Jobs: School Leaders

Interested in becoming a principal? To become a principal, you will need to complete the following steps: 

Step 1: Online application 

Read the full job description and complete the online application at least 30 days before a Career Assessment Day (see step 3 for details).

You'll need to upload the following documents to be considered: 

• MSDE Administrator II Certification 
• Resume with at least 5 years supervisory/leadership experience 
• All higher education transcripts 

Priority Application Deadlines (30 days before each Career Assessment Day): 

• January 8, 2023
• February 5, 2023
• March 19, 2023
• April 23, 2023 

Step 2: Vision and strategic planning activity 

If you meet the requirements outlined in step 1, you'll receive instructions via email to complete a performance task. You must complete the task by the deadline and receive a passing score to move to the next step. 

Step 3: Career Assessment Day 

During the Career Assessment Day, your leadership skills will be assessed by a panel of Transformational Principals and Instructional Leadership Executive Directors (ILEDs i.e. Principal Supervisors) through interviews, role plays, and data analysis tasks. To prepare, we encourage you to review the Principal Leadership Framework which will be used as the basis for the assessments.  

In 2023, Principal Career Assessment Days will be held on February 3, March 3, April 14, and May 19 (tentative). 

Step 4: Profile session 

After you successfully complete the interviews, you'll be invited to participate in a guided session to create a candidate profile that highlights your strengths and interests, to facilitate the school matching process. 

In 2023, Principal Profiling Sessions will be held on February 8, March 8, April 19, and May 24 (tentative). 

Step 5:  School Family Council interview 

If you are interested in leading certain schools, let us know. If you don’t have a school preference, you will be matched with a school(s) based on your experiences and strengths and school community needs.  When a school leadership position becomes available that matches your profile and/or interests, you'll be invited to meet with various stakeholders from the school community. Schools will submit feedback to the Chief of Schools. 

* A principal candidate that is a sitting principal will be considered first to minimize the disruption to both schools. However, this does not guarantee that the principal candidate will be hired. If the School Family Community Council opts not to recommend the sitting principal candidate for hire, they may request City Schools provides additional candidates to interview. 

Step 6: Final interviews and approval 

After you've been successfully matched with a school, you may be asked to meet with staff from the Schools Office, who will make a recommendation to the CEO. The CEO will conduct a final interview before submitting a recommendation to the Board of School Commissioners for final approval.  

Once we've established your eligibility, you'll be placed in a pool of eligible principal candidates for two years. 

Step 1: Online application 

Read the full job description and complete the online application at least 30 days before a Career Assessment Day (see Step 3 for details). 

You'll need to upload the following documents to be considered: 

• MSDE Administrator I Certification (see requirements) 
• Resume with 3 years of teaching experience and 3 years supervisory or leadership experience 
• All higher education transcripts 

Priority Application Deadlines (30 days before each Career Assessment Day): 

• January 1, 2023
• February 26, 2023
• May 7, 2023

Step 2: Pre-screen activity 

If you meet the requirements outlined in step 1, you'll receive instructions via email to complete aperformance task. You must complete the task by the deadline and receive a passing score to move to the next step. 

Step 3: Career Assessment Day 

During the Career Assessment Day, your leadership skills will be assessed through a classroom observation task, data review, and interviews. To prepare, we encourage you to review the Assistant Principal Leadership Framework which will be used as the basis for the assessments.  

In 2023, the Assistant Principal Career Assessment Days will be held on January 27, March 24, May 26 (tentative). 

Step 4: Profile session 

After you successfully complete the interviews, you'll be invited to participate in a guided session to create a candidate profile that highlights your strengths and interests to facilitate the school matching process. 

In 2023, Assistant Principal Profiling Sessions will be held on February 1, March 29, May 31 (tentative). 

Step 5: Principal interviews 

Principals at schools with assistant principal vacancies will conduct interviews throughout the spring and summer. Principals will reach out to the email address provided on your resume to schedule. 

Step 6: Approval 

If the principal would like to move forward with you as a candidate (and you are in agreement), he or she will submit an official recommendation to the Schools Office. When staff in the Schools Office approves the recommendation, it will be submitted to the Board of School Commissioners for final approval.  

Once we've established your eligibility, you'll be placed in a pool of eligible assistant principal candidates for three years. 

There are lots of reasons to join the City Schools leadership team - it's an opportunity to shape the lives of hundreds of Baltimore's young people, to build a generation of leaders, and to grow as a professional. 

City Schools also offers an extensive benefits package that includes:  

Competitive salary 

City Schools recognizes the professionalism of staff with excellent starting salaries and opportunities for growth for school leaders. 

Health insurance 

• Employees can choose medical plans from Kaiser, BlueChoice, and CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield. 
• Dental coverage includes a dental HMO and a buy-up plan. 
• No-cost vision coverage provides for services every two years, with an optional buy-up plan. 
• Prescription medication coverage is available with a modest co-pay. 

Retirement and pension 

• In addition to pension plans through the State of Maryland or City of Baltimore (depending on position and bargaining unit), employees can participate in 403(b) tax-sheltered savings plans. 

Support and development 

School leaders are offered support, professional development, and opportunities for growth throughout their career trajectories. 

Additional benefits 

All staff can access the following at no or modest cost: 

• Life insurance 
• Long-term disability insurance 
• Flexible Spending Account for childcare or healthcare expenses 
• Employee Assistance Plan offering confidential counseling services and legal services 
• Dependent child tuition waiver (for employees who live outside the city but want to enroll their children in City Schools) 
• Higher education tuition reimbursement