Frequently Asked Questions

Is the application process different for High Priority schools?

No, the application process for teaching at a High Priority school is the same as teaching for any position in the district. Click HERE to get started with the Teach Memphis application process. You will be able to express your interest in teaching at High Priority schools in your online application.

What types of candidates are High Priority school principals interested in?

There is no one certain demographic that principals from High Priority schools look for. Candidates who succeed in High Priority schools come from a diverse set of backgrounds. One of the large components of our selection process is a candidate’s fit for working in an urban school district. The High Priority schools face the most pressing challenges of being in an urban school district so candidates who have experience working in a high need setting and the energy to face those challenges are the most desirable. Common characteristics High Priority principals look for in in potential teachers include:

• Strong leadership characteristics and an ability to motivate a classroom
• Willingness to put in the extra hours required to do this important work
• A desire to become part of the school community and participate in extracurricular activities
• An entrepreneurial and self-starting attitude

Candidates who fit these characteristics are just as likely to be an alternate route candidate as they are a veteran teacher or a member of a partner program. With the current shift in teacher evaluation and a stronger focus on student achievement data, it is also important that candidates understand the importance of being data driven and are strong at tracking student evaluation data.

Where are the High Priority schools located?

The High Priority schools are not concentrated in any part of Memphis. There are High Priority and Striving Schools in every region of the city. Click HERE to see a map of all of the schools. As you can see on the map, teaching at a high priority school does not confine you to live in any certain part of the city and there is a high priority school within an easy commute of anyone living in the tri-state area.

What does it mean for a school to be high priority?

The district’s High Priority Schools are determined using Tennessee’s No Child Left Behind standards for Adequate Yearly Progress. Each High Priority School has not met AYP for at least three years and falls under one of the categories between School Improvement II and State/LEA Reconstitution on the Tennessee Department of Education’s Accountability Chart for Schools.