Edugigging Options for Education Leaders

Forget Tutoring — What kind of gigs are there for school administrators and leaders?

Teachers can sell lesson plans or administer standardized tests for a little extra $$$. But what about curriculum directors, superintendents, and the many other folks necessary to make schools run smoothly? Can they find after-school gigs too?

Teachers have it easy. Just kidding! Their jobs are hard, and they don’t get paid enough. Many turn to gig work to make ends meet. Teachers can tutor, administer standardized tests, sell lesson plans and printables, coach student teams, or teach online or at a community college. But, these options don’t always work for administrators. After all, most administrators don’t have lesson plans to sell!

So how can you make money after school as an administrator?

The primary way that school administrators can earn money outside of work hours is through consulting. Consulting allows administrators to remain in their field of expertise. There’s no need to pick up hours on Uber or Lyft, or post on Teachers Pay Teachers. As a consultant, you can be the expert in…well… whatever you’re an expert in. You have more control over your hours, and over your pay.

Consulting as an administrator allows you to open new doors and expand new opportunities. You can grow your network and your influence at the same time. Consulting can help you expand your resume and establish a personal brand. Besides, it’s just fun! As much as you love your day job, consulting adds a new twist to your day. It lets you explore new career avenues without quitting your day job.

What kind of consulting gigs can school administrators get?

With consulting, the world is your oyster. You just need to start with your personal area of expertise. What is your brand, and what are you good at? Are you an expert in Middle-school program development? Have you developed a strategy for resource allocation that saved your district thousands of dollars? Do you know all about classroom design or teacher microphone acoustics?

How do I balance the side work with my regular job?

The truth is, we all spend more time “after hours” on our main job. This might come in the form of answering emails, doing research, or presenting to a school board. While it’s not an easy balance, in today’s day and age, you can do much of your consulting and side work remotely and off the clock. Being cognizant and open about your time in your main job and side work is the key to that balance. The idea of “double-dipping” is frowned upon in most districts, so taking personal time for side work while maintaining a high standard in your primary role is the goal.

Still not sure where to start? Here are some possibilities:

• Strategy
• Management
• Hiring and Recruiting
• Fundraising
• Education Law and Board Governance
• School Program Development
• Resource Allocation
• Curriculum Development
• Special needs education
• Accelerated learning
• Reading and writing strategies
• Technology
• Ed-tech
• Communications, PR, Social Media, and Marketing

Whatever your niche, there’s someone out there who wishes they knew what you know. Maybe they’re posting in the Edugigging Community on K-12 Leaders, or maybe you’ll have to put up a website and blaze your own trail.