What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Test Administration (Director III) position at TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY?
MISSION: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.
- We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in the pursuit of our main purpose, to improve outcomes for students.
- We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain the most committed talent, representing the diversity of Texas, each contributing to our common vision for students.
- We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on success and failure, and try new approaches in the pursuit of excellence for our students.
- We are Servant Leaders: Above all else, we are public servants working to improve opportunities for students and provide support to those who serve them.
New hires, re-hires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees in their same classification. Offers will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications and will thoughtfully consider internal pay equity for agency staff who perform similar duties and have similar qualifications. The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates who exceed the requirements and qualifications for the role. The maximum salary range is reserved for candidates that far exceed the required and preferred qualifications for the role.
Position Overview: As part of the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) Assessment Division, the Director of Test Administration is responsible for the implementation and flawless delivery of all components of the Texas Assessment Program. The Texas Assessment Program provides valuable student performance data to districts, campuses, and parents of over 4 million students enrolled in the Texas public school system.
The Director drives student outcomes by overseeing a team of program managers to collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders and ensure that assessment and policies align with the state’s and division’s vision to improve educational outcomes for all Texas students. The Director is responsible for determining and refining processes that ensure flawless administration of the Texas Assessment Program. The Director immediately serves as a key leader and team supervisor that collaborates and interacts regularly with senior stakeholders within the agency and in the field.
This role will also require managing the state's assessment vendors.
The Director establishes goals and objectives; develops guidelines, procedures, and policies; and establishes priorities, standards, and measurement tools for performance. The Director also plans, assigns, and supervises the work of others with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
Candidates should demonstrate exceptional knowledge around assessment programs and project management, as well as the ability to manage agency vendors, multiple projects, and competing priorities. Candidates may have served in a campus or district instructional role and/or have content experience working with curriculum or assessment vendors.
Flexible work location within the state of Texas may be considered for qualified candidates.
Please note that a resume and short answer responses are required attachments for applying to this position. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants who are strongly being considered for employment must submit to a national criminal history background check.
Essential Functions
Job duties are not limited to the essential functions mentioned below. You may perform other functions as assigned.
1. Flawless test administrations and consistent test administration process improvements: Directs flawless administrations of all components of the Texas Assessment Program, including actively overseeing the performance of test administration online systems (e.g., TIDE, TDS, CRS, LMS), including directing the test administration process efficiently while proactively identifying potential risks and risk-mitigation strategies and evaluates the administration process consistently to identify improvements with relevant input from stakeholders.
2. Communications: Directs the development of test administration communications and resources (including effective training) to support flawless administrations of all components of the Texas Assessment Program and collaborates with internal teams and develops strong relationships with external stakeholders to disseminate information about the Texas Assessment Program.
3. Internal Coordination: Develops and implements procedures for test administration activities (before, during, and after testing) in coordination with TEA’s divisions of Assessment Development and Performance Reporting. In addition, oversees state level assessment data verification and public information requests for state assessment data.
4. Strategic planning and metrics: Directs the development and update of team and project metrics, including development of project charter(s) and work plan(s) for test administration to tracks progress, and provides regular updates to TEA leadership.
5. Team leadership: Effectively leads and manages a high-performing team.
Minimum Qualifications
- Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
- Experience: At least seven (7) years of experience in the administration of the Texas Assessment Program at the campus, district, state, or region level with an in-depth knowledge of the program’s test administration policies.
- Substitutions: An advanced degree may substitute for two years of required experience.
- Exceptional capacity to learn: The ability to grasp complex topics and processes, master new skills, and apply them quickly and effectively.
- Commitment to educational equity: A deep personal interest in and demonstrated commitment to educational equity and TEA's mission
- Flexibility and adaptability: The ability to adjust quickly to changing priorities and conditions, deal effectively with ambiguity, and work effectively with complexity and change.
- Problem-solving and creativity: The ability to look at a challenging problem, see the systemic dynamics at play and work with others to develop solutions that address root causes.
- Outstanding communications and interpersonal skills: Clear, concise, and persuasive written and verbal communications. The ability to develop and present clear, data-driven storylines and effective slides. An aptitude for effective listening and meaningfully engaging a wide range of diverse stakeholders and quickly building credibility and relationships.
- Emphasis on outcomes, quality, and efficiency: Insistence on consistently delivering high-quality work on time and dedicated follow-through on commitments. A track record of streamlining and creating operational processes, systems, and protocols that enable organizations to become more efficient and effective.
- Superior prioritization and project and time management: The ability to balance and manage multiple workstreams and effectively identify critical priorities. A track record of performance and successful implementation across multiple concurrent projects.
- Data-driven and analytical mindset: The desire to proactively seek out and absorb information, data, and research from disparate sources and the intuition to determine relevance to make evidence-based decisions. The desire to communicate from a place of data.
- Certified Texas Contract Manager (CTCM) certification must be obtained within the first six (6) months of employment.
As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or veteran status, unless an applicant is entitled to the military employment preference.
To review the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to each job classification series in the State’s Position Classification Plan (provided by the State Auditor's Office), please access the Military Crosswalk (occupational specialty code) Guide and click on the military “occupational category” that corresponds with the state classification in this job posting title.
This position requires the applicant to meet Agency standards and criteria which may include passing a pre-employment criminal background check, prior to being offered employment by the Agency.
No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls and cannot reply to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted. Please add "capps.recruiting@cpa.texas.gov" and "@tea.texas.gov" to your safe senders list to ensure you receive email notifications from our talent acquisition team and/or hiring division regarding your candidacy.
