Example Job Description
Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA)
A professional reference profile for reviewing, adapting, and modernizing this school district position.
Interview Planning Resource
Possible Interview Q&A: Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA)
How to use this resource: Select questions that measure competencies established through the district’s current job analysis. Ask candidates the same predetermined questions under comparable conditions and evaluate responses against the same job-related criteria.
The indicators below describe evidence a strong response may contain; they are not required scripts or the only acceptable answers.
- How would you clarify your assignment when several principals expect different kinds of instructional support?
Strong response indicators: Confirms the assigned scope and decision authority with district leadership, identifies school needs and commitments, agrees on priorities and service boundaries, communicates a feasible schedule, and revisits the plan with evidence.
- A teacher asks for help adapting the adopted reading or mathematics program for a class with varied learning needs. How would you respond?
Strong response indicators: Examines learning goals and student work, co-plans appropriate scaffolds, language supports and extensions, works with relevant specialists, preserves access to core learning, and checks whether the adaptations improve participation and understanding.
- Describe how you would use a classroom visit to support a teacher’s instructional practice.
Strong response indicators: Agrees on the focus and coaching boundaries, collects specific descriptive evidence, listens to the teacher’s interpretation, identifies a manageable next step, models or co-plans as needed, and follows up without presenting the visit as an unassigned evaluation.
- How would you help teachers improve lesson pacing and classroom routines without narrowing the lesson to task completion?
Strong response indicators: Connects routines and time use to learning goals, examines opportunities for discussion and checking understanding, models practical adjustments, and reviews whether students engage in meaningful learning rather than simply moving faster.
- A team wants to group students using one assessment score. How would you guide the decision?
Strong response indicators: Clarifies the instructional purpose, reviews multiple sources and relevant supports, checks interpretation and possible misclassification, treats grouping as flexible, and plans frequent review rather than allowing one result to become a fixed student label.
- How would you facilitate a meeting in which teachers disagree about implementation of the adopted program?
Strong response indicators: Establishes a shared student-learning purpose, separates program expectations from local choices, invites evidence and teacher experience, identifies a practical test within approved boundaries, and agrees on support and a review date.
- How would you design professional development for teachers, support staff, and administrators with different responsibilities?
Strong response indicators: Defines role-specific outcomes within a common instructional goal, uses appropriate demonstrations and practice, supplies accessible materials, plans coaching and implementation support, and checks changes in practice after the session.
- How would you coordinate intervention support for English learners and students receiving special education services?
Strong response indicators: Works with classroom teachers and designated specialists, respects individual plans and authorized decisions, connects intervention to core instruction, clarifies handoffs, and reviews learning evidence without independently changing eligibility or required services.
- You are asked to provide direct student instruction while several coaching commitments are due. How would you manage the conflict?
Strong response indicators: Confirms the instructional assignment and urgency, makes the capacity conflict visible to the supervisor, proposes a workable schedule or coverage plan, communicates changes to affected staff, and maintains continuity rather than silently abandoning commitments.
- What would you report to site administrators and district leaders about the strengths and needs you observe?
Strong response indicators: Provides patterns tied to agreed goals, implementation and student evidence, specific support needs, progress and limitations, and proposed next steps; protects student and teacher information and avoids unsupported rankings or causal claims.
Position Description
Insert your school district’s position description here.
Reports To
Insert your school district’s specific reporting relationship here.
Required Education and Credentials
Required Credentials / Licenses / Certifications
- Possess valid California teaching credential with CLAD or equivalent authorization
- Reading credential, desirable
Education Requirements
Masters degree
Required / Desired Experience
Required Experience
- Five years of successful teaching experience
- Prior experience in instruction, curriculum, and support provider/mentor, desirable
- Bilingual Spanish, desirable
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Serve as resource to teachers in the implementation of the core curriculum for all students.
- Serve as an on-site instructional/curricular resource to teachers, support staff, and administrators for all students.
- Serve as a resource to teachers in lesson planning to meet the diverse needs of their students.
- Serve as a resource to teachers with classroom management strategies relative to pacing in order to maximize their teaching of grade level standards.
- Serve as a resource to teachers with collecting and interpreting student assessment data to improve instruction.
- Visit classrooms and serve as a resource to teachers with their development and implementation of effective instructional strategies and techniques.
- Serve as a resource in identifying appropriate instructional strategies and interventions to improve student achievement for all students including English learners, students enrolled in Special Education Programs, and students with diverse learning needs.
- Prepare forms, records, and reports as directed.
- May instruct students.
- Attend meetings and trainings as directed.
- Regularly meet with site administrators and district leadership to discuss areas of strength and areas of need across the district, and to strategize best ways to support full and skillful implementation of the district adopted reading and mathematics program.
- Facilitate meetings to discuss issues involving the full and skillful implementation of the program, especially the analysis and use of assessment data to improve student achievement.
- Provide professional development for teachers, support staff, and administrators to insure that all are knowledgeable about program components and understand the instructional design of how the program meets the standards.
- Perform other related duties as needed and assigned.
Required Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of
- Planning, organization and direction of instructional programs and other related District programs
- Curriculum of public education programs
- California grade level standards
- Collecting and interpreting student assessment data
- Applicable intervention strategies appropriate to student needs
- Normal school routines and practices
Ability to
- Demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills, both written and oral
- Use tact, patience and courtesy effectively when assisting students, teachers and parents
- Demonstrate strong scheduling and organizational skills
- Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others
- Meet demanding timelines and schedules
- Work independently with little direction
- Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
Work Environment
Physical Requirements
- Hearing and speaking to exchange information and make presentations
- Visual ability to read, prepare/process documents and small figures
- Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard
- Sitting, walking and standing for extended periods of time
- Occasional carrying, pushing, pulling or lifting up to 25 pounds
- Occasional bending at the waist and stooping
- Occasional reaching overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally
Other Requirements
Additional Information
Environment
- Mobile office and outside work setting
- Subject to frequent interruptions and daily contact with District staff
- Frequent driving to various sites, training facilities, and/or other locations as needed
Hazards
- Some exposure to toxic materials
- Occasional contact with distraught students and employees