currently set at $440 per credit hour. The total cost of the 30-credit program is approximately $13,200. Most candidates utilize federal financial aid in the form of the TEACH Grant to pay for this tuition. For the MATL, the TEACH Grant awards $8,000, which leads to a total out-of-pocket cost of approximately $5,500. Teachers are also eligible to apply for federal unsubsidized loans or district-sponsored funds (if available) to pay for this remaining cost (Please note that tuition increases may occur on an annual basis, dependent upon university policies).
Additional information about the TEACH grant program and eligibility requirements are available here.
Partner Districts: Districts and schools that partner directly with Teach St. Louis subsidize the MATL by providing a training and support fee of $6,000 per participant. If a candidate for the MATL is not currently employed by a partner district, the candidate is responsible for this $6,000 in the form of a coursework fee, bringing the estimated out-of-pocket costs to $11,500.
Pathway #2: Certificate in Instructional Excellence
Candidates for the Certificate in Instructional Excellence who are currently working in a lead-teaching position at a partner district, are eligible to complete the program at no cost. However, if a candidate is not currently employed by a partner district, the candidate is responsible for $6,000 to enroll in the program and access the instructional coaching provided by Teach St. Louis.
Interview & Selection Process
Every year, our application window opens in October and continues through the following spring. For Master’s degree candidates, the TLP begins in June. For Certificate candidates, the TLP begins in August.
1. Online Application and Portfolio Submission:
To apply online, you will be asked to submit:
Academic history, including information regarding your current teaching certification
Resume
Teaching Portfolio, including a sample Unit Assessment, Unit Plan, and Lesson Plan
Responses to three short-answer questions
2. Phone Interview
Within a week of submitting your online application, Teach St. Louis will reach out to let you know if you qualify for the second stage of the selection process, the phone interview. The phone interview allows us to get-to-know you and provides an opportunity for you to find out more about the program.
3. Classroom Observation and Reflection
Following the phone interview, a member of the Teach St. Louis team will schedule a classroom observation and follow-up conversation. This provides our team with the opportunity to see your work in action, and in the follow-up conversation, we’ll have the opportunity to reflect on the lesson together and learn more about your priorities for growth and development. Following this step in the interview process, candidates will be notified of their acceptance within one week.
4. Enrollment in MATL Program with University Partner
Following their acceptance to the Teacher Leadership Program, candidates for the MATL program will work with the Teach St. Louis team to complete the enrollment process with Washington University in St. Louis, including steps to apply for the TEACH grant or federal financial aid.
Application
The application for our 2025 Teacher Leadership Program is open! Submit an application today to begin your journey with Teach St. Louis!
Still have questions? Complete an interest form to connect with a member of our talent team today!