Executive Director, English Learner Instructional Development (Chicago)

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600+ schools and employing approximately 40,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Office of Multilingual-Multicultural Education (OMME) exists to guide CPS in providing a high-quality education for all language learners that is attentive to a culturally and linguistically diverse community of students, families, and educators. OMME aims to achieve its mission through strategic planning, collaborative partnerships, professional development, and the production of tools and resources to improve instruction.

Job Summary:

The Executive Director of English Learner Instructional Development will lead OMME’s efforts in enhancing the educational experience of English Learners (ELs) and promoting bilingual education excellence. This role will oversee the development, implementation, and evaluation of EL and bilingual best practices in instructional programs, as well as the integration of high-quality curricula such as Skyline. The Executive Director will play a pivotal role in setting and executing OMME's vision for educational excellence by providing strategic direction and support to educators, administrators, Network teams, and other stakeholders. This position will lead a team of direct reporting professionals and will report to the Chief of OMME.

The Executive Director, English Learner Instructional Development will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing improvement of a district-wide strategy for ensuring high-quality EL and bilingual instruction in alignment with district goals and bilingual and educational best practices
• Engage in cross-departmental collaboration with department leaders, subject matter experts and instructional leaders to collaborate in the development of a strategic plan regarding the development of curriculum materials and instructional tools to support the achievement of educational excellence for EL students
• Advocate for equity and accessibility in the curriculum and inclusion of required EL program components in Tier 1 instruction
• Collaborate on the design and updating of curriculum materials, resources, and assessments, ensuring that instructional programs for ELs are built on the strong foundation of required and research-proven EL program components, provided by highly qualified and appropriately endorsed educators
• In collaboration with CIDL and Literacy, oversee the development and continual improvement of the Skyline Spanish Language Arts (SLA/ALE) curriculum
• Oversee the design and delivery of comprehensive professional development (PD) programs for teachers, instructional staff, and administrators, ensuring PD offerings enhance and/or implement new teaching methodologies and instructional strategies aligned with English language development standards and best practices around EL and bilingual education
• Connect and collaborate directly with network and school leaders to support the implementation of curriculum and instructional strategies
• Guide and inform the design and delivery of comprehensive professional development programs for teachers and administrators, ensuring that instructional programs for ELs are built on the solid foundation of required and research-proven EL program components provided by highly qualified and appropriately endorsed educators
• Analyze and report on student performance data to identify strengths and areas for improvement in instructional practices and student achievement; utilize data insights to inform strategic decisions, driving improvement and student success
• Support the development and implementation of regular assessment and feedback mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional programs and initiatives
• Monitor the progress of instructional goals and objectives
• Create and lead the design of a shift in practice to a coaching support model where OMME Network specialists support English Language Program Teachers (ELPTs) ELPTs via coaching in best EL instructional practices
• Provide guidance and support to OMME Network Specialists and oversee instructional coaching, mentoring, and classroom observations
• Supervise, develop, and manage the performance of a team of direct reports,, including feedback, coaching, and support in achieving team and individual goals; establish and maintain high standards for team output, deliverables, and overall performance
• Collaborate with the Director of EL Network Support and the Director of EL instructional practice to improve instructional practices across the district
• Lead the development of tools and practices to support interventions for ELs
• Promote differentiated instruction and inclusive practices to meet the diverse learning needs of students
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional growth among educators
• Collaborate with other OMME teams to ensure a connection to parent and community engagement
• Collaborate with OMME internal teams on budget planning and allocation for curriculum development, professional development, instructional materials, and special projects
• Other duties and workstreams as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Executive Director, English Learner Instructional Development must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

• Master’s Degree in Education is required
• Valid Professional Educator License (PEL) issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) with bilingual and/or ESL and administrative endorsements is required
• Doctoral Degree in Education with a study focus on bilingualism or second language acquisition, preferred

Experience Required:

• Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant professional leadership experience working with bilingual programs in the education field, including the following, is required:
• Minimum of five (5) years of classroom teaching experience
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience managing a team of direct reports as well as district-wide strategic initiatives
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience working with adult learners, including creating, organizing, and facilitating professional learning experiences to meet the needs of participants
• Experience managing budgets or grant-funded programs
• Experience presenting to various stakeholders in more than one language preferred

Other Requirements:

• Access to reliable transportation to travel to schools and other locations throughout the district is required
• Bilingual/multilingual required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• In-depth understanding of federal, state, and district policies around programs and instruction for English learners
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with a variety of constituent groups, including internal and external partners, to ensure the entire system operates in the most effective manner possible to support schools and principals
• Effective strategic planning capabilities, including the ability to establish long-term vision and goals, and align/manage activities toward goal fulfillment
• Strong leadership and team building skills, e.g. ability to develop high-performing teams united around a clear vision for serving schools and achieving student success
• Demonstrate high levels of instructional expertise, integrity, honesty, credibility, and the courage to make difficult yet necessary decisions
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and strategic thinking skills; Ability to define problems, analyze data, and outline valid conclusions and action steps
• Excellent time and project management and organizational skills; capable of managing multiple projects/priorities simultaneously, problem-solving, and delegating as situations dictate
• Self-lead learner capable of recognizing failures as an opportunity for growth, and learning from mistakes to improve conditions for working and learning as team
• Proficient in the use of a range of technology tools and software (e.g, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and Mac programs/applications)

Benefits:

Health & Wellness: Your Care, Your Choice

CPS is committed to providing comprehensive health coverage to our employees and their eligible dependents. You'll have access to a variety of choices to best fit your needs:

• Medical Plan Options
• Pharmacy
• Dental
• Vision
• Behavioral Health & EAP
• Employee Wellness Program

Financial Security: Planning for Today and Tomorrow

We understand the importance of financial stability, which is why CPS offers strong retirement an]]> <