Instructional Coordinators

Career summary

Instructional coordinators help educators manage and improve their instructional methods. They prepare:

• Budgets
• Grant proposals
• Program goals
• Program policies

Coordinators discuss learning methods and materials. They plan and develop educational courses with staff. They set guidelines for learning programs. They also evaluate and recommend materials and methods used for teaching and learning. Instructional coordinators advise staff on assessment, curriculum development, and the use of additional materials and equipment. Coordinators may help order instructional materials and equipment and approve the repair of equipment. Some coordinators manage people who work in educational libraries.

Coordinators plan, conduct, and evaluate training programs for teachers. They develop tests to measure how well the curriculum is working. They also review and suggest improvements in teaching methods. Some coordinators advise staff how to manage student behavior. They also give presentations to the public.

At the district or school level, instructional coordinators review student files. They consult parents, teachers, and other staff about students. They decide where to place students and what services to provide.

Some coordinators work at state education agencies. They prepare or approve materials on state policies for school districts. They also advise school officials about state and federal programs. In addition, coordinators interpret and enforce state rules and regulations.

Instructional coordinators usually specialize in an area of education. This may include:

• Administration
• Assessment
• Evaluation
• Research
• Special Education

Instructional coordinators take part in workshops, committees, and conferences.

Related careers

This career is part of the Education and Training cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• College and University Administrators
• Education Administrators
• Elementary School Teachers
• Employee Training Specialists
• Farm and Home Management Advisors
• High School Teachers
• Middle School Teachers
• School Counselors
• School Psychologists
• Special Education Teachers
• University and College Teachers

Military careers

• Training Specialists and Instructors

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to instructional coordinators.

• Plan, conduct, and evaluate training programs for teachers.
• Consult staff to plan and develop curricula and set guidelines for learning programs.
• Review student files. Consult parents, teachers, and others to decide where to place students.
• Advise staff in assessment, curriculum development, and the use of materials and equipment.
• Advise staff in ways to manage student behavior.
• Evaluate and recommend materials and methods for teaching and learning.
• Review and suggest improvements in teaching methods.
• Develop tests and other methods to measure how well curriculum is working.
• Order instructional materials and equipment. Approve the repair of instructional equipment.
• Attend workshops, committees, and conferences. Collaborate with groups of people to gather information on learning methods and materials.
• Update education programs in order to provide students with most current information.
• Advise school officials about state and federal programs. Interpret and enforce state rules and regulations.
• Prepare grant proposals, budgets, and program policies and goals.
• Prepare or approve materials on state policies to give to school districts.
• Give presentations to the public.
• Develop classroom-based and distance learning training courses.
• Manage workers in educational materials libraries.

Common work activities

Instructional coordinators perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Establish and maintain relationships
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Teach others
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Use computers
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Get information needed to do the job
• Analyze data or information
• Develop goals and strategies
• Coach others
• Develop and build teams
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Schedule work and activities
• Process information
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Evaluate information against standards
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Think creatively
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Perform administrative tasks
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Document and record information
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Assist and care for others
• Monitor and control resources
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Perform for or work with the public
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, instructional coordinators:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social contact. They work closely with administrators, teachers, students, and parents.
• Are responsible for work outcomes and results of other workers.
• Are sometimes placed in conflict situations.
• Are somewhat responsible for others health and safety.
• Often speak in front of large groups.
• Communicate with individuals daily by telephone, in person, or by e-mail.
• Write letters and memos on a daily basis.
• Work in a group or as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

• Always work indoors.
• Work somewhat close to other people, such as when sharing office space.

Work performance

• Must be highly accurate in performing their job.
• Make decisions on a daily basis that strongly impact administrators, teachers, students, and parents. They rarely consult a supervisor before making a decision.
• Rarely consult a supervisor before setting tasks and goals for the day.
• Must meet strict deadlines on a weekly basis.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week.
• May work part time or full time, but most work more than 40 hours a week.

Physical demands

Instructional coordinators frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for instructional coordinators to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for instructional coordinators to be able to:

• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.

Skills and abilities

Instructional coordinators need to:

Communicate

• Understand written information.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand spoken information.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
• Remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.

Use math and science

• Choose a mathematical method or formula to solve problems.
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide quickly and correctly.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Manage the time of self and others.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.

Work with people

• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.

Perceive and visualize

• Imagine how something will look if it is moved around or its parts are rearranged.
• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Curriculum and Instruction
• Early Childhood Education and Teaching
• Educational and Instructional Technology
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• Middle School Education and Teaching
• Secondary Education and Teaching

Other programs of study to consider

• Child Development
• Education Administration
• Education Measurement and Testing
• Educational Psychology
• International and Comparative Education

Training

To work as an instructional coordinator, you must:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree;
• have a master's degree; and
• have more than five years of related work experience.

Education after high school

Instructional coordinators must have a bachelor's degree, usually in education. They must also have a master's degree in a field such as curriculum and instruction. In addition, it is helpful to have expertise in a subject area, such as science or English.

Depending on your state, you may need to meet teacher or education administrator licensing requirements.

Work experience

This is not an entry-level occupation. You generally need more than five years of experience as a teacher or administrator to prepare for this occupation.

On-the-job training

Depending on your employer, you may receive on-the-job training. The length of training varies, from a few months up to a year.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Computer Applications
• Teacher Assisting

You should take as many classes as you can in the area you would like to teach. For example, if you want to be an English teacher, take extra classes in literature and writing.

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers require that instructional coordinators have a master's degree. Many employers require five or more years of teaching experience.

Employers look for applicants who can work well with other people. They also look for people who have excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Costs to workers

Instructional coordinators may need to pay for professional development including continuing education or advanced degree programs.

Licensing/certification

Coordinators who serve as program administrators may be required to be certified by their school district. Requirements for different types of administrator certification vary.

For more information, contact:

Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Professional Education and Certification 
Old Capitol Building
PO Box 47200
Olympia, WA 98504-7200
360.725.6400

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Instructional Coordinators 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. The coordinator's level of experience and responsibility also affect wages.

Instructional coordinators who work full time usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, and health insurance. Some employers also provide a retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Elementary and secondary schools
• Colleges and universities
• State and local government agencies

National outlook

Growth is expected to be steady as schools increasingly focus on improving teachers effectiveness. This increases the need for new curriculum and teacher mentoring. As schools seek additional training for teachers, demand will remain steady.

Employment growth for instructional coordinators will depend on state and local government budgets. When state and local governments have budget deficits, they may lay off employees, including instructional coordinators. As a result, employment growth may be slowed.

Other resources

Association for Educational Communications and Technology 
20 W. 8th Street, Suite 101
Bloomington, IN 47404-3745

Council for Exceptional Children 
3100 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 600
Arlington, VA 22201-5332
888.232.7733

Education World 

Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCATE) 

References

Career cluster

• Education and Training

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Instructional Coordinators (25-9031.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupations

• Consultant, Education (099.167-014) 
• Director, Instructional Material (099.167-018) 
• Educational Specialist (099.167-022) 
• Music Supervisor (099.167-026) 
• Supervisor, Education (099.117-026) 
• Supervisor, Special Education (094.167-010) 

Holland occupational clusters

• Social/Investigative/Artistic
• Social/Investigative/Enterprising

COPSystem

• Service Professional