Q: Where should I go to find and apply to positions with the Boston Public Schools? 

All positions (instructional and non-instructional) are posted on TalentEd, the district’s applicant management system, which can be found at www.teachboston.org. The direct link to available BPS positions is http://tiny.cc/CurrentBPSPositions. 

Q: What types of positions are posted? 

Transfer: Permanent BPS teachers are eligible to apply to postings that begin with the word “Transfer.” These are for positions at traditional BPS schools. 

Turnaround: All teacher applicants are eligible to apply to postings that begin with the word “Turnaround.” These are for positions at Turnaround schools. 

Open Post: All teacher applicants are eligible to apply to postings that begin with the words “Open Post.” These are for positions at traditional BPS schools that are associated with a $1,250 stipend. The stipend is compensation for additional job responsibilities associated with the position. 

Instructional positions without any of these titles are for vacancies at autonomous BPS schools (including Pilot, Horace Mann Charter, and Innovation Schools). All teacher applicants are eligible to apply. 

Non-Instructional: Any interested applicants who meet the position requirements are eligible to apply. 

Q: What is the “Early Hiring Pool?” 

The District-Wide Early Hiring Pool is a general application for teachers, which opens in mid-November. By submitting your application to the district-wide posting, you have the opportunity to participate in a pre-screen phone interview and to become part of the district's Priority Pool.

School leaders will have early access to the candidates in this pool, enabling them to reach out to interested candidates prior to the official district posting of jobs in early March. By applying to this position, you are demonstrating a commitment to BPS and its students, and your application materials will be available to all school leaders who have openings for the upcoming school year. 

In addition to applying to the Early Hiring Pool, we also recommend that you apply to at least 8-10 school-based positions once they are posted in early March. In this way, the opportunity for an in-person interview is greater. In the meantime, your resume will be on file for any position that is available sooner. 

Q: What information will I need to submit my application? 

Instructional Positions: Certification Information (including types, certification area(s), and license number/MEPID), cover letter (for the Early Hiring Pool, please upload a generic cover letter), resume, the names and contact information for three references 

Non-Instructional Positions: Resume, cover letter, names and contact information for three references 

Please note that when applying to future positions, you will be able to log back into your TalentEd account. Your profile information will be auto-filled for each position that you apply to and your attachments will be available in TalentEd. 

Q: Can I upload different resumes and cover letters for different positions? How long is my application information available in TalentEd? When does my TalentEd account expire? 

The system is designed to accept just one resume and cover letter file per applicant. You can add a new resume and cover letter; however, these will replace previously uploaded documents. Applicants are encouraged to submit a single resume that is relevant for all positions to which they are applying. You can make your cover letter specific to the position you are applying to by copying and pasting your cover letter information into the cover letter textbox available for each position. Please note that when applying to the Early Hiring Pool, you should upload a generic cover letter and allow the cover letter to follow all of your teacher applications. 

Your application information can be considered by hiring managers for relevant positions for one full school year. Your TalentEd account remains active for as long as the district continues to use the TalentEd applicant manager. 

Q: Will the references that I list be contacted right away? 

No, references do not receive any automatic notification. School hiring teams will contact your references when they are actively considering you for a position. 

Q: Should each reference provide a letter of recommendation? 

While the contact information for references is required as part of the application process, letters of recommendation are optional. Candidates can upload these letters as part of their profiles. 

Q: I just applied to a position. What are the next steps? 

It is important to note that schools and departments manage their own interview/hiring process. Once an application is submitted, applications are reviewed by the interview committee of the department/school to which the position belongs. In-person interviews are also scheduled by the interview committee. Once interviews have been completed, the interview committee will submit a recommendation for hire to the Office of Human Capital. The referred candidate's application/background and recommendations are reviewed and approved/denied by the Office of Human Capital and the Office of Equity. When the status of a position changes (i.e. position filled, application under review), an email notification will be sent to all applicants. 

You can send an introductory email to the supervisor of the position you have applied for. It is also helpful to attend Recruitment events to meet BPS staff and school leaders. 

Please note that the responsibility of the Recruitment Team is to generate a qualified, diverse pipeline of school leaders, teachers, and administrators for the district. Sometimes, departments/schools will contact Recruitment for candidate referrals at which point they can screen applications and recommend candidates for positions (candidates can be recommended from the Early Hiring/Priority Pool or through specific job postings). 

Q: I am a BPS employee and I was wondering if my current Principal can see that I am applying to positions? 

School leaders are able to view all applicants in the Early Hiring Pool. Otherwise, hiring managers can only view candidates who apply to their school-based positions. 

Q: If a school invites me to an interview, what can I expect? 

In most interviews, applicants will be invited to converse with members of the school’s Personnel Subcommittee of the School Site Council. Teacher candidates will most likely be invited to teach a sample lesson plan. Candidates are welcome to bring any documents, materials, and videos that can help represent their instructional practices and demonstrate their strengths. 

Q: If I am offered a position, how long do I have to decide whether or not to accept? 

The timeframe is at the discretion of the hiring committee. 

Q: If I accept a position, what official confirmation can I expect to receive? 

Once a candidate has accepted a position, he or she will receive an email from the Office of Human Capital shortly thereafter. 

Q: Is diversity (race, age, experience, etc.) a factor in the hiring decision? 

BPS strives to recruit, retain, and develop teams of educators that represent the racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity of the students in BPS. 

Q: My Massachusetts certification is in progress. Can I still apply for a position now? 

You can apply for certified positions now as long as you will be licensed by the first day of school. 

Q: What is the difference between provisional, professional, and permanent status?

Note: the words “provisional” and “professional” are both used for Massachusetts teaching licenses. In BPS, they are not related designations. All teachers joining BPS are hired into the district with provisional status. Upon three years of teaching with at least “proficient” performance evaluations and subject to all the relevant licensing requirements, teachers are then eligible for permanent status. Teachers with a professional license who join BPS can accelerate their process to permanent status. Upon one year of teaching with at least “proficient” performance evaluation, their school leader can recommend them for permanent status.