School Improvement Coordinator

State of Colorado•Denver, CO

53d•Hybrid

About The Position

Are you passionate about educational reform and school improvement? Are you interested in using your school leadership skills to support schools across the state? In this role, you'll support schools identified for support and improvement under ESSA, working closely with a collaborative, hardworking, and mission-driven team. Together, you'll help implement school improvement strategies that elevate student outcomes. Join a dedicated and passionate group of professionals who identify effective practices, share them across schools and districts, and support educators in adapting those strategies to meet the unique needs of their communities. This role helps improve schools across Colorado by working with districts that receive federal education funding. In partnership with others at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), this position supports schools that have been identified for support and improvement under the federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). They provide guidance and resources to school districts, helping them use federal programs effectively-especially Title I and Title II programs, which focus on student achievement and teacher development. They collaborate with other teams and programs to make sure schools get the support they need to succeed. The successful candidate will be able to serve in multiple roles and balance a variety of responsibilities. The final salary is anticipated to fall within the posted salary range, however could be higher or lower depending on the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other qualifications of the preferred candidate while considering internal equity.

Requirements

Master's degree from an accredited college in education, education leadership, education policy, or public policy.
Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of education, education leadership, education policy, or public policy experience can substitute for a Master's degree.
A Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school.
Bachelor's degree plus five years of experience in an education law position, such as a paralegal, can substitute for a Juris Doctorate
At least 5 years experience working in K-12 education setting, particularly in a school leadership or district-level position, or working with education law/policy.
Deep knowledge of federal education policy and legislation, including ESSA-especially Title II, Part A, educator effectiveness, equity, accountability, and improvement planning.
Experience in developing and implementing improvement strategies.
Strong understanding of Colorado's education system and district structures.
Skilled in developing and delivering high quality professional development.
Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills; able to communicate complex information clearly to varied audiences.
Demonstrated ability to analyze data and provide technical assistance at state, district, school, and student levels.
Effective collaborator across diverse teams and stakeholders, even in challenging contexts.
Strategic thinker with a systems-level approach to problem-solving.
Highly organized, adaptable, and able to balance quality with productivity.
Proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Must be willing and able to submit to the pre-screening process and pass a background check.
Ability and willingness to independently determine, obtain means, and complete required travel (percentage 10%)- some overnights
Work extended schedule per business needs
Report to work location per business needs
Valid Driver's License Required: Required to safely operate a motor vehicle to complete travel requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience in developing and/or reviewing school or district Unified Improvement Plans (UIPs).
Experience conducting or participating in federal monitoring.

Responsibilities

Leads coordination and implementation of ESSA-related school improvement efforts in partnership with the School Quality and Success Division and other units.
Guides LEAs in designing and executing improvement strategies for schools identified under ESSA: Comprehensive Support (CS), Targeted Support (TS), and Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATS).
Provides training, technical assistance, and feedback on: (1) Effective use of federal funds for school improvement. (2) Conducting comprehensive needs assessments. (3) Integrating Title I Schoolwide program requirements into planning. (4) Addressing resource inequities and conducting Resource Allocation Reviews.
Serves as a subject matter expert on resource inequities, ensuring LEAs allocate resources effectively to support improvement strategies.
Regularly reviews and updates: (1) Quality Criteria and aligned rubrics, including Title I Schoolwide and ESSA planning requirements.
(2) Public-facing ESSA Improvement Planning documents and guidance. (3) Reviewer feedback dissemination processes to LEAs.
Collaborates with the Federal Programs and Supports Unit to ensure planning processes meet federal requirements and align with program effectiveness goals.
Tracks CS UIP review findings, identifies trends, and develops targeted support and training for long-term identified schools.
Oversees implementation of more rigorous actions and EASI grants for CS schools not meeting exit criteria within three years.
Coordinates with internal units (e.g., School and District Transformation, Dropout Prevention, Schools of Choice) to monitor and support rigorous interventions.
Develops grant opportunities to sustain continuous improvement in long-term identified schools.
Hosts at least two annual convenings and progress monitoring events for LEAs and schools.
Participates in cross-departmental teams to share federal requirements and develop cohesive strategies for high-needs districts.
Provides technical assistance and consultation on planning requirements for targeted schools.
Serves as a regional liaison, providing targeted technical assistance to LEAs and BOCES on plan development, needs assessments, application revisions, and program implementation. Reviews and approves ESEA Consolidated Applications.
Develops and delivers professional development on effective fund use.
Supports coordination of federal, state, and local resources to enhance program quality and impact.
Serves as the Title II, Part A expert for monitoring and application review teams; supports administration and oversight of other ESEA programs. Leads desk and onsite monitoring reviews, including evidence reviews for Student Performance, School Improvement, Equitable ~ ~ Distribution of Teachers, and Title II, Part A; produces written reports and supports LEAs in implementing corrective actions.
Develops and delivers guidance, training, technical assistance, and feedback to LEAs on effective use of Title II, Part A funds to improve educator qualifications and ensure compliance.
Periodically reviews and updates monitoring protocols, indicators, and publicly available Title I and Title II, Part A resources.
Collaborates with others in the unit to meet federal and public reporting requirements related to Title II, Part A.
Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director of the Federal Programs and Supports Unit or the Program Monitoring Supervisor.

Benefits

Flexible work schedules and flexible workplace options that may include flexible working hours, working from home, working in the office, and/or a hybrid working environment.
Premier medical, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance options. All with a generous employer contribution keeping employee costs as low as possible.
Employer paid short-term disability and life insurance
Up to 160 hours of Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML)
11 paid holidays per year
Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals
Retirement through the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) www.copera.org
Employer paid RTD Eco Pass (certain restrictions may apply)
Paid professional development opportunities

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