Education Consultant

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) is currently recruiting for an Education Consultant in the Turnaround Office. The Education Consultant will serve as a School Turnaround Consultant as a member of the Turnaround Office’s field team. The incumbent will support and enable school turnaround efforts, focusing on the Commissioner’s Network, federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) program, and schools identified for intervention through the state’s federal ESSA consolidated plan. The School Turnaround Consultant will provide embedded, capacity-building support in a portfolio of low-performing schools.

Key responsibilities include:

• Serve as the Turnaround Office’s liaison with Alliance Districts, Commissioner’s Network Schools, fulfilling requirements of Connecticut’s ESSA consolidated state plan, and federally funded SIG schools;
• Coordinate and conduct school quality reviews in the state’s turnaround schools;
• Maintain relationships with a portfolio of low-performing schools, providing leadership and capacity-building support to school teams around the successful implementation of their turnaround plans;
• Promote the successful expansion of the Commissioner’s Network, serving as the Commissioner’s designee on local planning Turnaround Committees, as assigned;
• Support school planning efforts, including by maintaining an intimate knowledge of innovative and research-based best practices, particularly around teacher and leader effectiveness, use of time, academic reforms, family and community engagement, school climate, and use of data;
• Monitor the implementation of school turnaround plans, identifying opportunities where schools would benefit from additional resources and support;
• Maintain a close eye on leading and lagging indicators of school progress over time; addressing data trends with school and district leaders in a timely manner;
• Provide regular reports to Turnaround Office leadership on school progress, challenges, and strategies/interventions;
• Design and execute professional development opportunities, promote best practice sharing, and develop a community of practice within the SDE turnaround staff, as well as across Commissioner
• Network, and other turnaround schools;
  Develop and implement systems of support and monitor for SIG and other turnaround schools;
• Create opportunities for cross-site learning across schools;
• Support CSDE special projects and strategic initiatives, as assigned;
• Work collaboratively with other members of the field team to elevate and share best practices across districts, and identify and troubleshoot common challenges; and
• Lead Cross Divisional Team efforts to support Connecticut’s Opportunity Districts.

This position is located at the State of Connecticut office building at 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford. This is a 35-hour position that operates Monday - Friday.

Applicants invited to interview may be required to submit additional documentation, which supports their qualifications for this position. These documents may include: performance reviews, supervisory references, college transcripts, licensure, etc. at the discretion of the hiring agency. However, there are no attachments required at the time of application.

SPECIAL EXPERIENCE NOTE: Please note that the SPECIAL REQUIREMENT listed at the end of the job announcement for an appropriate certificate issued by the State Board of Education is NOT required for this position.

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. Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.

For all other inquiries, please contact Kim Barberi at kim.barberi@ct.gov.

In the Department of Education, plans and executes programs of extensive difficulty and scope for the improvement of education in the State; does related work as required.

Assists a Bureau Chief in supervising the broad educational programs and services offered by the State; develops and administers specific programs of major importance within the framework of policies outlined by the Bureau Chief; provides professional leadership and guidance to school authorities, professional organizations, students and various community groups and individuals; may assist in preparing and administering the allocated budget, and in directing the routine functioning of the bureau.

Thorough knowledge of the philosophy and methods of education with particular reference to the field concerned; teaching skill; considerable ability to deal effectively with others; considerable administrative ability; ability to prepare comprehensive written reports.

An earned advanced degree and eight (8) years of professional experience OR in lieu thereof an equivalent combination of experience and training as approved by the Board of Education.

Preference will be given to applicants with the following experience and training:

• Thorough knowledge of the philosophy and methods of education with particular reference to turnaround school models and school improvement models;
• Demonstrated effective teaching and leadership skill;
• Demonstrated skills in oral and written communication, organization, and project management;
• Minimum of eight (8) years of successful teaching and leadership experience at the elementary or secondary level with demonstrable student achievement;
• Professional experience in a public school or district setting with considerable experience in school turnaround or improvement;
• Extensive experience delivering professional development, technical assistance and fiscal management; and
• Background in engaging community partnerships aligned to school goals.

Must hold an appropriate certificate issued by State Board of Education.

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.