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Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600+ schools and employing approximately 40,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life.  In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity.  Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

 The Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services (ODLSS) provides the tools and resources to ensure that all diverse learners receive a high-quality public education that prepares students for success. Diverse Learners in our district refers to students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 Plans.  ODLSS works to support networks, schools, and families with all issues related to special education, including instruction, interventions, as well as legal and compliance support.  

 Job Summary: 

Reporting to the Deputy Chief of ODLSS, the Executive Director of ODLSS Instructional Operations will oversee the ODLSS Instructional Quality, and Citywide Assessment and School Assignment departments. This role will support the Directors in their collective work of ensuring appropriate data-based services are provided to students with disabilities and that state and federal regulations are implemented throughout the District. They will lead the directors in the management, development, and oversight of procedures, guidelines policies related to federal and state special education laws and regulations as well as instructional behavioral strategies.  

 This role is a critical part of the leadership team as it implements the strategic plan and transforms the Department into a best-practices organization.  

This role will assist in the targeted planning and implementation of the ODLSS strategic plan to increase high-quality standards in instruction and improve outcomes in schools for students with disabilities. The Executive Director will ensure consistent implementation of practices, and guide the District’s vision for special education. 

The Executive Director will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Leads the strategy, continuous improvement, and operations of the ODLSS Instructional Quality, and Citywide Assessment and School Assignment department
• Develops, leads, and supports high-functioning, collaborative teams of professionals, including managers, responsible for developing, implementing, and articulating clear, research-based approaches to their workConducts training for all key stakeholders to ensure they understand how the Citywide Assessment and School Assignment processes work and how to access related services
• Ensures compliance with all local, state, and/or federal guidelines and policies as they relate to screening and assessing eligibility for specialized services and/or assignment to specialized placements, per the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP)
• Establishes and maintains relationships with external agencies and community partners to expand and build support for the work of the Citywide Assessment and School Assignment teams
• Analyze and assess the implementation of instructional strategies to measure efficacy of professional learning provided and inform the ODLSS professional learning strategy  
• Develop protocols for progress monitoring of the Instructional Quality, Behavior, and Physical Restraint and Time Out support teams 
• Support the Physical Restraint and Time Out training and reporting strategy for the district
• Ensure the respective areas they support are following special education law and policies as well as best practice.
• Measures and evaluates school implementation and provides data and feedback to district administration and ODLSS senior leadership on an ongoing basis.
• Builds the capacity of district staff to effectively address issues related to services for students with disabilities, including the resolution of parent concerns.
• Coordinate, plan, implement, and evaluate training and professional growth experiences for assigned staff 
• Designs, develops, and manages processes and procedures in collaboration with content leads within ODLSS and with other District offices
• Collects, analyzes, and reports process and outcome data to continually gauge effectiveness and improve performance
• Collects and communicates key performance indicators with The Chief, Deputies, colleagues, school officials, board members, and the public as appropriate
• Monitors and helps report adherence to all compulsory rules and regulations 
• Other duties and workstreams as assigned 

  In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Executive Director must possess the following qualifications: 

 Education Required: 

• Master's degree in a relevant educational field from an accredited college or university, required
• Teaching certificate issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) with appropriate content and grade level endorsement(s), required
• Principal endorsement/valid State of Illinois General Administrative Certificate (Type 75), strongly preferred

Experience Required: 

• Minimum seven (7) years of experience in district leadership, case management or similar roles supporting diverse learners.
• Minimum five (5) years of supervisory experience. 
• Principal experience is strongly preferred 

 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Strong leadership, team building and communication skills (speaking, writing, and  listening) that create a team culture of high expectations and accountability for achieving  results that are timely, accurate, and complete 
• Fosters trust collaboration by seeking input and buy-in from stakeholders; builds and maintains strong relationships internally and externally 
• Strong leadership development and coaching ability to provide continual training for the team 
• Can establish clear, well-defined structures for monitoring progress toward desired outcomes 
• Ability to effectively lead a team of technically-skilled employees in an educational setting
• Strong leadership, team building and communication skills (speaking, writing, and listening)
• Ability to manage professionals, review work effectiveness, and develop colleagues’ skills as needed.
• Demonstrates ability to collaborate
• Collaboration skills to work effectively with a wide range of district personnel, families, and the general public
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement short and long term objectives
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Ability to effectively lead, organize, and direct the work of others
• Strong decision-making ability and resource management skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent skills in data collection and analysis,  interpretation, report writing, and presentations
• Knowledge of research and evaluation methodologies
• Knowledge of data systems including enterprise data warehouses and student information systems
• Ability to handle multiple concurrent activities, work under pressure, and prioritize work effectively to meet deadlines
• Proven ability to make recommendations on various topics, detailed, controversial, simple or complex.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt as needed between in-person, virtual, and hybrid environments
• Capable of managing large, high-priority projects and programs within a large, complex organization
• Knowledge of district policies and procedures is preferred 

 Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency -Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.
• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 -Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. “Up-to-date” on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.