- What is an “instructional role”? Who are Relay’s partners?
- What is placement?
- How do I share with Relay the role in which I’ve secured placement for the 2022-2023 school year?
What is an “instructional role”? Who are Relay’s partners?
An instructional role is a role within a school teaching PK-12 students, including but not limited to lead teacher, teacher of record, or teacher-in-residence.
To enroll at Relay, all prospective students must secure a program-aligned position or “instructional role” with one of Relay’s partners. Depending on the partner, you may or may not know the details of the specific school at which you will be teaching at the time of your application. You must secure this role prior to completing the Relay admissions process. Relay collaborates with several educational organizations across the country. You can refer to our Relay Locations guide to see what partners are available for your location. Some examples include, but are not limited to:
- School Partners (e.g. Intrepid College Prep, Ashe Charter School)
- Public Charter School Networks (e.g. KIPP Houston Public Schools, Uplift Education)
- Public School Districts (e.g. Atlanta Public Schools, San Antonio Independent School District)
- Teacher Recruitment Organizations (e.g. Teach For America, New York City Teaching Fellows)
*Please note: If you are a member of a Teacher Recruitment Organization, you may move forward in the admissions process prior to knowing your specific school placement.
What is placement?
Securing a full-time position or “instructional role” that is aligned with your Relay program of choice is referred to as “placement”. Engaging in a placement process is an opportunity for you to meet and interview with our school partners, school leaders, and hiring managers. Relay provides varying levels of support to you during your placement process. Remember, you must secure a job placement with our partner schools or apply to Relay through a teaching recruitment organization in order to enroll in Relay.
*Please note: If you are applying to Relay through a Teacher Preparation program like Teach for America, or New York City Fellows or have already been hired through a School District, the placement process does not apply to you.
If you are seeking placement, you should be prepared to (1) interview promptly after hearing from a partner (2) implement feedback given by the interviewer on the spot, and (3) present yourself as if you are already a teacher.
PLACEMENTS
Self Placement is available to all prospective students. Prospective students are expected to secure a position with a partner school on their own before completing the enrollment process. In order to support all prospective students, we have created universal resources found on the Prospective Student Website. If you are seeking self-placement you should:
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- Apply directly to our school partners. We recommend applying to as many as possible schools to increase the likelihood of securing a placement. This process may include an online application, resume (recommended structure), cover letter (recommended language), and/or other materials. Visit the Relay website to review the school partners for your campus.
- Participate in the school partner’s interviewing process. As noted above, this is likely virtual but could be in person.
- Accept your offer from the school partner. If you have questions about your offer or have received multiple offers, please reach out to the Prospective Student Advising team at support@relay.edu.
- Continue with the Relay admissions process. You will find your specific admissions requirements on your application status page.
While Relay will not be directly coaching candidates in the Self Placement process, we will provide guidance, best practices, and tips. We encourage prospective students to be forthcoming and transparent with any questions or concerns they may have during the process.
The Prospective Student Advising team has created a suite of resources to help all prospective students seeking job placement. These resources include a resume resource and interview tips workshop. If you have any additional questions or need support in finding a Relay partner, please email support@relay.edu.
How do I share with Relay the role in which I’ve secured placement for the 2022-2023 school year?
Prospective students are encouraged to share the details of their instructional role with their Prospective Student Advisor to ensure they are on the accurate program pathway. If you have not yet connected with the Prospective Student Advising team, first fill out the Relay Teacher Programs Interest Form and they will reach out to you or you may sign up for a one-on-one office hour here. If you secure an instructional role once you have already been in contact with an advisor, feel free to reconnect via support@relay.edu to update them and receive a link to start your application.
All prospective students will enter their school placement information on the Program & Instructional Role form that is populated to their Admissions Checklist on their Status Page. This information, including school, grade level, and subject area, will help determine the aligned Relay major and certification area. At a minimum, you will need to provide Relay with the district or network information of your school affiliation, and you may be also asked to provide specific details about the specific school at which you will be teaching. Please refer to the guidance text on the Program & Instructional Role form as it will inform you if more information is required before you submit it.