Senior Executive Director of Data and Accountability (Anticipated Vacancy) (SY26-27)

The Senior Executive Director of Data and Accountability is responsible for the planning, coordination and overall implementation of research, evaluation, data reporting, testing and accountability services, projects and activities in the district with emphasis on improved decision making and accountability to advance the mission of the Boston Public Schools. The position will have a particular emphasis on directing the district's data collection and analysis system by facilitating and supporting the maximum use of data in continuous improvement efforts of district and school teams., The Senior Executive Director will a oversee a team of more than 20 employees and manage essential functions aligned with the five priorities of the Office of Data and Accountability (ODA) to ensure the alignment of ODA to BPS's Opportunity and Achievement Gap Policy, strategic plan, and its commitment to becoming a culturally and linguistically sustaining, anti-racist institution.

• Provide high-quality, relevant, and timely data and reports to all stakeholders in BPS.
• Lead an ambitious research agenda that advances educational equity, opportunity, and achievement for all students.
• Define, articulate, and support a comprehensive assessment strategy for BPS.
• Provide differentiated data inquiry support to schools districtwide.
• Build and foster the necessary culture for a performance management system in BPS.

The Senior Executive Director will also serve as a strategic advisor to the Superintendent, Chief Accountability Officer and other members of the Superintendent's Executive Team in making data-driven policy decisions., Department and Division Leadership

• Lead execution of department strategic vision and day-to-day operations.
• Directly supervise ODA Directors and additional staff members, as needed. Hold regular supervisory and project check-ins with designated staff members, provide ongoing feedback to ensure continued professional growth and excellence, and serve as a thought partner and advisor.
• Collaborate with other department heads within the Accountability Division to ensure cohesion across the division.
• Oversee planning and facilitation of department meetings in partnership with the ODA leadership team.
• Represent the department and the district in meetings, at events, in working groups with external and internal partners, and to stakeholders.
• Oversee department hiring, budgeting, and policy-making.
• Perform other duties as requested by the Assistant Superintendent of School Support and the Chief Accountability Officer

Data Reporting, Research and Evaluation

• Identify areas for new analyses that are aligned to the district's strategic plan and provide actionable insights to leadership to inform policy recommendations.
• Inform the development of and operationalization of the district strategic plan by overseeing thoughtful, rigorous data analysis to answer key questions in areas including equity and opportunity gaps within student academic performance, resource allocation, and college, career and life readiness.
• Establish the district's research agenda to ensure research projects benefit the BPS and advance educational equity, opportunity, and achievement for all students.
• Serve as the district's liaison with DESE in all matters related to data reporting, accountability and assessment, and advocate for policy changes as necessary.
• Approve all external data sharing for programmatic and evaluative purposes on behalf of the district.

Assessment Strategy

• Support the development of a coherent and aligned system of high-quality assessments that produce meaningful data, have clearly-articulated purposes, represent appropriate rigor, and are valued by educators, students, and families.
• Oversee procurement of high-quality assessments that result in a comprehensive and balanced assessment system.
• Collaborate with members of the Academics Division in order to ensure coordination and seamless alignment of curriculum and assessment.

Strategic Use of Data

• Support schools and district leadership in reaching goals by designing and implementing a planned program of evaluation, accountability, and assessment structures related to the ongoing development of instructional and other student-related programs.
• In coordination with other central office services, support the strategic and differentiated deployment of Data Inquiry Facilitators to schools based on student need as well as adult and operational readiness. Support monitoring of implementation fidelity in the subset of schools receiving intensive coaching.
• Serve as a strategic advisor, functional expert and thought partner to cabinet members and the district executive team regarding practical data use, strategies, initiatives, and issues.
• Facilitate data-driven conversations with key district leaders about how to improve school performance, and support network-level continuous improvement cycles within school networks, centered on aligned system goals.

School Level Support

• Directs the district's data collection and analysis system by facilitating and supporting the maximum use of data in continuous improvement efforts of district and school teams.
• Trains school and district personnel in the retrieval of data from the central student database and databases linked to it.
• Serves as a resource person in planning and conducting in-service activities for the improvement of teaching practices in the areas of test construction, test administration, and test result evaluation.
• Responsible for the planning, coordination and overall implementation of research, evaluation, testing and accountability services, projects and activities in the district with emphasis on improved decision making and accountability.
• Establish procedural guidelines for the accurate collection of student enrollment, attendance, and discipline data.
• Develops, implements, and analyzes assessments to determine learning mastery and review data to determine trends.

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum of 5 years experience analyzing K-12 education data.
• Minimum of 2 years supervisory experience managing a team to achieve ambitious outcomes.
• Proficiency in at least one coding language, preferably SQL, Stata or R.
• Strong analytic and data systems management skills, and attention to detail.
• Experience coaching others to adjust and improve their work processes, both in supervisory positions and in positions without formal positional authority.
• Ability and demonstrated experience facilitating user centered design processes, gathering and responding to feedback from users over the course of a project.
• Commitment to the belief that all students can learn and to the mission of educational equity.
• Excellent time management skills, experience balancing competing priorities, and prioritizing resources.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally and think at a systems level
• Strong customer service focus
• The ability to explain complex analytical concepts to lay persons in clear and concise easy to understand terms.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills as demonstrated by the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with principals, teachers, colleagues, and diverse community members
• Track record of success in a complex organization reflecting proactive problem-solving.
• An understanding of and commitment to gain greater understanding of what is necessary for an urban school system to demonstrate continuous improvement in an increasingly complex and competitive environment.
• Demonstrate capability to work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders, such as school- based staff, central administration staff, families, youth, community members, community agencies and other essential partners while remaining student-centered, prioritizing racial equity and managing competing demands.
• A deeply held and unyielding belief in the overarching mission of public education and BPS' role as an anti-racist organization.
• Current authorization to work in the United States

QUALIFICATIONS - PREFERRED:

• Master's Degree in related field
• Knowledge of the Ed-Fi data standard
• Familiarity and experience working within the city of Boston and Boston Public Schools
• BPS has a strong preference for linguistic diversity, and we believe that candidates who speak another language bring added value to the classroom, school, and district culture and diversity. BPS is particularly interested in candidates who are fluent in one of BPS' official languages:Spanish, Creole (Cape Verdean), Creole (Haitian), Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese, & Somali.

The Boston Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, criminal record (inquiries only), disability, homelessness, sex/gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals' dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.