Director of Curriculum and Instructional Excellence, Humanities (3rd-5th)

Company Description

About KIPP Texas Public Schools

KIPP Texas Public Schools is a free, public charter school network with more than 45 Pre-K - 12 schools across Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. With over 30 years in Texas, we work together with our families and communities to prepare students for college, career, and beyond! Our schools provide a high-quality, well-rounded education built on academic success and personal growth, where all students learn and thrive in a productive, safe, and joyful way!

As one of the earliest charter networks in Texas-founded in Houston in 1994 and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018-we hire dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join a Team and Family with an unwavering commitment to creating classrooms, offices, and communities rooted in academic success and joy. If you are passionate about joining a mission-driven community that wants every child to "run to school," the KIPP Texas Team and Family is for you!

KIPP Public Schools is a national network of public charter schools that prepares students with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are a network of 278 schools with nearly 16,500 educators and 190,000 students and alumni.

Job Description

The Director of Curriculum and Instructional Excellence leads the work of strengthening teaching and learning across KIPP Texas schools, with a focused emphasis on campuses in transformation. This role is anchored in three core priorities: professional learning, deep curriculum expertise, and high-impact instructional coaching.

In this role, the Director serves as a content and curriculum expert within an assigned grade band and subject area, ensuring a clear and coherent understanding of KIPP Texas's adopted high-quality instructional materials with the ability to plan and support execution to excellence, including (but not limited to) Amplify Texas, Amplify ELAR Texas and HMH Into Literature. The Director develops deep expertise in these curricular frameworks and ensures their implementation with fidelity, rigor, and alignment to standards.

A central responsibility of this position is the design and facilitation of high-quality professional learning for teachers and school leaders. The Director plans and leads professional development experiences that strengthen content knowledge, build instructional capacity, and deepen understanding of curriculum execution. Through ongoing learning cycles, the Director supports leaders and teachers in internalizing what strong curriculum implementation looks like in practice.

The Director also provides direct, job-embedded coaching to teachers and instructional leaders. This includes modeling instruction, observing classrooms, providing actionable feedback, and strengthening leaders' coaching capacity. Coaching efforts focus on curriculum execution, effective instructional practices, and measurable progress toward student achievement goals.

Through data-driven progress monitoring, clear expectations for curriculum implementation, and sustained professional learning structures, the Director of Instructional Excellence plays a critical role in advancing instructional excellence and improving student outcomes across KIPP Texas campuses.

You know you are successful if you support your portfolio of schools to meet their KIPP Texas STAAR targets each year, leading to:

• Significant student growth and achievement across all student sub-populations
• 100% of schools in your portfolio achieve an A or B rating
• 100% of schools in your portfolio achieve 90/75/40 on the Reading STAAR
• 100% of schools in your portfolio achieve 90/75/40 on the Math STAAR

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Focus on Transformation: Demonstrate a deep desire and record of results to support schools with significant instructional transformation. Understand the research underpinning transforming school communities. Hold high expectations for themselves as well as the leaders and teachers at transformation campuses.
• Content Expert: Demonstrate instructional expertise and understanding of curricular frameworks, pedagogy, and instructional materials in an area of content expertise. You have experience effectively implementing KIPP Texas's chosen curricular products (such as, but not limited to) : Amplify Texas, Amplify ELAR Texas and HMH Into Literature, SAVVAS and McGraw Hill
• Effective Coach: Lead instructional improvement efforts on a portfolio of transformation schools (3-5 campuses) by planning and facilitating professional learning communities (PLCs), observing classroom instruction, and providing actionable feedback to both classroom teachers and school leaders

Effectively coach teachers to improve instructional effectiveness

Provide support to primary schools and secondary schools by:

• Partnering with the school-based leadership team, specifically by coaching assistant principals to impact with a focus on high-quality instruction & curriculum implementation
• Conducting individualized coaching sessions with teachers to observe classroom instruction, provide feedback, and collaboratively develop actionable strategies for improving instruction
• Leading teachers in setting clear, measurable instructional goals and providing ongoing guidance and support to help them achieve these goals through targeted observation and professional development
• Utilizing a strengths-based approach to identify and leverage teachers' existing skills and talents while also providing guidance and support in areas of improvement
• Establishing a supportive and trusting relationship with teachers and leaders built on mutual respect, open communication, and a commitment to professional growth
• Demonstrating a willingness to lead small group instruction within classrooms during the Crescendo season

Facilitate professional learning communities that drive instructional excellence

Provide support to transformation primary schools and priority secondary schools by:

• Planning & co-leading weekly content team meetings in assigned schools
• Leading school-based practice clinics & teach backs
• Providing targeted support and resources to teachers, supporting the implementation of evidence-based instructional strategies

Engage in continuous data analysis and action planning

Provide support to transformation primary schools and priority secondary schools by:

• Supporting transformational school leader managers & school leadership teams in progress monitoring actions that drive improvement in the areas of data-driven culture, curriculum implementation, and high-quality instruction that leads to teacher impact
• Crafting and executing organization-wide improvement plans in response to curriculum implementation data

• Coaching leaders and teachers on effective daily data practices, such as strategic monitoring, daily data dives, exit ticket trackers, etc.
• Analyzing school-specific data to identify trends and support the development of response plans
• Confidently speaking to formative student outcome data across portfolio campuses to support regional leaders in ongoing coaching and response plans

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree, relevant Master's degree in Education preferred
• Minimum of 3 years experience as a successful assistant principal, school leader, or full-time instructional coach
• Proven record of results driving instructional growth
• Deep knowledge of content and pedagogy in a specific content area. We are currently seeking content experts in K-5th ELA/SS, 6th-8th ELA/SS, and 9th-12th ELA/SS
• Preference will be given to candidates who have experience implementing the following curricular products: • Amplify Texas, Amplify ELAR Texas and HMH Into Literature.

COMPETENCY AND SKILLS:

Successful candidates must demonstrate a deep belief in the capacity of all students to achieve at high levels, demonstrate strong instructional expertise, and have the ability to work collaboratively with a diverse set of leaders and teachers to improve student achievement. Additionally,

• Exceptional ability to set clear metrics for success, monitor progress, and demonstrate persistence in overcoming obstacles to achieving short- and long-term goals.
• Exceptional leadership judgment, strategic thinking, and the ability to translate instructional expertise into practice while navigating ambiguity and complex situations.

• Exceptional ability to translate instructional expertise into practice
• Exceptional coaching skills that lead to improved instructional effectiveness
• High self-awareness, humility, and integrity

Physical Requirements:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The person in this position needs to be able to move about inside and outside the school throughout the workday.
• The candidate is expected to attend conferences, meetings and training sessions both virtually and in person within the Region.

Additional Requirements:

• Reliable transportation is needed for travel between campuses
• Ability to maintain emotional control under stress.
• Work with frequent interruptions.

Work Environment:

Hybrid work - This role will spend significant time in KIPP Texas schools with hybrid work options when not in classrooms.

Travel Requirements:

Moderate travel: Regular travel to school sites, regional offices or external locations for professional learning, meetings and other work related activities. Travel frequency may increase based on time of year. Travel time will range between 20% - 60% depending on the candidate's location.

Additional Information

What We Bring to the Table:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with coverage options for employees and their families.
• Competitive vacation and flexible paid time off (PTO) policies.
• Paid family leave.
• Flexible spending account or high-yield HSA.
• Employee assistance programs.
• KIPP also offers the following employee-paid benefits: legal plans, LifeLock identity protection, life insurance and disability insurance.

EEO:

KIPP Texas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KIPP Texas ensures equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability. Any individual needing assistance in making an application for any opening should contact the Talent Team.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job duties. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.