2025 Admissions Essay Rubric

Relay Teacher Programs Application Essay Question

The essay on your Relay application asks the following question:

Please respond to each of the questions below. Ensure that each response does not exceed 500 words so that the entire response is no more than 1500 words.

• What does it mean to you to be an educator who effectively connects with and supports all students?
• How would you ensure that your teaching practices meet the needs of learners with varying needs?
• How have your personal experiences and background shaped your approach to engaging and supporting students with different perspectives and learning styles?

Evaluative Rubric

As part of your admissions requirements to the certification program, this essay is scored using a rubric.  The rubric evaluates the following 3 items:

• Mission Fit

• Discuss what is means to be an educator who adapts learning modalities to meet the various needs of students and who understands how their own experience impacts their teaching and student learning.  Be able to tie the discussion back to Relay’s mission and the greater impact.
• Discuss Relay’s model, how it will make you an effective teacher, and how it will impact students.

• Communication of Thought

• How well the central idea is developed

• Sentence Structure and Grammar

• Level of sentence-level errors, use of punctuation/grammar

Please make sure to include all elements in your essay so you meet the minimum cut score for admission into our certification program.