Director, Elementary Curriculum Instruction Prek-3

Cleveland Metropolitan School District; Cleveland, Northern (OH, KY); Hybrid; USD 86,000 - 117,000; Full time

Job summary

Cleveland Metropolitan School District is seeking an experienced administrator to lead elementary curriculum and instruction across PK‑3. You will oversee licensing, regulatory compliance, and quality initiatives while shaping a data‑driven, high‑expectation learning environment.

The role reports to the Executive Director, Curriculum and Instruction and requires building strong professional learning plans, partnering with school leaders, and driving initiatives to improve student achievement

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Secondary Education or related field required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years teaching experience in elementary school and 3 years educational leadership experience.
• Experience overseeing early childhood programs including Pre-K licensing and SUTQ compliance.
• Strong aptitude in elementary grades academics and data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities

• Oversees licensing, compliance, and reporting for early childhood programs.
• Leads SUTQ implementation and related quality improvements.
• Develops a comprehensive PK-3 curriculum with guides, pacing, and assessments.
• Establishes systems to promote college- and career-going culture in elementary grades.
• Collaborates with program managers to design professional learning and evaluation plans.
• Supervises staff performance, recruitment, and disciplinary actions.
• Communicates effectively with community and stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Data analysis

Curriculum development

Communication

Team management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Zoom

Teams

Assessment tools

Job description

Position Type: Administration and Professionals

Date Posted: 2026-08-25

Location: Administration or As Assigned

About Cleveland Metropolitan School District

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is Ohio's third-largest public school system, serving more than 35,000 students. CMSD strives to ensure that every child receives a high-quality education, regardless of the provider. To that end, CMSD lets families choose which District schools their children attend, with options that include STEM, the arts, single-gender education, International Baccalaureate, Montessori, and early college. Our schools have autonomy over human and financial resources in exchange for accountability for performance. The principal has primary responsibility and accountability for establishing their school as a high-quality, high-expectation academic center focusing on personalized instruction, professional support for teachers, and school-wide practices that lead to measurable results. CMSD ensures that students have access to technology and training to prepare them for the future. The District provides a free laptop or tablet for every student and connects every family that needs internet access. Graduating seniors leave commencement with not only a diploma but also a laptop. In our pursuit of a more fair, just, and good system of education, we strive to ensure that all of our learners, both scholars and educators, to be challenged with academically and intellectually complex tasks that are worthy of their efforts and provide them opportunities to demonstrate their best work.

Building Brighter Futures

The Cleveland Board of Education adopted the Building Brighter Futures (BBF) initiative on December 9, 2025. Building Brighter Futures is a strategic and data-driven plan shaped by more than a year of community engagement, information analysis, and thoughtful deliberation. The goal of this plan is to strengthen enrollment and ensure scholars attend a newer school building that offers more educational opportunities, including algebra in the eighth grade, more sports and extracurricular activities, and college credits and college and career pathways in high school. BBF is ensuring academic excellence so every CMSD scholar can thrive.

The Opportunity

• Reports to: Executive Director, Curriculum and Instruction
• FLSA Status: Exempt
• Salary Band: 9
• Compensation: $ 86,417.00 - $ 116,663.00

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Oversees District Pre‑K licensing, regulatory compliance, and reporting requirements, including Ohio Child Licensing and Quality System (OCLQS) requirements.
• Leads Step Up to Quality (SUTQ) implementation and continuous improvement efforts and ensures compliance with all applicable state guidance related to early childhood programs.
• Provides direction and leadership in the development of a comprehensive curriculum for all elementary grades core content areas including curriculum guides with scope and sequence documents, pacing guides, and assessment guidelines and strategies.
• Establishes and maintains systems, processes, and practices that support a college- and career-going culture to ensure students are fully ready for success in middle and high school.
• Develops, implements, monitors, and evaluates short- and long-term goals and initiatives to support implementation of the elementary grades’ curriculum.
• Develops, in collaboration with the Program Managers, Managers, and Model Lead Teachers, District and school professional learning plans for teachers, support staff, and administrators to assist in raising the level of instructional performance and student achievement.
• Designs and implements professional learning to support the curriculum using effective practices including research on theory and content standards.
• Recommends the expansion or elimination of courses and programs as necessary.
• Supervises the selection and adoption of new textbooks, instructional materials, and supplemental programs under the direction of the Executive Director.
• Collaborates with other Curriculum and Instruction Directors to ensure all instructional initiatives and practices are K‑12 aligned.
• Works collaboratively with other departments within the District office to ensure integration of District curriculum in alignment with the District’s strategic plan.
• Uses data to make decisions and adjustments to the elementary grades curricular program.
• Assists with the development of CMSD’s benchmark assessments for elementary grades.
• Leads the process through which the Academics Team reviews and evaluates results of state and District assessments and recommends appropriate modifications to the elementary grades programs and appropriate support for individual schools.
• Supervises, evaluates, and holds accountable the performance and professionalism of assigned staff; interviews and selects employees, and recommends reassignments, terminations, and disciplinary actions.
• Deep knowledge of the cycle of teaching and learning and the Ohio Learning Standards in grades PK‑3 with the ability to provide professional development and coach others in these areas.
• Deep knowledge in the science of reading with the ability to coach and teach others in this understanding.
• Deep knowledge in curriculum mapping from its creation to implementation and progress monitoring and an understanding of the importance of having a curriculum‑specific, standards‑based, scope and sequence for each core content area.
• Communicates effectively with community and stakeholders.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

LEVEL OF SUPERVISION

Supervises elementary grades (PK‑3) Program Managers, Managers, and Model Lead Teachers. May direct other staff outside of span of control for special projects and/or initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors in Secondary Education or related field Required, Masters Degree Preferred
• Minimum of 5 years teaching experience in elementary school and 3 years educational leadership experience
• Demonstrated experience overseeing early childhood education programs, including Pre‑K licensing, regulatory compliance, and quality improvement requirements such as OCLQS and Step Up To Quality (SUTQ)
• Must have a strong aptitude in elementary grades academics
• Ability to develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate program goals and initiatives
• Ability to analyze data and research best practices in elementary grades instruction to support school staff with implementation of research-based curriculum
• Possess a strong understanding of data, formative and summative assessments, and a familiarity with how to interpret and deliver data presentations to support principal and teacher understanding of class/school level data in support of learning (e.g., ODE Assessments)
• Demonstrated proficiency with general office technologies (i.e., PC, tablets, etc.), virtual meeting platforms (i.e., Zoom, Teams, etc.), software packages (i.e., Microsoft Office).

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Proficiency with WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS The characteristics listed below are representative of the work environment typically encountered by an individual while performing the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties. Expected moving, walking, and standing consistent with an office environment and occasionally lifting up to 15 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to talk and/or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to a normal office environment. Local travel may be required for training/meetings.

NOTE: The above-stated duties are intended to outline those functions typically performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This description of duties is not intended to be all-inclusive or to limit the discretionary authority of management to assign other tasks of similar nature or level of responsibility.

Please note that an offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of an FBI/BCI background check and drug screen.

EEO Statement

We believe that equity and inclusion at CMSD is an essential call to action, a catalyst to ensure value and appreciation among all our employees, so we may be fair and welcoming now and in the future. CMSD provides equal opportunities for employment, retention and advancement of all personnel by administering all terms and conditions of employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, sex, disability or genetic information, age, citizenship status, military status, sexual orientation or expression, socio-economic status, title, other dimensions of identity, or any other characteristic protected by law. The District’s Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment, and Sexual Harassment and the District’s Title IX grievance procedures, including information on how to report or file a complaint of discrimination, how to report or file a formal complaint of sexual harassment, and how the District will respond, may be accessed on the District’s Civil Rights Notices webpage, available at ClevelandMetroSchools.org/domain/105. The District’s Title IX Coordinator / Director of Equal Employment Opportunity may be reached at: 1111 Superior Avenue East, Suite 1800 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 (216)-838-0070 [e-mail] CMSD is committed to the recruitment and retention of top‑notch employees with the determination and drive to create a positive and effective 21st century learning environment for our students. Our departmental goal is to provide personalized support and service to each employee, school, and department. We also strive to build a foundation of employee excellence through rigorous performance standards, staff development and a diverse and dedicated work force that supports the mission and goals of the district.