Director, Strategy, Curriculum, and School Supports (English Lea

District of Columbia Public Schools; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

District of Columbia Public Schools seeks a Director, Strategy, Curriculum, and School Supports (English Learners) to shape ESL program evaluation and strengthen district services for ELs from PK-12. You will lead curriculum direction, instruction, data use, and school supports in collaboration with content and instructional leaders.

You will coordinate ESL services across models, ensure testing accommodations, and analyze student and school data to improve ESL instruction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and five to seven years of related work experience.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Commitment to educational equity and increased access to high-quality educational experiences for traditionally underserved communities.
• Expert knowledge of language development and standards (WIDA) and research-based instructional practices.
• Experience in ESL program evaluations and implementing adjustments based on recommendations.
• Comfort with prototyping, agile development, and stakeholder feedback cycles.

Responsibilities

• Define ESL program vision and goals to ensure vertical alignment of support.
• Manage Title III and Language Acquisition budgets to support EL student achievement.
• Collaborate with instructional senior staff on walkthroughs, observations, data reviews, and curriculum alignment.
• Ensure alignment in instruction, assessment, and curriculum modification across content areas.
• Coordinate ESL services across school models and testing accommodations for ELs.
• Develop and oversee district-wide professional development for educators working with English Learners.

Skills

ESL program eval

Agile development

Data analysis

Education equity

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Job Title: Director, Strategy, Curriculum, and School Supports (English Learners)

The mission of the OfficeofTeaching and Learning (OTL) is to provide educators with curricular resources, academic programs, and aligned professional development to ensure rigorous and joyful learning experiences foreverystudent. OTL team members support school-based staff in implementing DCPS's existing academic programs while simultaneously working to rethink and redesign school programming, academic and curricular resources, and educator professional development.

Divisions/Teams

TheContent and Curriculumdivision sets the vision for equity and excellence for each content area in DCPS schools by researching, creating, and curating curricular materials and providing aligned professional development experiences to ensure that all students have access to rigorous and joyful learning experiences every day in every content area. The division also supportsschools and develops curriculum and programming in arts, health, physical education, library programs, STEM, global programs, advanced andenriched instruction, and curriculum andassessmentinnovation.

TheEarly ChildhoodEducationdivision supports schools andfamilies in providingPreKstudents withcomprehensivelearningexperiencesthat foster confidenceand independence.Approximately 6,000 childrenagesthree to five attend early childhood classrooms in 78 elementary schools across the district, including several schools thatoffer Head Start programming.Thedivisionalso manages Early Stagesprogramming whichworks exclusively with children ages 2 years 8 months through 5 years 10 months and is responsible for meeting the District’s obligation under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B (619) to develop a comprehensive child findsystemto identify and locate all preschool-age children in the District who have a disability.Thedivision alsomanages theimplementation ofDCPS' Head Startgrant.

TheLanguage Acquisitiondivisionwelcomes families of linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds to DCPS, leads the process ofidentifyingMultilingual Learner students, and supports schools in developing programs that supports English language acquisition and academic growth.This includes support during the academic day and as part of ELSAP, which is a targeted summer program for ML students. The LAD also manages DCPS compliance with the DC Language Access Act, providing translation and interpretation resources to school and central teams.

TheProfessional Learning and EducationalTechnologydivision sets a vision for professional development for DCPS as well as createssystems, tools, and structures to increase the efficacy of professional learning initiatives. This work includes LEAP, cluster-based PD, districtPDand other learning opportunities. The team works across all DCPSoffices to increase the cohesion of professional development and broad sharing of knowledge, while exploring new avenues and opportunities for meaningful development and learning for our educators. The team also leads efforts to enhance alignment and cohesion of professional learning initiatives and the integration of educational technology.

The Specialized Instructiondivision works to reduce the opportunity gap between students with IEPs and their non-disabled peers; and increases equity and excellence in schools through specific academic programming, related services, professional learning, school leadership development, family engagement, dispute resolution, and community partnerships.

TheLanguage Acquisitiondivisionwelcomes families of linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds to DCPS, leads the process ofidentifyingMultilingual Learner students, and supports schools in developing programs that supports English language acquisition and academic growth.This includes support during the academic day and as part of ELSAP, which is a targeted summer program for ML students. The LAD also manages DCPS compliance with the DC Language Access Act, providing translation and interpretation resources to school and central teams.

The Director, Strategy, Curriculum, and School Supports will have a unique opportunity to shape the ESL program evaluation for the district to strengthen services and supports for schools as they support English Learners (ELs) towards increased linguistic and academic achievement. The Director will set the direction of curriculum, instruction, data, and school supports for ELs, from grades PK-12. The Director will collaborate with content area directors, principals, and instructional superintendents in order to discuss curriculum, instruction, data, assessment, and school supports that greatly impact student achievement. The Director will be responsible for creating and maintaining systems to identify students who are entitled to ESL services, coordinating the ESL services across unique school models, ensuring that appropriate testing accommodations and exemptions are in place for students who are English Learners, and organizing and analyzing student and school data in order to increase the effectiveness of ESL services and instruction of English Learners in DCPS.

This position has been designated as Protection Sensitive. Pursuant to section 410 of Chapter 4 of the D.C. Personnel Regulations; in addition to the general suitability screening, individuals applying for or occupying protection sensitive positions are subject to the following checks and tests: Criminal background check; Sex Offender Registry check; Traffic record check (as applicable).

The Director, Strategy, Curriculum, and School Supports (English Learners) will report to the Deputy Chief, Language Acquisition Division.

Position Overview

The mission of the OfficeofTeaching and Learning (OTL) is to provide educators with curricular resources, academic programs, and aligned professional development to ensure rigorous and joyful learning experiences foreverystudent. OTL team members support school-based staff in implementing DCPS's existing academic programs while simultaneously working to rethink and redesign school programming, academic and curricular resources, and educator professional development.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned.

• Works with the Executive Director, Director of Academic Program, and instructional unit to define the vision and goals of the ESL program of DCPS in order to ensure vertical alignment of support and supplemental resources provided under Title III.
• Works withthe Executive Director andDirector of Academic Program to manage Title III Budget and Language Acquisition budget to leverage resources and funding to increase student achievement of ELs.
• Works in collaboration with instructional superintendents with cluster-wide and/or school-specific priorities by co-facilitating instructional walk-throughs, observations and debrief, and data reviews of teacher practice and student outcomes.
• Works in collaboration with content area directors to ensure alignment in instruction, assessment, and curriculum modification and amplification.
• Works in collaboration with Data and Strategy team, as well as leaders of the Equity and MTSS teams, to ensure data alignment and instructional integration of equity and anti-racist theory of education.
• Facilitates instructional unit working with Canvas Course Companion (CCCs), Required Curricular Tasks (RCTs), curriculum development, and grade level resources to ensure high-quality and rigorous instruction for ELs.
• Works in collaboration with principals in building their Comprehensive School Plan (CSP) to ensure that EL goals and action plans are integrated and prioritized in every school in the district.
• Facilitates online licenses (e.g., Imagine Learning, English 3D, Wida Model Online, etc.) and instructional contracts, such as International Academy and Ellevation data platform, to ensure data driven decision-making which impacts student achievement.
• Facilitates monitoring of English Language Learner plans and goals via the Ellevation Platform.
• ManagesESL Fellows working on summer projects and other special projects assigned.
• Facilitates instructional unit working sessions to provide a time for reflection and increased focus on district strategic priorities and initiatives.
• Works with other DCPS Offices in order to construct and support a district-wide professional development plan that will support all teachers in developing expertise in working with English Learners.
• Plans and facilitates district-wide meetings and professional development for educators and school leaders regarding ESL services and best practices for English Learners, including workshops for new staff members, and whole-school staff and district PD Day workshop options.
• Ensures LAD participation in DCPS leadership meetings to ensure that the needs of ELs are considered when determining district strategic priorities and initiatives.
• Develops and oversees unique programming and supports for Newcomer Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE).
• Develops and oversees unique programming and supports for Long-Term English Learners (LTELS).
• Establishes the priorities for Title III spending at the school level and ensures DCPS success in Title III compliance monitoring.
• Manages any Title III contracts for services, including service evaluation and implementation needs.
• Evaluates and coaches elementary, middle, and high school ESL managers of the LAD instructional unit team.
• Participates in OSSE compliance reviews and monitoring.
• Supports the Executive Director and Director of Academic Programming, with work related to compliance with the Title III grants in grades PK-12.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and five to seven years of related work experience.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to educational equity and increased access to high-quality educational experiences for traditionally underserved communities.
• Expert knowledge of language development, including command of WIDA Language Development Standards, relevant Common Core State Standards, research-based instructional practices, adult learning theory, elements of effective professional development, and best practices in facilitation and coaching.
• Experience in conducting ESL program evaluations and implementing adjustments based on recommendations.
• Comfort with prototyping, agile development, and feedback cycles with a variety of stakeholders.
• High attention to detail and clarity in written and verbal expression.
• Excellent organization, data analysis, and strategic planning skills.
• Ability to thrive in dynamic and ever-changing environments.

DCPS Values

• STUDENTS FIRST: We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do.
• COURAGE: We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success.
• EQUITY: We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds.
• EXCELLENCE: We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions.
• TEAMWORK: We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically.
• JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other.

We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive, accessible workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals with disabilities. Accommodation and/or application assistance is available upon request at all stages of the application and employment process. To request accommodation, please contact [e-mail].