College & Career Instructor - KIPP Somos Collegiate - KIPP Texas Public Schools

KIPP Texas Public Schools is a network of 59 public charter, open-enrollment, pre-k-12 schools educating nearly 34,000 students across Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Together with families and communities, our mission is to create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose —college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

Founded in Houston in 1994, and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in our classrooms, in our offices, and in the communities we serve is unwavering. We are looking to hire a diverse team of dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join our Team and Family and champion equity, chase excellence, persist with purpose, bring joy, and help us rise together.

KIPP Texas is part of the national KIPP network of 255 college-preparatory public charter schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, KIPP students complete four-year college at a rate of 36 percent, comparable to the national average for all students and approximately three times higher than the average of students from low-income communities.

You can see all our job opportunities at https://kipptexas.org/join-our-team/.

The Opportunity

KIPP Texas - San Antonio seeks an experienced college access leader to join a KIPP Forward counseling team as an Instructor at KIPP Somos Collegiate. The Instructor, College and Career are responsible for building relationships with the school leadership team, KIPP TX - San Antonio leadership team, local partner organizations, and colleges/ universities that will lead to student resources. Through guidance and education, the KIPP Forward college counseling department's ultimate goal is to ensure that all graduates succeed academically, professionally, and personally. 

This role is an ideal opportunity for a highly motivated, collaborative, results-driven, and service-minded leader with a passion for fighting to close the achievement gap in Texas.   

Key Responsibilities

College and Career Access Knowledge and Skills

• KIPP Forward College Counseling is driven by data and relationships with KIPPsters and their families

• Advise and coach all students, including students with unique circumstances, through the financial aid process.

• Create access to college resources and opportunities available to support underrepresented populations.

• Knowledge of SAT/ACT registration processes and the impact on college access.

• Provide family engagement workshops related to college match

• Provide families with an introduction to the College Match and Career Exploration processes, including required one-on-ones each semester.

• Complete Texas OnCourse during their first year.

• Attend all KIPP Forward regional PD

Team Player

• Work effectively with KIPP Forward regional and state staff, including the State Managing Director, Senior Director of Postsecondary Access for the State, Regional Director, and Director of College and Career Counseling.

• Maintain a collaborative team with consistent communication flow to all key stakeholders and teammates.

• Responsible for supporting KIPP juniors through lesson planning, lesson execution and classroom management 

• Maintain effective relationships with KIPP Texas-Houston external partners

• Participate in and effectively prepare for weekly one-on-one check-ins with your Director of College and Career Counseling

Data Management

• Maintain constant and consistent communication on the data progress of students with key stakeholders including: KIPP Foundation, College personnel, CBO’s, School and regional leadership, along with students and families

• Utilize various student management platforms to track, progress monitor and submit student data, including, but not limited to Overgrad, Google suite, Excel, KIPP Foundation approved tools, etc.

• Progress monitor all KIPP Forward post-secondary access goals including (but not limited to) completion of: student and family one-on-ones, applications (including wish list finalization, essay completion, transcript submission, ED campaign), FAFSA/TASFA, career integration (including YouScience, major selection, internship opportunities), and decision phase (including financial fit, major/career fit, socio-emotional fit, etc.).

Classroom Responsibilities

• Responsible for supporting KIPP juniors through rigorous and thoughtful lesson planning, application management, lesson execution and classroom management 

• Participate on the grade level leadership team

• Other duties as assigned by the School Leader

• Support college counseling department special programming including college visits (overnight or day), financial aid nights, college fairs, college knowledge 101 workshops, and wish list approval nights.

• Fostering a supportive and inclusive culture within the classroom.

• Meeting all deadlines as required by the high school, KIPP Forward regional team, and KIPP Foundation.

Skills and Qualifications

 Experience and Background

• 1+ years of professional work experience in college access or admissions advising preferred

• Bachelor’s degree required.  

• Previous experience in using data to drive decision making strongly preferred

• Experience in public education or non-profit a strong plus

• Experience in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and fast-growing organization a strong plus

• Must be able to adopt new technology quickly and be very proficient with Microsoft and other productivity tools (BlueJeans, Slack, Google Drive)

Required Education and/or Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree required  

Physical Requirements: 

• The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

• Considerable time is spent at a desk using a computer/laptop

• Attending conferences or training sessions

Work Environment:  

• Typical office environment with frequent interruptions

• This role can be based in the following locations with KIPP Texas Public Schools: Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio 

Travel Requirements: 

• Ability to travel to various locations, travel time approximately 30% - 40%

Compensation and Benefits

Salary is based on years of experience, degree of education, and level of expertise.

As a full-time KIPP Texas employee you are eligible to participate in all KIPP Texas’ benefit plans. KIPP Texas offers a robust variety of benefits choices with competitive rates, including medical, dental, and vision options, life insurance,  fertility, and disability plans starting as low as $25/month.

KIPP provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.