CAVA - Director of Information and Program Evaluation

CALIFORNIA VIRTUAL ACADEMY AT LOS ANGELES•Simi Valley, CA

2d•Remote

About The Position

The California Virtual Academies (CAVA) is a network of 9 public charter schools providing online/virtual home-based instruction to students in grades TK-12. CAVA utilizes K12, Inc. as its curriculum provider and teachers deliver live instruction via the Engageli platform. While offering some scheduling flexibility, students are required to log in daily, complete coursework, and attend instructional sessions. The Director of Information and Program Evaluation, under the direction of the Head of Schools, provides organization-wide leadership in four key areas: state and federal reporting and accountability, instructional program evaluation, internal data systems development, and departmental administration and management. This role offers strategic, technical, and supervisory oversight of Information and Program Evaluation staff to ensure accurate and actionable data systems that support instructional excellence, equity, accountability, and continuous improvement. The Director is crucial in translating complex data into meaningful insights and aligning data infrastructure, analysis, and reporting with organizational priorities, LCAP goals, and Board-adopted plans.

Requirements

Master’s degree in educational research, evaluation, data science, information systems, or a related field required.
Five or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in data, research, assessment, or a related field.
Minimum two years of leadership or management experience.
Valid California driver’s license or equivalent transportation.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
Experience using a student information system and/or other types of database software.
Experience moderating web meetings for small and large groups.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate (Ed.D. or Ph.D.) preferred.
Administrative Services Credential desirable.
Data privacy certification (e.g., IAPP CIPP/US or equivalent) desirable.

Responsibilities

Provide organization-wide leadership across state and federal reporting and accountability, instructional program evaluation, internal data systems development, and departmental administration and management.
Provide direct strategic, technical, and supervisory oversight of Information and Program Evaluation staff.
Ensure cohesive, accurate, and actionable data systems that support instructional excellence, equity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Translate complex data into meaningful insights and ensure data infrastructure, analysis, and reporting are aligned to organizational priorities, LCAP goals, and Board-adopted plans.
Directly supervise and evaluate Information and Program Evaluation staff, and oversee consultants, vendors, and external research partners.
Establish clear roles, expectations, workflows, and performance metrics for all staff within the office.
Ensure timely and accurate submission of all required state and federal reports (e.g., LCAP, Title I, ESSA, special education compliance reporting).
Align data systems, assessment practices, and reporting workflows to LCAP goals, Title I requirements, and other state and federal accountability frameworks.
Ensure integration, accuracy, security, and ethical use of data in all compliance-related functions.
Establish and enforce data governance, data quality, privacy, and confidentiality standards in accordance with state and federal law (including FERPA and COPPA).
Support executive leadership and the Boards of Directors with accountability analyses, forecasts, and presentations.
Serve as the organization’s primary point of contact with the California Department of Education and other regulatory agencies on data and reporting matters.
Manage special education data reporting in coordination with the SELPA and relevant instructional staff.
Ensure data systems and records are audit-ready, maintaining accurate, complete, and defensible documentation.
Support state and federal student data submissions (including CALPADS) and assessment program administration.
Direct formative and summative program evaluations aligned to the organization’s strategic priorities and instructional goals.
Oversee research studies evaluating the effectiveness, equity, and impact of instructional programs and interventions.
Lead advanced data analysis to identify trends, achievement gaps, and areas for instructional improvement.
Prepare evaluation reports and board presentations with clear findings and actionable recommendations.
Serve as a key advisor to executive and instructional leadership in the development, monitoring, and refinement of the organization’s strategic plan.
Establish measurable outcomes, performance indicators, and monitoring frameworks to track progress toward strategic and instructional objectives.
Lead the use of data and evaluation findings to inform long-range planning, program design, resource allocation, and organizational improvement.
Promote a culture of data-informed, strategically aligned decision-making across instructional departments.
Provide professional development on data literacy and continuous improvement practices for instructional and administrative staff.
Oversee the preparation and publication of student outcomes reports for families and the public.
Lead disaggregated data analysis by student subgroup to identify and address equity gaps in student outcomes.
Provide leadership for organization-wide information and data systems, ensuring they are scalable, integrated, and aligned to organizational needs.
Collaborate with third-party Technology Services providers and instructional departments to support strategic and operational data needs.
Design and maintain dashboards and reports aligned to strategic goals and accessible to relevant stakeholders.
Develop and implement data infrastructure improvements that increase the organization’s capacity for self-service reporting and real-time decision support.
Monitor operational effectiveness of data systems and recommend improvements.
Manage relationships with software vendors and platform providers, including contract oversight, renewals, and performance evaluation.
Develop and deliver training and onboarding for staff on internal data systems, tools, and reporting platforms.
Develop and administer departmental budgets aligned to strategic priorities.
Recruit, onboard, and retain high-performing staff within the Information and Program Evaluation office.
Collaborate across departments and represent the organization externally at conferences, with authorizing agencies, and with peer organizations.
Maintain compliance with applicable organizational policies and applicable law.