Adjunct Instructor, Clinical Special Education

Job Title: Adjunct Instructor, Teaching Exceptional Learners (Special Education)

Type: Part-Time (40 - 60 hours/month) 

Start Date: Dependent on course assignment

End Date: Dependent on course assignment

Location: Flexible within the U.S.

Priority Application Deadline: 10/29/25

SUMMARY

Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay) is welcoming applications for Adjunct Instructor positions on the Teacher Preparation team. Relay’s mission is to ensure that all students are taught by outstanding educators. Our vision is to build a more just world where every student has access to outstanding educators and a clear path to a fulfilling life. Individuals dedicated and well versed in culturally responsive pedagogy, social justice in education, and exceptional teaching practices will have an opportunity to thrive while ensuring that students at Relay fulfill their aspirations of becoming teachers.  

If you have a depth of content knowledge, love coaching teachers, leading professional development, collaborating with experienced high-performing educators, learning and working with new technology, and are hungry to further build your instructional leadership skill set on a part-time basis, the Adjunct Instructor role is right for you. In this role, you’ll be able to expand your content knowledge and build relationships with aspiring educators. 

This is a great opportunity for classroom teachers and/or school leaders who are looking to gain additional experience facilitating instruction for adult learners. 

CONSIDERATIONS TO NOTE

• Adjunct openings are contingent on sufficient Relay student enrollment numbers within each course. Relay will continue to monitor enrollment and communicate adjunct instructor opportunities to candidates who move through our hiring process.
• Adjuncts are welcome to teach more than one course in a term if courses are available and adjunct schedule allows. 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

The essential responsibilities of this position, while not limited to the following, will include: 

• Teaching Responsibilities: Adjuncts internalize and facilitate courses, designed by our curriculum design faculty, and teach 2.5 hour synchronous classes aligned to the asynchronous modules. 3 credit courses typically have 10 class sessions, 2 credit courses typically have 7 class sessions, and 1 credit courses typically have 4 class sessions. Class schedules will vary based on the course and section but will generally be in the evenings (Tuesdays and Thursdays).
• Course Preparation and Professional Development Responsibilities: Adjuncts are expected to engage in beginning of term onboarding, most of which will occur asynchronously (5-6 hours). In addition to teaching, there is required score norming, scheduled based on adjunct availability. Furthermore, all adjuncts participate in instructional observations to ensure alignment with facilitation practices and support the growth and development of Relay adjuncts. 
• Student Experience: Adjuncts ensure exceptional student experience within courses, ensuring all policies and practices outlined in the faculty and student handbooks are followed and that Relay students are supported to reach their full potential and serve their birth-12 students with the knowledge learned within the course. Adjuncts also ensure that their courses are mission aligned, student-centered, and continuously improving based on student input. Additional responsibilities include hosting office hours, providing academic feedback, grading student work, updating students’ course progress throughout the term via progress check systems, and collaborating with student advisors and department faculty. 
• Programmatic & Design Responsibilities: You will support the design and continuous improvement of the courses offered within the department by providing ongoing feedback on the curriculum design.

Note: Depending on course design, content area and Relay student enrollment, responsibilities and scope of work may vary. 

QUALIFICATIONS

First and foremost, Adjunct Instructors must share the Relay community’s commitment to working together to improve student growth and achievement through phenomenal teacher preparation grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. This includes providing teacher preparation programs that set novice teachers up to succeed in the classroom from day one. Additionally, for this position we’re looking for candidates that possess a combination of the following skills: 

Minimum Qualifications:

• At least five years of effective classroom teaching experience at the early childhood, elementary, middle, or secondary level
• Graduate degree (master’s and/or doctorate) in a relevant educational field (i.e. Special Education) 
• Demonstrated design and/or teaching experience with online coursework
• Evidence using online modalities to teach adult learners via collegiate courses and/or school-based professional development 
• Evidence of strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, including in an online environment
• Evidence of developing collegial relationships and work with ethnically, racially, and linguistically diverse individuals and teams
• Evidence observing, coaching, and developing new birth-grade 12 teachers
• Ability to commit approximately 10-15 hours per week to this role

The following qualifications are highly preferred:

• Evidence of or potential for advancing justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-oppressive initiatives in service of teacher preparation. 

Relay prepares teachers and school leaders to teach students of all identities and backgrounds in order to push toward a time when this country no longer faces stark educational inequities. We recruit, develop, support, and retain a diverse staff, faculty, and Relay student body because we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and actively anti-racist institution. We know, and the data supports, that diversity, equity, and inclusion cultivate an environment in which people of all backgrounds can thrive and this is critical to achieving our mission of educational excellence and equity.

To fulfill that commitment, Relay encourages applicants of all backgrounds and identities to apply for roles that align with their own interests and career trajectory. If you meet a majority of the qualifications and see yourself in this role, we would love to see your application!

COMPENSATION

Relay is committed to creating and maintaining a compensation and benefits system that supports our ability to recruit and retain a diverse and talented team. As we make decisions about compensation, we will be guided by the following values: clarity, consistency, and internal equity. The salary range for this role is dependent on the course credit. A 1-credit course will be paid $2,961/course with 35 enrolled students. A 2-credit course  will be paid $5,301/course with 35 enrolled students. A 3-credit course  will be paid $7,641/course with 35 enrolled students.

To ensure internal pay equity:

• Relay does not currently differentiate starting salary offers based on years of experience
• Relay does not negotiate salary offers.

Relay Graduate School of Education provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees.