CPS School Improvement Specialist

Job Goal :

Enhance the educational outcomes for students and staff in Intensive and Comprehensive Chicago Public Schools by providing targeted, strategic support through expert coaching, resource allocation, and facilitation and implementation of evidence-based improvement practices.

Skills, Competencies, and Qualifications :

To perform this job successfully, an individual must satisfactorily perform each essential duty. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Skills and Competencies

Continuous Improvement : In-depth understanding of the challenges and needs of schools requiring intensive improvement efforts.

Ability to use systems thinking for holistic educational problem-solving.

• Expertise in analyzing internal and external influences on school performance.
• Strong knowledge and facilitation skills in continuous improvement processes.
• Ability to disaggregate and analyze measures of progress of schools, staff, and students.

Robust Coaching Skills :

• Effective leadership in team settings and collaborative efforts, with a focus on engaging and productive team dynamics.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, suitable for a diverse educational environment.
• Skills in enhancing the capabilities of school leaders to drive improvement initiatives.
• Strong capabilities in establishing trust and effective communication channels among teachers, staff, students, and the community.

Educational Research and Best Practices :

• Knowledge of current curriculum standards, teaching methodologies, and innovations in education.
• Proficiency in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting educational data to assess program effectiveness and student outcomes.
• Professionalism : Strong work ethic, problem-solving skills, organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to motivate people.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, maintaining high ethical standards.
• Adaptability to change, with skills in adjusting strategies based on situational needs and feedback.
• Excellent organizational skills Ability to coordinate, plan, meet deadlines, and accomplish specific tasks.
• Sensitivity and awareness to diverse cultural backgrounds and the ability to engage effectively across cultural boundaries.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Education preferred, Educational Leadership, or Curriculum & Instruction, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in school or district leadership, coaching, or consultancy with an emphasis on school improvement.
• Demonstrated success in implementing effective educational improvement strategies with measurable results.
• Thorough understanding of local, state, and federal education laws and regulations to ensure compliance in school improvement efforts.

Performance Responsibilities

• Provide individualized support (both on-site and virtual) to schools in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), focusing on specific needs and challenges in implementing their School Improvement Plan (SIP) and effective school improvement processes and practices.
• Review and interpret local and state data regularly to monitor progress on key performance indicators and the effectiveness of the SIP.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant ISBE requirements and deadlines.
• Create and present evidence-based resources and professional learning opportunities, including coaching, webinars, workshops, academies, and conferences.
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of improvement initiatives on student achievement and school performance.
• Work closely with school leadership teams (SLT) to align improvement initiatives with the school's overall vision and SIP goals.
• Develop and communicate timelines for all SLT meetings and coaching sessions.
• Attend weekly meetings with the IARSS CPS School Improvement Team.
• Provide direct coaching to SLTs in the development, implementation, and ongoing monitoring of the SIPLead job-embedded leadership coaching to build the capacity of leaders to sustain continuous improvement initiatives (both on-site and virtual).
• Prepare and submit detailed monthly progress reports and expenditure reports.
• Stay informed about the latest educational research and best practices, and implement innovative strategies to enhance school outcomes.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Terms of Employment : Twelve-month year. Salary and work year to be established by ROE policy.

Reports To : IARSS CPS Project Leads and the assigned Regional Superintendent of Schools

Evaluation : Evaluation of the School Improvement Specialist will be conducted by the IARSS CPS Project Leads and the Regional Superintendent in accordance with ROE policies.

Please email your resume to [email protected]