Education Division Director

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) is currently recruiting for the position of Division Director in the Office Strategic Planning and Partnerships. In this role, the Division Director will report to the Department’s Chief Strategic Planning Officer and be a senior member of the leadership team.

The Division Director will manage the strategy and operations of the Regional School Choice Office (RSCO) in the collaborative effort among the Department, the Regional Educational Service Centers (RESC’s), the Hartford Public Schools, and Hartford area stakeholders to support Sheff initiatives and programming designed to reduce the racial, ethnic and economic isolation of Hartford-resident minority students. In all of these partnerships, the Division Director will help bring greater focus on the need to align initiatives to the Department’s strategies to close achievement gaps and improve all students’ College and Career Readiness. The Division Director will also manage relationships, grant programs, and collaborative initiatives with all regional partners.

The RSCO office is responsible for the following activities:

• Collaboration, planning and oversight that facilitates: (1) the development and implementation of exemplary school choice models, to enable existing Magnet Schools to attain Sheff compliant enrollment and improve educational performance; (2) achievement of the Desegregation Standard in quality integrated programming; (3) replication of programming and practices through training centers that teach best practices to districts, teachers and administrators in the Greater Hartford Region and throughout Connecticut; (4) develop robust measures of performance that guide the program and all its stakeholders towards strategies and practices that efficiently and effectively improve student academic outcomes;
  
• Comprehensive and collaborative regional marketing and recruitment of students for all Sheff programming, including the coordination of such efforts with the Connecticut Technical High Schools, Regional Vocational Agriculture Centers, interdistrict magnet programs, and participating open choice districts in the Greater Hartford Region; 
  
• Development of a comprehensive strategy for outreach to Hartford and suburban parents to inform the development of, and participation in Sheff programming opportunities in the Greater Hartford Region; 
  
• Transportation of Hartford and suburban students who participate in Sheff programs;
• Continued development and implementation of a common application process for all Interdistrict Magnet Schools, Sheff Charter Schools, Connecticut Technical High Schools, and Open Choice programming in the Greater Hartford Region; 
• Management of an Information Service Center to provide a single location to obtain applications and information regarding all Sheff Region Programming Development and maintenance of statistics and data, including information regarding: demand for school choice programming (e.g., number of applicants, demographics for applicants, program choices); placement; enrollment; retention; student achievement and growth metrics; return on spending analyses; and Hartford and suburban wait list data for reporting purposes;
• Continued development and maintenance of a uniform and transparent lottery process for Sheff compliant programming in the Greater Hartford Region; 
• Oversee all state and federal grant programs with all RESCs ensuring they are aligned to legislation and/or to policies that have been implemented to improve academic and social well-being of students in Connecticut’s public schools. This includes – in collaboration with other CSDE staff– developing and implementing the process for review, approval, and performance analysis of state funded RESC initiatives – with particular focus on efficiency and effectiveness;
• Develop and or oversee implementation of RESC collaborations that assist the Department with its education reform strategies in critical areas such as, but not limited to: 
  
  • Educator and Leader Effectiveness;
  • Connecticut Core Standards, Curriculum and Assessment transitions; 
    
  • Turnaround of low performing schools

Key responsibilities include:

• Preparing reports as requested for the Connecticut State Department of Education Sheff Office, the Commissioner of Education; the State Board of Education; and the Connecticut State Supreme Court at the direction of the Chief Strategic Planning Officer;  
• Managing the RSCO budget including the contracts in support of the roles and responsibilities of the RSCO Office; 
  
• Supervising and direct staff as necessary to meet the Regional School Choice Office’s goals and objectives; 
• Providing support to all collaborating entities in the Hartford region in obtaining and maintaining the objectives and goals established in the agreement; 
• Collaborating with other internal and external entities in order to support success of educators and students in academic and career goals.

The position is located at the State of Connecticut office building at 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford.  This is a 40-hour position that operates Monday-Friday.

No attachments required at this time. Candidates selected for interview will be asked to provide a resume detailing experience in addition to three (3) pertinent professional references. State employees selected for interview will be asked to provide a copy of their last two service ratings.

Due to the volume of applications anticipated, the Bureau of Human Resources is unable to provide confirmation of receipt and/or the status of applications during the recruitment process. Updates will be provided through your JobAps portal account.

For all other inquiries, please contact Kim Barberi at kim.barberi@ct.gov; 860-713-6691.

In the Department of Education, this class is accountable for directing the operations and activities of an Education Division or the Connecticut Technical High School System.

Directs the staff, budget and operations of an education division, internal administration and management division or the Connecticut Technical High School System; coordinates, plans and manages division activities; develops comprehensive long and short term goals and objectives which support educational initiatives and agency mission; participates and makes recommendations in review and formulation of agency policy, exercises general supervision over various forms of educational programs and services offered by the State to local school authorities, professional organizations, certain lay groups and individuals; exercises general supervision over internal management policies and programs as offered to local school authorities, professional organizations, other state agencies and State Department of Education staff; acts as consultant with respect to these programs and services; interprets and administers pertinent laws of bureaus; oversees fiscal operations of bureaus; prepares and presents reports before the State Board of Education; evaluates and assesses staff performance; serves as a member of the Commissioner's Cabinet; responds to inquiries from the Governor, federal, state and local educators concerning education initiatives and programs of bureaus; maintains statewide responsibility for all bureau programs and activities and represents agency and state in related activities as required; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of the philosophy and methods of education, with emphasis on educational administration and management; considerable knowledge of the objectives and purposes of educational programs within area of specialty; considerable knowledge of the principles of professional management; considerable knowledge of public school administration; considerable knowledge of the principles and techniques of budgetary preparation and fiscal management; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable written and oral skills; considerable ability to understand and apply relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; administrative ability.

An earned advanced degree and eleven (11) years of professional experience in the field of education or related areas.

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been in a managerial capacity in the oversight of the development or administration of an educational bureau, system, operation, school or service.

1. Managerial capacity is defined as full time managerial responsibility for a major program. Position will have supervisory responsibilities but the emphasis should be management activities defined as formulating program goals and objectives, developing and implementing program procedures, initiating program policies, developing and/or monitoring a budget.

2. For State Employees, the Special Experience is interpreted at the level of Education Bureau Chief.

1. A 092 certificate (Intermediate Administrator), or 093 certificate (Superintendent), or Sixth Year Diploma in Educational Leadership, or an Ed.D. (Doctorate in Educational Leadership) may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

2. An advanced degree and five (5) years of managerial experience in the oversight of the development or administration of an educational bureau, system, operation, school or service may substitute for the General Experience and the Special Experience.

Preference will be given to applicants with experience and demonstrated success in:

• Implementing school desegregation plans; 
• Working effectively with an urban school district, and racially, ethnically and economically diverse communities; 
• Developing capacity within communities to invest in meaningful innovation, especially desegregated education; 
• Managing diverse and complex projects and staff; 
• Maintaining program/project accountability and progress; and 
• Collaborating with diverse and sometimes competing interests of stakeholders, as well as other management and supportive entities; 
• Detail oriented, with excellent organizational skills; 
• Considerable knowledge of public school administration; 
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of budgetary preparation, performance analysis, fiscal management, and student success metrics; 
• Considerable ability to understand and apply relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; 
• Considerable oral and written communication skills and effective public presentation skills.
  

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.