About Achievement First

Achievement First (AF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supporting 39 public charter schools across New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. For more than 25 years, AF has been recognized as one of the top tuition-free public charter school networks in the country. We are committed to creating schools of academic excellence within nurturing environments — schools that prepare students to be college-ready and to pursue and succeed in whatever paths they choose in life.

The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from low-income families, many of whom will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Across our network, we employ more than 2,200 staff members — 64% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color — who collectively educate nearly 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence and Cranston, RI.

Our mission is to prepare every student to excel in college, career, and life; deepen their understanding of self and community; and lead lives of purpose. We believe in the limitless potential within our students and their power to shape a more just society. That belief drives our deep commitment to student achievement: we aim to set a high bar for learning and create warm, demanding classrooms where rigorous instruction is paired with the care, encouragement, and consistency every student deserves.

We are looking for a Director of English Language Arts, 3-4 to join our Teaching and Learning team. 

Your Impact

The Director of ELA, 3-4 is a content and grade-level expert who works with network instructional teams, principals, academic deans, and teachers to craft and drive the vision behind their academic program. Directors drive the curriculum adoption process, deliver professional development to teachers and leaders, provide school support based on a network needs assessment, and inform the assessment strategy.

Reporting to the Senior Director of English Language Arts, K-8, your responsibilities will be:

Assessment

• Research content and grade level summative and diagnostic assessments
• Create a research-based, formative assessment strategy for their content area and grade band. This strategy includes content, frequency, and how to respond to formative assessment data.
• Create an assessment map for each grade level in the content area they own that details all network wide assessments
• Implement the quality control process for all network assessments
• Writes and/or prepares network wide assessments for Illuminate, our assessment platform. 
• Analyze data to find areas of success and opportunity; recommend next steps for regional superintendents, school-based leaders and teachers. 

Systems to Support HQIM Implementation

• Creates the year-long professional development plan for their content area and grade band to support implementation of the HQIM, instructional practices, and content knowledge development.
• Develops and uses tools for the implementation of the HQIM, which may include Look for documents, checklists, or content specific rubrics. 
• Creates and adjusts the school support plans based on HQIM implementation milestones 
• Collaborates with Student Support Services on intervention program implementation plans to ensure alignment to Tier 1 execution.
• Collaborates with the Academic Operations team on ordering materials and working with vendors to ensure all schools have the required materials for implementation. 

HQIM Implementation and School Support

• Delivers professional development for their content areas using best practices for facilitating adult learning 
• Conducts school observations based on school support plans and the Teaching and Learning coaching model to develop content-specific instructional practices, improve implementation of the HQIM, gather information on best practices, and support student achievement 
• Adjusts school support plans quarterly based on classroom observation, student achievement data, and regional superintendent input
• Develops content specific instructional coaching skills of deans and principals through focused co-observations and feedback 
• Analyzes student achievement data (student work samples, weekly quizzes, interim assessments and state tests) and makes recommendations on how to respond to the data with supplementary reteaches or other responses.
• Collects feedback on the curriculum through both focus groups and surveys, and makes programmatic recommendations based on this feedback.
  
  

Candidate Profile

All successful candidates for this position will have: 

• A bachelor’s degree
• A proven, multi-year track record of exemplary teaching experience, preferably ensuring the achievement of low-income, minority students.  This includes at least four years of highly successful teaching experience OR a minimum of two years of teaching experience with exceptional results and strong district or network level experience
• At least three years of experience coaching teachers, preferably at the AP/Dean or the equivalent level. 

An ideal candidate will have strong district or network level experience with exceptional results and in-depth content knowledge and pedagogical expertise. 

The following skills, characteristics and competencies are required to be successful on this team:

• Excellent strategic thinking skills, including the ability to analyze and respond to data
• Track record of bringing an equity lens, utilizing a growth mindset, designing with not for, practicing self-awareness, and a focus on relational trust and human values
• Flexible, able to work autonomously as well as take direction as needed 
• Exceptional eye for detail, follow-up skills, and organization 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a proactive communication style
• Belief in the Achievement First mission and educational model 

Regular travel, including occasional weekend or evening work, is required to and among our schools at various locations (New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island). There is a preference for candidates based in these regions. 

Compensation

Achievement First sets salaries through a lens of equity, and based on the requisite skills, education, and experience relevant to the role. Salary for this role is $117,753.52. In order to uphold our commitment to equity, Achievement First does not negotiate pay. Achievement First offers to all regular, full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match, and paid Family Leave.