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Instructional coordinators oversee school curriculums and teaching standards. They develop educational material, implement it with teachers and principals, and assess its effectiveness.

Duties

Instructional coordinators typically do the following:

• Develop and implement the curriculums
• Plan, organize, and conduct teacher training, conferences, or workshops
• Analyze students' test data
• Assess and discuss the curriculum standards with school staff
• Review and suggest textbooks and other educational materials
• Recommend teaching techniques and the use of different or new technologies
• Develop procedures for teachers to implement a curriculum
• Train teachers and other instructional staff in new content or programs
• Mentor or coach teachers to improve their skills

Instructional coordinators, also known as curriculum specialists, evaluate the effectiveness of curriculums and teaching techniques established by school boards, states, or federal regulations. They observe teachers in the classroom, review student test data, and discuss the curriculum with the school staff. Based on their research, they may recommend changes in curriculums to the school board.

Instructional coordinators may conduct training for teachers related to teaching or technology. For example, instructional coordinators explain new learning standards to teachers and demonstrate effective teaching methods to achieve them.

Instructional coordinators may specialize in particular grade levels or specific subjects. Those in elementary and secondary schools may focus on programs such as special education or English as a second language.

Instructional coordinators need a master’s degree and related work experience, such as teaching or in school administration. Coordinators in public schools may be required to have a state-issued license.

Education

Instructional coordinators in public schools are required to have a master’s degree in education or curriculum and instruction. Some instructional coordinators need a degree in a specialized field, such as math or history.

Master’s degree programs in curriculum and instruction teach about curriculum design, instructional theory, and collecting and analyzing data. To enter these programs, candidates usually need a bachelor’s degree in education.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Instructional coordinators in public schools may be required to have a license, such as a teaching license or an education administrator license. For information about teaching licenses, see the profiles on kindergarten and elementary school teachers, middle school teachers, and high school teachers. For information about education administrator licenses, see the profile on elementary, middle, and high school principals. Check with your state’s Board of Education for specific license requirements.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Most instructional coordinators need several years of related work experience as a teacher or an instructional leader. For some positions, experience teaching a specific subject or grade level is required.

Advancement

With enough experience and more education, instructional coordinators may become superintendents.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Instructional coordinators evaluate student test data and teaching strategies. Based on their analysis, they recommend improvements in curriculums and teaching.

Communication skills. Instructional coordinators need to clearly explain changes in the curriculum and teaching standards to school staff.

Decision-making skills. Instructional coordinators must be decisive when recommending changes to curriculums, teaching methods, and textbooks.

Interpersonal skills. Instructional coordinators need to be able to establish and maintain positive working relationships with teachers, principals, and other administrators.

Leadership skills. Instructional coordinators serve as mentors to teachers. They train teachers in developing useful and effective teaching techniques.

The median annual wage for instructional coordinators was $66,970 in May 2020. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $39,270, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $105,650.

In May 2020, the median annual wages for instructional coordinators in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Instructional coordinators generally work full time. They typically work year round and do not have summer breaks. Coordinators may meet with teachers and other administrators outside of classroom hours.