Director, Lab Schools (NYC – Math)

Modern Classrooms Project • Bronx, NY

14h • $120,000 - $140,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Lab Schools plays a critical, hands-on role in MCP’s lab schools initiative by working directly with teachers and school-based leaders to test, refine, and strengthen modern instructional models in real classrooms. This role is deeply embedded in schools and focused on observation, coaching, modeling, and PLC-based learning to support disciplined instructional experimentation across lab sites. Lab schools serve as environments for testing how different iterations of instructional design—paired with high-quality curriculum and educational technology—function under real classroom constraints. The Instructional Coach partners closely with teachers, principals, and instructional coaches to implement instructional tests, gather evidence from practice, and support continuous improvement that benefits both teaching practice and student learning. This role is ideal for a skilled instructional coach who thrives in classrooms, builds trust quickly with educators, and is energized by learning through practice. The Director, Lab Schools works in close collaboration with external partners and fellow lab school staff, contributing insights from across school sites, identifying patterns and trends, and helping MCP understand what it takes to implement and sustain modern instructional models with fidelity in diverse school contexts.

Requirements

• Strong expertise in math instruction, including familiarity with Illustrative Math, high-quality instructional materials and how teachers use them in day-to-day practice.
• Solid understanding of how curriculum, pacing, assessment, instructional routines, and teacher decision-making affect student learning.
• Skilled instructional coach who can give clear, actionable feedback while maintaining trust and psychological safety.
• Demonstrated ability to observe classrooms and identify a small number of high-leverage instructional moves to focus coaching.
• Belief in technology as a lever to support differentiation, efficiency, and student agency—paired with a deep respect for teachers as the primary drivers of learning.
• Experience integrating technology into instruction in ways that strengthen (rather than replace) strong teaching practice.
• Comfort with instructional experimentation and iteration; approaches innovation as disciplined testing, learning, and refinement based on evidence.
• Ability to work effectively within PLC structures and support collective teacher learning.
• Comfortable working in ambiguous, evolving environments and adapting coaching approaches as instructional models and site needs change.
• Strong communicator who can translate classroom realities into concise insights for managers and internal teams.
• 3+ years experience working in school or district roles involving instructional coaching, professional learning, or instructional leadership.

Responsibilities

• Coach Teachers Through Instructional Testing and Iteration
• Spend the majority of time embedded in schools, working side-by-side with teachers to test, iterate, and refine instructional models in real classrooms.
• Observe instruction regularly and provide targeted, actionable coaching focused on high-leverage moves related to lesson design, pacing, differentiation, assessment, and classroom routines.
• Model instructional practices for teachers, including modern classroom strategies and effective uses of technology, to make abstract ideas concrete and usable.
• Support teachers in planning, implementing, and reflecting on instructional experiments, helping them learn quickly from what works, what doesn’t, and why.
• Support PLC-Based Coaching and Lab Site Learning
• Facilitate and support PLCs at lab sites, using student work, observation data, and teacher reflections to drive collective learning and improvement.
• Help PLCs function as engines for disciplined experimentation—setting hypotheses, testing instructional approaches, and analyzing evidence together.
• Bring new instructional tests, tools, or routines into select classrooms or sites in partnership with teachers and school leaders.
• Adapt coaching approaches to the unique context of each school while maintaining clarity around core instructional principles.
• Identify Patterns and Elevate Insights
• Notice trends, patterns, and recurring challenges across classrooms and lab sites. This includes collecting and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from the classroom environment.
• Regularly synthesize classroom-level learning and uplift key insights, questions, and recommendations to the manager and broader MCP team.
• Contribute to the organization’s understanding of how instructional models play out in practice, including what supports teachers need to implement them sustainably.
• Partner with internal teams to help translate classroom learning into evolving guidance, tools, or examples that can inform future work.
• Leverage Relationships to Drive Instructional Change
• Build strong, trust-based relationships with teachers through credibility, empathy, and a non-evaluative coaching stance.
• Work closely alongside principals and instructional coaches to build shared understanding, deliver clear instructional insights, and drive meaningful results at school sites.
• Partner with school leaders to align coaching, PLCs, and instructional testing with school priorities and structures.
• Communicate effectively across multiple stakeholder groups—including teachers, school-based leaders, district partners, and internal MCP teams—translating classroom-level realities into clear, actionable insights.

Benefits

• Employer-sponsored health insurance through CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
• Participation in Vanguard 403(b) deferred-compensation plan with 3% employer match
• Paid Time Off, inclusive of: vacation/PTO (20 days), paid holidays, paid parental leave, sick and safe paid time off, "Me Days", and the ability to earn paid Comp time off
• Annual budget for MCP-funded Continuous Learning for the program(s) you request (available after 6 months of continuous full-time employment)
• FSA and Dependent Care FSA access
• 1x Salary Life Insurance company-paid coverage
• Access to Wishbone Pet Insurance Benefit
• Ability to work remotely and to set own hours (within reason)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director