Authorization and School Development Director

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 500 schools and employing approximately 44,000 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 Innovation & Incubation serves as the charter authorizing agent for Chicago Public Schools. It is responsible for overseeing and setting academic and operational expectations, as well as promoting best practices among the district's 97 charter and contract schools. The office provides essential support to both charter and district-run schools, promoting innovative models and procedures to ensure that all students, from kindergarten to post-secondary education, have access to the necessary resources for success.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Executive Director of Innovation and Incubation, the Director of Authorization and School Development designs and oversees Chicago Public School’s strategic priorities related to charter authorization and innovative models. This includes new school review and incubation, expansion and replication of high quality models, and material modifications to existing charter schools agreement, and revocation. The Director of Authorization and School Development will also assist in the development of protocols and policies aimed at improving CPS strategy and policy, including authorizing best practices. This is a full-time, exempt position and will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

The Authorization & School Development Director will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Develop and implement policies, procedures, and guidelines for the charter authorization process in accordance with applicable laws and regulations
• Oversee the execution of annual authorizing processes (RFP process and contractual amendments) and ensure alignment with district strategy
• Make informed decisions regarding the approval or revocation of charter agreements based on thorough analysis, evaluation, and consideration of relevant factors. Provide relevant information to leadership to ensure well-informed decisions are made
• Ensure that authorization information is transparent and publically available on the office’s website
• Ensure all authorization-related board reports and briefing materials are completed
• Identify areas where adjusting the authorization approach/focus could improve the city’s school choice offerings and lead to better outcomes for students and families
• Collaborate with other departments or agencies to coordinate efforts, share information, and align charter authorization processes with broader educational initiatives(such as GoCPS, etc.)
• Lead charter school certification process with the Illinois State Board of Education

• Oversee the identification and sharing of innovative models, strategies, and programs within CPS
• Lead the collaboration with teams within I&I to design and implement showcase forms that focus on innovative practices, programs, models
• Lead the development and implementation of charter board professional development
• Stay informed about current trends, research, and best practices in education, particularly in the charter school sector
• Lead a cross-functional team and departments to incubate new schools and new programs within the CPS
• Assist with Charter Performance Reviews for school governance quality
• Assist with reviewing charter renewal data, serving on the core charter renewal team
• Lead the bi-annual charter school report and evaluation process for the Illinois State Board of Education
• Liaise with the Options Network to coordinate and streamline opportunities for joint policies and practices concerning charter authorization.
• Analyze data related to charter school performance, enrollment, and demographics to inform decision-making and policy development across all teams within I&I
• Lead the development and implementation of policies related to charter school governance, authorization, and accountability
• Responsible for cataloging all authorization outcomes - such as Charter appeals, revocation, etc.
• Partner with the Executive Director to ensure alignment across I&I’s strategic vision and shared understanding of challenges and opportunities
• Other duties and workstreams as assigned.

Supervision: This role will manage the Authorization team.

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Authorization & School Development Director must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Master’s degree preferred

Experience Required:

• Minimum of seven (7) years of full-time professional leadership in the development and execution of large-scale, organization-wide strategic initiatives involving multiple internal and external stakeholders
• Minimum of five (5) years of full-time professional experience in education administration, preferably in charter school authorization or oversight
• Experience working for a school district or education-related agency is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of charter school laws, regulations, and authorization best practices.
• Experience coaching and developing people and building effective teams

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to lead initiatives and proven ability to lead and work collaboratively with internal stakeholders, fostering a culture of teamwork and shared responsibility
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively
• Ability to articulate a vision, set high standards, and effectively guide schools and principals in the realization of expectations set
• Strong analytical, budgeting, organizational, interpersonal, and diplomacy skills
• An understanding of modern management practices (policy and procedures), methods, and techniques related to charter school operations, small businesses, or non-profit organizations.
• An understanding of the principles and practices of operating budget formulation, evaluation, and administration
• Strong communication skills, including developing external communication documents for a wide range of audiences and effectively addressing stakeholder concerns and inquiries
• An understanding of the charter school authorization process or innovative model development and dissemination
• The ability to analyze, synthesize, and interpret complex data
• Successful experience in planning and implementation of projects that engage parents, community members, students, and other external stakeholders
• Is flexible and can function effectively in ambiguity
• Is astute and keenly aware of the interests and motivations of others and acts with integrity in a politically-charged environment
• The ability to receive, internalize, and respond to feedback from department leadership, manager, colleagues, and external partners

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.