How to hire a teacher associate

How to hire a teacher associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step teacher associate hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a teacher associate job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new teacher associate
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a teacher associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a teacher associate, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect teacher associate also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents teacher associate salaries for various positions.

   Type of Teacher Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Teacher Associate	Teacher assistants work under a teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction.	$11-24
   Substitute School Teacher	A substitute teacher is liable for providing learning instruction and managing classroom settings in the absence of the regular teacher. They are responsible for checking student attendance, explaining homework, and maintaining classroom cleanliness... Show more	$11-22
   Math And Science Teacher	Math and Science Teachers are responsible for imparting knowledge and developing a student's skills in mathematics and science. Their duties include creating lessons, producing learning materials, sourcing supplies, and grading examinations and quizzes... Show more	$17-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Child Care
   • Classroom Management
   • CPR
   • Child Development
   • Cleanliness
   • IEP
   • Math
   • Classroom Environment
   • Mathematics
   • Social Development
   • Pre-K
   • Language Arts
   • Behavior Management
   • Drdp

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
   • Maintain first aid and CPR status as required by licensing.
   • Work as a substitute teacher in grades Pre-K to 4th grade
   • Produce and maintain mathematics club website, in addition to attending meetings.
   • Develop and implement lesson plans in accordance with the ISBE guidelines and SpecialEducation IEP's.
   • Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one and more subjects such as English, mathematics and science.

   More teacher associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your teacher associate job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A teacher associate can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, teacher associates' average salary in florida is 55% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level teacher associates 54% less than senior-level teacher associates.
   • Certifications. A teacher associate with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a teacher associate's salary.

   Average teacher associate salary

   $16.35hourly

   $34,007 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level teacher associate salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

   Average teacher associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$43,786	$21
   2	New York	$42,403	$20
   3	California	$39,430	$19
   4	District of Columbia	$38,067	$18
   5	Wisconsin	$36,077	$17
   6	Colorado	$35,986	$17
   7	Arizona	$34,212	$16
   8	Michigan	$30,403	$15
   9	Virginia	$30,126	$14
   10	Ohio	$29,715	$14
   11	Texas	$29,183	$14
   12	Oklahoma	$27,733	$13
   13	South Carolina	$23,552	$11
   14	Florida	$22,788	$11

   Average teacher associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ethical Culture Fieldston School	$67,445	$32.43	4
   2	The Chapin School	$63,256	$30.41	1
   3	University of Southern California	$55,791	$26.82	9
   4	University of California-Berkeley	$50,193	$24.13	29
   5	Cook Children's Medical Center	$49,942	$24.01
   6	The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine	$47,176	$22.68
   7	The International Preschools Inc	$45,538	$21.89
   8	Denver Public Schools	$45,003	$21.64	53
   9	Rochester Institute of Technology	$44,719	$21.50
   10	Distinctive Schools	$42,427	$20.40	26
   11	Buckeye Union High School District	$40,933	$19.68	20
   12	Rocketship Education	$40,852	$19.64	115
   13	New London Hospital	$39,134	$18.81	1
   14	Lexington Medical Center	$38,815	$18.66
   15	KIPP Austin Public Schools	$38,394	$18.46	329
   16	Albany Community Charter School	$38,235	$18.38
   17	Cornerstone Learning Community	$37,834	$18.19	7
   18	Children's Hospital Los Angeles	$37,237	$17.90	6
   19	KIPP DC	$37,117	$17.84	100
   20	Achievement Prep	$36,152	$17.38	7

4. Writing a teacher associate job description

   A teacher associate job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a teacher associate job description:

   Teacher associate job description example

   The YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles is not only the premiere non-profit in Los Angeles, it is also a great place to work, make a difference in your community and meet like-minded individuals. With twenty-six branches, three camps and over fifty child care sites, the LA Y is a highly-collaborative, rewarding and fun environment where you will discover your passion, grow your career and make an impact!
   
   We believe in the four Core Values of Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility and understand that our staff are our biggest asset! We strive to create high-performing, strong teams in each of our branches and are looking for passionate and enthusiastic staff who will help us to strengthen our impact, empower our community and deliver incredible programming!
   
   This position supports the work of the Y, a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The Associate Teacher creates positive, nurturing relationships with children while building cooperative relationships with parents/caregivers. Promotes and supports the potential of all youth in programs and facilitates peer-to-peer connections as part of the overall program experience. Provides direction for the children in the classroom, and implements program curriculum. Provides a quality experience to children and parents that focuses on building achievement and belonging in youth and relationships among youth and within families.
   Qualifications
   
   * AGE: Eighteen years or older
   * EDUCATION: high school diploma or equivalent
   * ECE/CD UNITS: Infant/Toddler: 12 units in ECE and/or current Child Development Associate Teacher Permit. Renew to complete at least 15 semester units towards the Child Development Teacher Permit within 10 years (renewed every 5 years).
   * RELATED EXPERIENCE: At least 50 days of experience in an instructional capacity in a child care and development program, working at least 3 hours per day within the last 2 years. Ability to plan, organize and implement age-appropriate/developmentally appropriate program activities. Previous experience with diverse populations preferred. Ability to develop positive, authentic relationships with people from different backgrounds.
   * SPECIALIZED SKILLS: Strong character values (respect, responsibility, honesty, caring); strong communication skills; emotional maturity
   * LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS: Current approved EMSA First Aid; Adult, Infant and Child CPR Certifications (8 hours). Completion of child abuse prevention training prior to first day in program. Basic Water Safety certification for school-age summer programs.
   * IMMUNIZATION & PHYSICAL: Current TB, influenza (limited exceptions), pertussis, measles vaccination and a physical exam. COVID-19 vaccination will be based on CDC/DSS guidelines.
   
   Responsibilities
   
   * Nurtures children through purposeful programming dedicated to building achievement and belonging in youth and relationships among youth and within families.
   * Maintains close visual supervision of a group of assigned children, following ratios based on specific programs.
   * No child is left unsupervised or staff alone with a child at any time.
   * Help children manage behavior using a positive approach, including proactive strategies, redirection and using constructive discipline with natural and logical consequences.
   * Actively supports the YMCA is committed to inclusion and compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) where appropriate.
   * Research, plan and appropriately implement Creative Curriculum and activities that are culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate, and consistent with the YMCA values, Desired Results findings, and established guidelines. Create and maintain a learning environment that is safe, clean and healthy according to the Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS or SACERS).
   * Adheres to program standards including safety and cleanliness standards, maintains site and equipment, and maintains required program records in accordance with Title 5 and Title 22 regulations, funding terms and conditions, and YMCA expectations.
   * Makes ongoing, systematic observations and evaluations of each child following the Desired Results Development Profile guidelines. Communicates with supervisor regarding child's development.
   * Cultivates positive relationships and maintains effective communication with Engages parents as volunteers and connects them to the YMCA.
   * Attends and participates in family events, program activities, staff meetings and trainings.
   * Follows YMCA policies and procedures, including those related to medical and disciplinary situations, child abuse prevention and emergencies. Follows reporting procedures and proactively responds to situations to ensure a safe environment for all times.
   * Follows YMCA policies and procedures, including those related to medical and disciplinary situations, child abuse prevention and emergencies. Follows reporting procedures and proactively responds to situations to ensure a safe environment for all involved.
   * Understands and complies with current federal, state, local regulations, and YMCA policies and procedures at all times.
   * Maintains positive relationship with parents, other YMCA team members and community partners. Models relationship-building skills (including Listen First) in all interactions.
   * Oversees and provides guidance to assigned Teacher Assistant, when appropriate.
   * All other duties as assigned by your supervisor such as organize nap time /assist with snack program.
   
   WORK ENVIRONMENT/MINIMUM PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
   
   * You must have the physical, visual, and auditory ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable
   * Ability to plan, lead, and participate in
   * Job is performed in indoor as well as outdoor environments throughout the
   * Job does include water-related
   * Ability to lift30-35lbs
   * Ratios are based on Title 5 and Title 22 regulations

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right teacher associate for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with teacher associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit teacher associates who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your teacher associate job on Zippia to find and recruit teacher associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit teacher associates, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new teacher associate

   Once you have selected a candidate for the teacher associate position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new teacher associate. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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