Director of Virtual Education

Allentown School District; Allentown (Lehigh County); On-site; USD 113,000 - 158,000; Full time

Job summary

The Allentown School District seeks a Director of Virtual Education to lead, develop, and manage district-wide online learning initiatives. You will oversee curriculum development, compliance with state/federal guidelines, and leadership for instructional staff in online environments.

You will collaborate with district leaders, families, and community partners to expand access to virtual education opportunities and ensure high-quality digital learning experiences for students.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in education, education administration, curriculum and instruction, instructional technology, digital learning, or a related field.
• Doctorate in Education preferred.
• Background in instructional design, blended learning models, or e-learning program development.
• Five or more years of experience in school or central office administration, including experience in online/virtual environments.
• Experience with accreditation and regulatory requirements associated with online learning.
• Experience analyzing data to improve online enrollment, student outcomes, and the design and delivery of online instruction and programming.
• Familiarity with state and federal regulations related to online education, data privacy, and accessibility.
• Experience using Student Information Systems (e.g., PowerSchool, Skyward, SapphireK12, etc.)
• Satisfactory work record & criminal/ child abuse clearances (Acts 34, 114, and 151).

Responsibilities

• Lead development and review of the online learning and instructional innovation plan.
• Oversee online scheduling, enrollment, policies, and procedures.
• Direct administration of all virtual programs and staff; recruit and coach teachers.
• Coordinate and implement instructional design projects from inception to completion.
• Ensure online programs meet FERPA, ADA, and FCC standards.
• Serve as SME in best practices for large-scale online programming.
• Oversee vendor contract for the Virtual Campus program.
• Ensure licensing and copyright compliance.
• Coordinate virtual programming including orientation and graduation checks.
• Facilitate district and state assessments for virtual students.
• Collaborate to hire, train, and mentor faculty; resolve online student issues.
• Provide faculty development to boost instructional technology competence.
• Collaborate to ensure learning programs meet standards and performance measures.
• Coordinate with vendors and IT to ensure effective online delivery and LMS management.
• Hire, supervise, and evaluate ASD staff.
• Maintain relationships with colleges and community partners for services.
• Align Title I funds and grants with strategic data-driven improvements.
• Work with Communications on marketing and outreach strategies.

Skills

Instructional design

Blended learning

Educational technology

Data analysis

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Master's degree in education or related field

Doctorate in Education preferred

Experience in online/virtual administration

Tools

Learning Management System

PowerSchool

Skyward

SapphireK12

Google Suite

Job description

• Master's degree in education, education administration, curriculum and instruction, instructional technology, digital learning, or a related field.
• Doctorate in Education preferred.
• Background in instructional design, blended learning models, or e-learning program development.
• Experience managing budgets, grants, and educational technology initiatives.
• Five (5) years or more of experience in school or central office administration, including experience in online/virtual environments.
• Demonstrated understanding of current practices and issues related to developing, maintaining, quality assurance, and expanding online education programs using instructional technologies and digital learning.
• Experience with accreditation and regulatory requirements associated with online learning
• Experience analyzing data to improve online enrollment, student outcomes, and the design and delivery of online instruction and programming
• Familiarity with state and federal regulations related to online education, data privacy, and accessibility.
• Technological proficiency with web applications, MS Office, Learning Management System (e.g.,), Google Suite, and analytics
• Experience collaborating with multiple stakeholders to solve complex problems effectively and efficiently
• Satisfactory work record & criminal/ child abuse clearances (Acts 34, 114, and 151)
• Additional or alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board or Superintendent may determine appropriate and acceptable.

Salary: $113,210-$158,494

Qualifications

• Master's degree in education, education administration, curriculum and instruction, instructional technology, digital learning, or a related field.
• Doctorate in Education preferred.
• Background in instructional design, blended learning models, or e-learning program development.
• Experience managing budgets, grants, and educational technology initiatives.
• Five (5) years or more of experience in school or central office administration, including experience in online/virtual environments.
• Demonstrated understanding of current practices and issues related to developing, maintaining, quality assurance, and expanding online education programs using instructional technologies and digital learning.
• Experience with accreditation and regulatory requirements associated with online learning
• Experience analyzing data to improve online enrollment, student outcomes, and the design and delivery of online instruction and programming
• Familiarity with state and federal regulations related to online education, data privacy, and accessibility.
• Technological proficiency with web applications, MS Office, Learning Management System (e.g.,), Google Suite, and analytics
• Experience using Student Information Systems (e.g., PowerSchool, Skyward, SapphireK12, etc.)
• Experience collaborating with multiple stakeholders to solve complex problems effectively and efficiently
• Satisfactory work record & criminal/ child abuse clearances (Acts 34, 114, and 151)
• Additional or alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board or Superintendent may determine appropriate and acceptable.

Note: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Summary

The Director of Virtual Education leads, develops, and manages the district's virtual and online learning initiatives. This role ensures high-quality digital learning experiences for students, oversees curriculum development, ensures compliance with state and federal guidelines, and provides leadership for instructional staff in online environments. The director collaborates with district leaders, educators, families, and community partners to expand access to virtual education opportunities.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and review of the online learning and instructional innovation plan and ensure its alignment with the Allentown School District (ASD) Strategic Plan.
• Oversee online scheduling, enrollment, policies, procedures, and practices in collaboration with ASD leadership, faculty, and other pertinent stakeholders.
• Directs, coordinates, and supervises the administration of all virtual programs to include all certified, professional, and support staff, assigning courses and students; assessing teacher performance; providing teacher professional development and coaching; and leading teacher recruitment.
• Coordinate and implement instructional design projects from inception to completion.
• Ensure online learning and programming meet standards set by state and federal regulations (e.g., FERPA, ADA) and FCC policies and procedures.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in the best practices in the design, development, and delivery of large-scale online educational programming, teaching, and learning.
• Oversee and monitor compliance with the vendor contract for the Virtual Campus program.
• Ensure compliance with licensing and copyright laws and regulations.
• Coordinates virtual programming by providing a student orientation, ongoing success coaching, providing graduation checks to high school students, and leading student recruitment efforts.
• Facilitates district and state assessments for virtual and alternative program students
• Collaborate with ASD leadership and internal stakeholders to manage the hiring, training, and mentoring of faculty/staff, resolve online student complaints, and ensure that faculty and student online support functions are aligned to promote student success.
• Provide faculty training and professional development that develops faculty instructional technology competence, supports best practices in instructional design, development, and delivery, and promotes instructional innovation in the use of learning technologies that enhance teaching and learning in online, hybrid, and web-enhanced instruction.
• Collaborates with the Office of Learning and Teaching to assure learning programs delivered virtually meet the same standards as other education programs (learning objectives, identification of competencies, performance measures, etc.).
• Collaborate with vendors to identify and provide quality learning opportunities.
• Collaborate with Information Technology leadership and internal stakeholders to ensure the effective online learning delivery through the LMS and the proper management and currency of the LMS, related software, and equipment.
• Hire, supervise, coordinate, and evaluate ASD staff.
• Establishes and maintains relationships with colleges, community organizations, and other schools to coordinate educational services.
• Works collaboratively with the Executive Director of Grants Development and other administrators to ensure that Title I funds, school improvement funds, and other grants or funding sources are linked to the strategic plan and the data reflecting student achievement needs that are used to inform continuous instructional improvement.
• Collaborates with the Director of Communications to develop and implement marketing and outreach strategy and materials.
• Identify emerging trends and conduct needs analyses that offer new programming and service opportunities.
• Collaborate with their supervisor to develop and monitor the program budget.
• Perform such other tasks and assume other responsibilities that may be assigned or delegated by the Superintendent and/or designee.