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ASSESSMENT SPECIALIST

Employer
Arlington Public Schools
Location
Arlington, VA, US
Salary
Competitive
JOB STATUS: OPEN

POSTING DATE: 07/22/2021

CLOSING DATE: 08/16/2021

POSTING NUMBER: E21/22-20.51.1

LOCATION: Administrative Services

POSITION TITLE: ASSESSMENT SPECIALIST

QUALIFICATIONS:
MINIMUM EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
• A Master's Degree in Statistics, Educational Program Evaluation, Educational Research, Public Administration or any other field providing a strong foundation for successful performance of the essential duties (or an equivalent combination of foundational education, experience and training that totals six years); and
• Three years of progressively responsible experience are required. These three years of experience must include (a) oversight or coordination of administration of standardized tests and analysis of results, (b) design and conduct of professional development/training to inform and guide test administrators, (c) use of spreadsheet formulas, specialized statistical software or programming scripts to collect data and analyze data for central tendency, dispersion, association, determination, etc., and to report data in various formats; and (d) communication of complex statistical information to audiences with limited knowledge of statistics; one year of these three years must be in a K-12 school district.
• Experience working with people of diverse backgrounds and tailoring and delivering work products and services to meet the needs of diverse groups is desired.

JOB DESCRIPTION:
Human Resources announces an opening for Assesment Specialist position located at the Department of Administrative Services. This is an E-10, twelve month position.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF WORK
The Assessment Specialist manages testing data for Arlington Public Schools (APS) - elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and program schools, and ensures coordination between the Department of Instruction and the Department of Information Services for on-line testing. Develops, updates and provides training for School Test Coordinators (STCs) that focuses on implementing procedures at their school in compliance with Virginia policies on student testing and other related matters. Coordinates summer school test administration as STC. Serves as the back-up to the Assistant Director for Assessment, ensuring that APS faithfully implements Virginia and Federal testing procedures. Coordinates with the testing service, helps interpret results for schools, working with and supporting Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and Data Teams, produces standard and special reports on testing results, and serves as the back-up liaison for APS with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) regarding all State assessment programs. Performs related functions.

The Assessment Specialist reports to the Assistant Director for Assessment. Most work comes to the incumbent through established flows or by specific assignment, typically in terms of priorities, objectives, resources, timelines, expected results and other considerations/parameters; some work is self-generated in response to, or in anticipation of, testing program changes. The incumbent independently plans and carries out work, makes decisions and recommendations within the scope of one's authority, keeps the supervisor informed and brings complex or sensitive issues or problems forward for guidance or resolution. Work is reviewed in terms of quality, quantity, timeliness, customer service, attainment of key programmatic objectives, adherence to programmatic requirements and other factors. The incumbent has no ongoing employee supervisory responsibilities, but he/she helps select and monitor staff for various instructional positions for summer sessions and works with high school students as STC during summer sessions.



RESPONSIBILITIES:
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF WORK (May not include all duties performed - These are intended as an illustration of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.)
Assists with administration of the state and local testing programs, including training School Test Coordinators (STCs) on test administration procedures, policies, and monitoring compliance with those procedures and policies.
Serves as a data steward for test data in the Student Information System (SIS).
• Identifies students to be tested during each test administration including students in program schools and contract services.
• Analyzes data files received from scoring contractors, uploads student data into the SIS and data warehouse, and produces reports.
Communicates testing policies and procedures, and monitors implementation of them in schools.
• Provides consultation, advice and assistance to APS administrators and staff on a variety of testing issues including assessing Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students and special education students, alternative assessment techniques, assessment policies, and the use of test results in program improvement.
• Provides training, guidelines, and testing procedures for all STCs and supports them during test administration at schools including collaboration on solving problems that arise.
• Develops written and electronic materials to inform staff and parents about testing programs.
• Supports schools during test administration and collaborates on solving problems that arise.
Coordinates the distribution and collection of testing materials to and from schools, accounting for all materials.
• Manages the review of answer documents before scoring for the purpose of ensuring accuracy of coded information.
Coordinates the Summer Standards of Learning (SOL) writing and non-writing high school testing administration.
Assists with dissemination, utilization, and interpretation of results from the State and local testing programs.
• Prepares reports and graphs of test results for schools and for the public.
• Develops new reports and report formats. Works with the Data Specialist to specify requirements for on-going reports.
• Translates (actually or potentially) complex statistical information into less complex, more audience-friendly statistical information for general audiences.
Serves as the back-up to the Assistant Director for Assessment, ensuring that APS implements Virginia and Federal testing procedures.
Reviews applications of, helps interview candidates for and may recommend selection of, various instructional staff members for summer sessions.
Uses a computer for various functions - planning, scheduling, communicating (email), word processing, quantitative analysis, multi-media presentations, etc.
Performs other duties as assigned in support of State and local testing programs.

EXPERIENCE:
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
• Experience working with students, families, and staff from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
• Knowledge of the structure and organization of a school system (including thorough knowledge of APS structure and organization, or ability to rapidly acquire and skillfully apply this specific body of knowledge)); knowledge of development and implementation of strategic planning; and knowledge of key performance indicators used by APS altogether to serve as assessment data steward, to effectively present assessment data to data consumers at Federal, State and local levels, to advise on program improvement implications and to perform related functions.
• Knowledge of a broad range of student assessment functions and requirements, including but not limited to, accountability, test design, test administration, on-line testing, Virginia, Federal and local assessment requirements, assessment interfaces and interactions between the Department of Instruction and the Department of Information Services, a range of supporting statistical techniques, and related bodies of information altogether to help coordinate, and prepare STCs for, test administration, to analyze data, to present data and to perform related functions in support of test administration and data consumption.
• Skill in problem solving to select, organize and logically process relevant information (verbal, numerical or abstract) to solve a problem. This includes ability to recognize subtle aspects of problems, identify relevant information and make balanced recommendations and decisions. Examples include using spreadsheet formulas, specialized statistical software or programming scripts to assess data for accuracy and analyze resulting data for central tendency, dispersion, association, determination, etc.; managing data to extract and develop (as needed) the data required to answer various analytical questions; translating data and statistics into readily understandable and useful information for various audiences in due consideration of an audience's needs for data, knowledge of statistics and other pertinent factors; and developing and conducting professional development/training for STCs and others.
• Skill in written communication to understand written information (including instructions, descriptions and ideas), and to express such information in writing so that others will understand and, at times, be convinced or persuaded. Examples include review of data reporting requirements of the Virginia and US Departments of Education, development or review of report text, and expression of complex statistical information to audiences with limited knowledge of statistics in meaningful ways.
• Skill in oral communication to understand verbal information (including instructions, descriptions and ideas), and to express such information verbally so that others will understand and, at times, be convinced or persuaded. This includes the ability to encourage effective oral communication by others, such as functional analysts, subject matter experts and data providers (such as testing services) to help ensure timely availability of the data and statistics needed for reporting; and ability to express complex statistical information on an elementary level to audiences with limited knowledge of statistics. Other examples of oral communication include discussions with Virginia/APS/other officials, administrators and staff to help ensure timely provision of required data for their needs, and for presentations (by self or others) in public forums, task forces, etc. to inform and engage.
• Interpersonal skills to interact effectively with contacts in a businesslike, customer service-oriented manner by establishing and maintaining effective working relationships and working in harmony with officials, key staff, co-workers and the general public.
• Skill in using a computer and modern office suite software (such as MS Office) to plan, schedule, communicate (email), word process, research (Internet), analyze quantitatively (Excel), prepare presentations (PowerPoint), etc., in addition to using specialized statistical software (such as SPSS), as needed.
• Ability and willingness to work under pressure of deadlines, such as reporting deadlines.

OTHER INFORMATION:
APPLICATION PROCESS
Candidates must submit an application online and attach a resume, a written statement of interest in and qualifications for this position. Please complete the online Administrative/Technical application on the APS website in the Employment section: www.apsva.us. A minimum of three letters of recommendation must also be submitted online as part of your application packet.
APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE BY WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2021 AND WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED IF ALL REQUIRED INFORMATION IS INCLUDED.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: It is the policy of the Arlington School Board, as stated in the School Board Policy 35-4.4, that employment opportunities shall not be restricted, abridged or otherwise adversely affected on the basis of race, national origin, creed, color, religion, gender, age, economic status, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, pregnancy status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, and/or disability.

APPLY TO: Please follow the instructions listed above.

SALARY:
Based on the 2021 - 2022 Salary Schedule.

DAYS:

FROM -   TO -

START DATE:

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