Chief Academic Officer

Chief Academic Officer

The Pawtucket School Department seeks an accomplished instructional leader to serve as Chief Academic Officer (CAO) and chief architect of the district's Teaching & Learning system. Reporting directly to the Superintendent, the CAO serves as the Superintendent's senior academic leader and is accountable for establishing and driving a coherent districtwide academic strategy that defines what students should learn, what high-quality instruction should look like, how educators are supported to deliver it, and how the district determines whether its strategy is producing improved outcomes for students. The CAO leads PSD's Office of Teaching & Learning and ensures coherence across curriculum and instruction, multilingual learner education, Special Education instructional programming, professional learning and talent development, elementary literacy, career and technical education/applied learning, academic assessment and instructional data use, Tier 1 instruction, and MTSS instructional strategy.

Core Responsibilities:

1. Serve as Chief Architect of PSD's Academic Strategy

2. Lead and Strengthen the Office of Teaching & Learning

3. Establish Academic Leadership and Organizational Alignment

4. Integrate MLL and Special Education Into the Academic Core

5. Build a Coherent Professional Learning and Talent Development Strategy

6. Connect Teaching & Learning to School Performance

7. Lead Academic Performance, Assessment, and Continuous Improvement

8. Align Instructional Resources and Grant-Funded Academic Investments

9. Ensure PreK-12 Academic Coherence

10. Leadership, Partnership, and Communication

Leadership Relationships and Organizational Alignment: The Chief Academic Officer works in close partnership with the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Director of Curriculum, School Performance leadership, and other members of the Senior Leadership Team to ensure coherence between district academic strategy, instructional systems, school implementation, and organizational supports. The CAO establishes and leads the district's academic strategy and instructional priorities. The Director of Curriculum leads the curriculum, HQCM, and implementation systems that operationalize that strategy. School Performance leadership supervises principals and monitors school-level implementation. The Assistant Superintendent retains a significant districtwide leadership portfolio and partners with the CAO where people, resources, programs, grants, policy, compliance, and academic priorities intersect. The CAO reports directly to the Superintendent and serves as the senior leader accountable for the coherence and effectiveness of the district's Teaching & Learning system.

Qualifications:

Required:

•Master's degree in Education, Educational Leadership, Curriculum & Instruction, or a closely related field.

•Rhode Island District Administrator certification or eligibility for appropriate district-level certification.

•Significant successful leadership experience at the school and/or district level, including leadership of academic departments, instructional improvement, or systemwide teaching and learning.

•Demonstrated ability to develop and execute an academic strategy across multiple schools and departments.

•Demonstrated knowledge of curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional learning, multilingual learner education, Special Education, and continuous improvement.

•Experience using student outcomes and implementation evidence to drive organizational and instructional decisions.

•Demonstrated ability to establish clear roles, accountability, and cross-functional operating routines.

Preferred:

•Doctorate in Education or related field.

•Experience in an urban or similarly complex school district.

•Experience leading large-scale curriculum/HQCM implementation, literacy improvement, school improvement, or academic transformation.

•Experience working with state education agencies, federal programs, grants, labor partners, and governance bodies.

•Bi-lingual proficiency.

Leadership Profile: PSD seeks a systems-oriented instructional leader who can translate academic vision into clear priorities and measurable action; build the capacity of leaders and teams; use evidence to drive continuous improvement; champion rigorous and accessible instruction for every learner; and communicate effectively across schools, departments, governance bodies, labor partners, families, and the community.

EEO Statement: Pawtucket School Department is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. PSD does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, color, disability or veteran status. All programs are open to all individuals, regardless of their race, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, color, disability or veteran status. THIS JOB SPECIFICATION SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED TO IMPLY THAT THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE THE EXCLUSIVE STANDARDS OF THE POSITION. INCUMBENTS MAY BE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW ANY OTHER INSTRUCTIONS, AND TO PERFORM ANY OTHER RELATED DUTIES AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT.