Executive Director, English Learner Instructional Development

Chicago Public Schools•Chicago, IL

48d•Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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

Nice To Haves

Doctoral Degree in Education with a study focus on bilingualism or second language acquisition, preferred
Experience presenting to various stakeholders in more than one language preferred

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