A school job description does three jobs at once: it is the legal record of what a position requires, the first thing a candidate reads, and the baseline for that person's appraisal. The generic templates that rank highest online miss what makes school roles different, starting with certification, assignment rules and contract type.
This chapter is for Texas district and charter HR teams who write or approve job descriptions. It covers what every description must include, the rules that change role by role, and how to keep descriptions current. For writing the posting itself, see our guide to job postings candidates finish reading.
What every school job description must cover
A school job description has to work for compliance and for candidates. In Texas, these elements come from state or federal law, or from the practice that rests on it:
| Element | Why it belongs |
|---|---|
| Required certificate or permit, by exact name | Texas Education Code §21.003 bars employing teachers, aides, librarians, counselors, diagnosticians and administrators without "an appropriate certificate or permit" |
| Assignment the certificate must match | 19 TAC Chapter 231 lists which certificates allow each assignment |
| Contract type | Teachers, principals, librarians, nurses and counselors are employed under probationary, continuing or term contracts (§21.002); other roles typically are not |
| Background check | Uncertified hires must complete a national criminal history review before starting (§22.0833); certified educators are checked through SBEC |
| Nondiscrimination statement and Title IX coordinator contact | Federal Title IX rules (34 CFR §106.8) require districts to notify job applicants that they don't discriminate on the basis of sex |
| Campus, schedule, start date and pay | Not legally required in Texas, but these are the facts candidates decide on |
Texas also sets a posting rule that catches districts out. Under Texas Education Code §11.1513 (opens in a new tab), at least five school days before you fill a vacancy that requires a certificate or license, you must post it for current employees on central office and campus bulletin boards or on your website, and give them "a reasonable opportunity to apply." Each principal must also approve teacher and staff appointments to their campus.
Watch the wording, too. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says it's illegal to publish a job ad that "shows a preference for or discourages someone from applying" based on a protected trait, and gives "recent college graduates" as an example of language that can discourage older applicants.
Write it so candidates finish reading it
The same document has to persuade. Put the deciding facts first: role, campus, grade or subject, pay or pay range, start date and the certificate required. Then describe the duties in terms a candidate can picture, not the paragraph every district copies.
Timing matters as much as wording. Research by James, Kraft and Papay (2022) using Boston data found that "early-posted positions are more likely to be filled and end up securing new hires that are better-qualified, more-effective, and more likely to remain at a school."
With fewer applicants per opening, a vague description costs more than it used to. Every free job description in the EduJobs library follows this structure, with the Texas requirements filled in.
A school job description is a legal record, a candidate's first impression and an appraisal baseline. Generic templates only manage the second.