Deputy Chief, Assessment and Accountability *

Openings (1)

Our public school students need your expertise, passion and leadership.

We are looking for highly motivated and skilled talent to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a significant difference in the lives of public school students, parents, principals, teachers, and central office employees.

DCPS serves 45,000 students in the nation’s capital through the efforts of approximately 4,000 educators in 123 schools. As part of a comprehensive reform effort to become the preeminent urban school system in America, DCPS intends to have the highest-performing, best paid, most satisfied, and most honored educator force in the nation and a distinctive central office staff whose work supports and drives instructional excellence and significant achievement gains for DCPS students.

Deputy Chief, Assessments and Accountability is responsible for lead a team focused on providing high quality data, information and analysis to enable the sweeping reforms currently underway at the District of Columbia Public Schools. The Deputy, Assessment and Accountability will serve as the analytic hub for the district by providing data to support policy and implementation goals. This individual will lead the development and dissemination of all achievement related data and oversee and direct all research, evaluation, analytics and testing activities including all summative and formative assessment. The Deputy will also coordinate and guide the district’s use of district performance data to enhance student achievement and inform instructional planning and decision making

Deputy Chief, Assessments and Accountability reports to the Chief of Data and Accountability

1. Primary Duties
* Serves as a key member of the Office of Data and Accountability’s management staff and helps drive the formulation and implementation of policies and strategies to meet the vision and goals of the Office and of DCPS
* Overall responsibility for access and reporting of state required data and information, and managing and facilitating all analytic work related to achievement data for the district.
* Develops clear, specific, and ambitious performance targets and evaluates progress of Office programs and initiatives; holds parties accountable and helps adjust strategy and approach accordingly to achieve success
* Conducts special studies of extremely complex, difficult, controversial or sensitive issues; recommends and implements changes in program operations, resourcing, and approach to resolve obstacles to success
* Provide leadership for the development of a district wide school performance management system including: vision, goals, program objectives/strategies/activities, infrastructure, staffing, training, evaluating, and budgeting. This work includes a school level scorecard and other school level accountability and performance management activities to be developed.
* Reviews and analyzes key implications on strategy and operations from major legislative policy proposals and internal/external reports and data; develops position papers and briefing documents for the Chief
* Prepares and presents key data analysis Chief of Data and Accountability for senior management team, summarizing progress and key points of projects and initiatives and distilling key lessons that will accelerate the learning curve of DCPS senior leadership
* Drives innovation and best-practice sharing both within the Office of Data and Accountability, between Offices of DCPS and other key stakeholders through continuous flow of information and creating opportunities for collaboration and idea exchange in the form of data/information
* Collaborates and builds strong working relationships with other DCPS senior managers to develop and implement cross-Office strategies supporting the Chancellor’s long-term vision of reform
* Attends relevant external meetings and conferences to stay informed about latest research and trends; represents the perspective and vision of DCPS and presents specific findings and project results
* Supports and carries out the Chancellor’s mission to transform DC Public Schools and close the achievement gap
* Direct and oversee all state and district testing operations
* Lead the development of a proposal for additional assessment coverage across additional grades and subjects
* Direct and oversee all formative testing operations
* Insure security of all state and district testing programs
* Prepare district and school level report analyses for all state and district tests
* Serve as key liaison to other agencies, including the Office of the State Superintendent for Education, for all achievement data
* Direct and oversee all state and district testing operations
* Performs other related duties as assigned by the Chief of Data and Accountability

2. Major Accountabilities for the Deputy, Assessment and Accountability
Lead and provide strategic direction on the following key activities:

A. Performance Reporting and Analysis
* District level achievement scorecard for all schools
* Access to formative assessment data including item-analysis or other instructional tools
* Support for data driven activities proceeding at the school level
* Serve as an analytic hub for DCPS by providing high quality achievement data and analysis to a variety of stakeholders

B. Assessment
* Data analysis
* Test administration - state and district
* State reporting of achievement data

C. Research and Evaluation
* Complete internal and support external research requests for data
* Complete program evaluation for key instructional district initiatives
* Provide support for all external research requests (IRB etc.)
* Facilitate relationships and support work with external researchers aligned to DCPS priorities target researchers who are interested in our work

D. Professional Development
* Provide analytic support to schools to ensure data is informing instruction
Key responsibilities for these activities include:
* Drive strategic priorities within each of the core areas outlined above
* Organize staff and resources to support critical activities
* Manage and support all day to day activities across all domains listed above
* Provide strong process leadership to ensure workflow of core operations
* Provide ongoing guidance and support to a high functioning team of analysts
* Provide ongoing strategic guidance to the Chief of Data and Accountability including possible opportunities for city/district-wide performance reporting
* Continuous adherence to legal / procurement requirements
* Effective flow of information through well-defined communication plan and processes
* Conduct status meetings within team
* Provide regular status updates to senior leadership

Major contacts

Internal:
* Chief of Data and Accountability
* Deputy, Data Systems
* Assessment/Accountability staff
* Teaching and Learning
* Office of Special Education
* Human Capital
* Communications
* OCTO and other IT staff
* Procurement
* Finance
* Legal
External:
* Vendor(s), consultants, State/ Federal representatives, other school districts

Key performance indicators

Hard:
* Implementation of initiatives against district goals
* Meeting stated timelines on all initiatives
* Quality of service measurement to district and school stakeholders

Soft:
* Quality of communication with field, team, district leadership
* Quality of team leadership
* Quality of vendor relationships

Overall:

* Knowledge of statistical methods and related understanding testing criteria
* Ability to develop strategic and operational components of a performance management system
* Ability to lead organizational change efforts
* Ability to communicate effectively with the educational community
* Ability to manage financial resources
* Bachelor’s Degree; Graduate Degree

Strategic leadership and project management:
* Ability to develop, plan, and implement short- and long-range goals
* Knowledge of project management principles, best practices, techniques, and tools
* Analyze complex problems, interpret operational needs, and develop integrated, creative solutions
* Establish priorities
* Provide strategic guidance and display leadership on tasks/projects, and with high functioning team of analysts
* Organize resources
* Ability to develop overall departmental as well as project budgets and projections throughout an implementation process/cycle.
* Ability to communicate effectively:
o In English, both written and orally
o In a credible and confident manner at all levels in the organization
o Especially on technical issues to an education audience
* Ability to provide inspirational leadership, and effectively resolve process blocks & conflicts

* Commitment to Equity: Passionate about closing the achievement gap and ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, receives an excellent education.
* Leadership: Coaches, mentors, and challenges others to excel despite obstacles and challenging situations.
* Focus on Data-Driven Results: Relentlessly pursues the improvement of central office performance and school leadership, instruction, and operations, and is driven by a desire to produce quantifiable student achievement gains.
* Innovative Problem-Solving: Approaches work with a sense of possibility and sees challenges as opportunities for creative problem solving; takes initiative to explore issues and find potential innovative solutions.
* Adaptability: Excels in constantly changing environments and adapts flexibly in shifting projects or priorities to meet the needs of a dynamic transformation effort; comfortable with ambiguity and non-routine situations.
* Teamwork: Increases the effectiveness of surrounding teams through collaboration, constant learning and supporting others; sensitive to diversity in all its forms; respects and is committed to learning from others
* Dependability: Does whatever it takes to consistently deliver with high quality under tight deadlines; successfully manages own projects through strong organization, detailed workplans, and balancing of multiple priorities.
* Communication and Customer Service Skills: Communicates clearly and compellingly with diverse stakeholders in both oral and written forms; anticipates and responds to customer needs in a high-quality and courteous manner.

TWP

Bachelor's Degree Required

Notice of Criminal Background Check. In accordance with the Criminal Background Checks for the Protection of Children Act of 2004, this position has been designated and identified as one which requires a criminal background check and/or traffic record check. If you are tentatively selected for the position, a criminal background check and/or traffic record check (for positions which require the operation of a motor vehicle) will be conducted. A final offer of employment is contingent upon the receipt of a satisfactory criminal background check and/or traffic record check.

Notice of Non-Discrimination. In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, District of Columbia Official Code Section 2-1401.01 et seq. (Act), the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) does not discriminate (including employment therein and admission thereto) on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, source of income, status as a victim of an interfamily offense, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited. Discrimination in violation of the aforementioned laws will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action. Inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies of DCPS will be handled as follows:

Employees with inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies related to employment and employees should contact:
Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist
Office of Labor Management & Employee Relations
District of Columbia Public Schools
1200 First St, NE, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20002
(202) 442-5424

Students, parents and/or guardians with inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies related to students and student activities, including Section 504, should contact:

Director of Targeted Student Support
Office of Youth Engagement
District of Columbia Public Schools
1200 First St, NE, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20002
(202) 442-5099