FAQI'm interested in working at KIPP and would like to tour a KIPP School, whom do I contact? Do I need to be certified to work as a teacher at KIPP?
May I apply to more than one position? May I email/fax/mail a copy of my resume? I have applied for a position and have not been contacted. What is wrong? Are there growth opportunities at KIPP? Does KIPP offer competitive benefits? I completed an application at KIPP Philadelphia Schools last year. Do I need to apply again? I applied at www.kipp.org but haven't heard from KIPP. Why? I saw a position listed on another website, but don't see it here. Is this position still open? I know someone else who may be a good fit for KIPP Philadelphia. What should I do? Do teachers at KIPP have written contracts like a regular public district? Your teachers work really hard. What's the turnover rate? Is it required that all teachers work on Saturdays? What does a typical day as a teacher at KIPP look like? Does KIPP offer professional development? I would like more information about the national KIPP movement. Where may I get more information? Q: I'm interested in working at KIPP and would like to tour a KIPP school, whom do I contact? A: Thank you for your interest in KIPP. Please check our “recruitment events” page to see when our next Prospective Teacher Open House is.
A: No. However, candidates who are not certified when they accept a position with KIPP Philadelphia Schools must be willing to complete steps toward becoming certified by the dates outlined in their individual certification plan. Additionally, all teachers must meet the Highly Qualified Teaching guidelines under No Child Left Behind. All certification and testing costs are the responsibility of the teaching candidate.
A: The majority of our academic teaching positions require teachers have a minimum of 2 prior years of full-time lead teaching experience. However, we are open to considering applicants who do not meet that requirement on a case by case basis. Back to Top
Q: May I apply to more than one position? A: Absolutely! We recognize that our applicants may have skill sets and experience that make them qualified for more than just one position. You do not need to complete multiple applications for teaching positions, however. When completing your first application, you will be asked if there are any other grades, subjects or positions you would be interested in teaching. If you are interested in a non-teaching position, you must complete a separate application.
A: No. The application process at KIPP Philadelphia Schools is completed entirely online. You can find out more information about our openings and submit an application by clicking here.
Q: I applied for a position but have not been contacted. What is wrong? A: Once you submit your application, you should be directed to a webpage with a confirmation message—if you were not directed to this page, your application has not been submitted. KIPP Philadelphia receives a large number of applications each year, and you can expect to hear from us within two weeks. However, if you haven’t heard from us within two weeks, please send an email to work@kippphiladelphia.org.
Q: Are there growth opportunities at KIPP? A: Yes! At KIPP Philadelphia, we are invested in the professional growth and development of each of our teachers whether they plan to be a career teacher or seek a leadership path. Ongoing professional development and leadership pathways are offered at each of our schools across the region, and the national KIPP network has a variety of school leadership programs as well.
Q: Does KIPP offer competitive benefits? A: Yes! KIPP Philadelphia offers 100% employer-paid medical and dental insurance for employees and their immediate families. Our benefits package also includes enrollment in the Pennsylvania state pension plan (PSERS), an optional 403b, and optional plans that allow you to use pre-tax dollars for medical, child care, and/ or public transportation expenses. Additionally, all staff members are provided with a laptop and cell phone.
Q: I applied for a position earlier in the year, but wasn’t hired. There is a new position available that I’m interested in. Do I need to submit a new application? A: No. We keep all applications from our teaching candidates on file for the year. If there is a position that opens up and your skill set and experience seem like a good match for the position, we will contact you.
Q: I completed an application for a position at KIPP Philadelphia last year. Do I need to apply again? A: Yes. All applications are kept on file until August of that school year. If you are applying for a position the following year, you will need to submit a new application and state your teaching preferences based on the available positions at that time. Q: I applied at www.kipp.org but haven’t heard from KIPP. Why? A: In order to be considered for a position with KIPP Philadelphia, you must apply to us directly. Submitting an application to www.kipp.org does not create a record in our system as this is the national website. You can access our application and see any open positions by clicking here. Q: I saw a position listed on another website, but don’t see it here. Is this position still open? A: Any positions listed on our website, www.kippphiladelphia.org, are still open. Position availability is updated on a daily basis on our website, but we can’t guarantee the same for other sites. If you don’t see a position listed here, it is no longer an open position. Please refer to our website when searching for available openings. Back to Top
Q: I know someone else who may be a good fit for KIPP Philadelphia. What should I do? A: You may refer him/her to us using our online referral program. Visit our "Refer Someone to KIPP" page to complete your referral.
Q: Do teachers at KIPP have written contracts like a regular public district? A: No. Employment with KIPP Philadelphia is “at will”. Every year our staff receives a letter outlining salary increases and changes in their position for the upcoming school year. It is in the best interest of our students to have consistency in their academic endeavors, and we make every effort necessary to support our professional staff in order to provide consistency for our KIPPsters. Q: Your teachers work really hard. What is the turnover rate? A: Our teachers do work incredibly hard, and our students are making great strides as a result. Teacher turnover and sustainability is always in the front of our minds – and we’re constantly striving to make KIPP sustainable for our teachers long term. During the 2010-2011 school year, teacher retention was 82%. If you’re interested in retention information from previous years or other school information and test data, please visit our data sharing initiative, KIPP Open Book. Q: Is it required that all teachers work on Saturdays? A: No. While each of our schools offers a program on Saturday, it is entirely the teacher’s choice if they decide to be part of the Saturday School program. Teachers who choose to work at a Saturday School program receive additional compensation for their contributions to the program.
Q: What does a typical day as a teacher at KIPP look like? A: All our schools have an extended school day, but each school develops its own schedule. As a result, teachers at each of our schools have a slightly different schedule and responsibilities. To see what a typical day looks like at each of our schools, click here.
Q: What curriculum do you use? A: Curriculum and planning varies by subject and grade level at each of our schools. In general, our School Leaders work with teachers to choose curriculum that best meets the needs of our students and provides the strongest resources. Teachers have the flexibility to create lessons that are rigorous and engaging, while pulling from the multiple programs our schools have acquired.
Q: Does KIPP offer professional development? A: Yes! Each school in our region has a different structure for professional development, but all schools have professional development opportunities focused on curriculum and planning, data analysis, and school culture built into their academic calendar. Act 48 credit hours are provided to teachers after completing sessions. In addition, our teachers have access to KIPP’s national summits, retreats, and online sharing platform (KIPP Share) to further meet their professional development needs.
Q: I would like more information about the national KIPP movement. Where may I get more information? A: Please visit KIPP’s national website at www.kipp.org. |
