Policy Data Analyst

At Chicago Public Schools, our mission is to provide a high-quality public education for every child in every neighborhood that prepares them for success in college, career, and community. The Department of School Quality Measurement and Research (SQMR), where this position is located, supports this work by providing timely and accurate data and policy understanding to stakeholders throughout CPS (families, schools, central office leaders, etc.) working to meet these goals.

The role of the Policy Data Analyst is to support thorough, stakeholder-specific understanding of all SQMR-managed policies including school ratings, teacher and principal evaluation, and metric calculations. We at CPS build understanding by providing reports to schools and educators and analyzing the results to ensure our policies are in alignment with best practice for all our schools. As a translator of data, this role ensures that policy decisions have been executed correctly within the data. Translation also includes answering strategic questions about performance at CPS with visual data narratives that provide insight for decision-makers.

The Policy Data Analyst will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Compile large data sets for analysis, data requests and production of web-based reports. For reports that are not web-based, will create static files.
  
  
• Develop and communicate reports with descriptive statistics on various performance metrics.
  
  
• Manage the successful execution of the REACH Teacher Evaluation calculation by developing a thorough understanding of REACH policy and implications, coordinating the collection of student-teacher associations, and quality checking core components of the evaluation results.
  
  
• Collaborate with other departments to maintain an understanding of data needs and work that may require support from SQM.
  
  
• Analyze School Quality Rating Policy (SQRP) results, REACH results, and create PowerPoint visuals that support policy and decision-making at the district-level.
  
  

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Policy Data Analyst must possess the following qualifications :

Education: Bachelor's required, Master's preferred.

Experience:

• 1-2 yrs experience managing large data sets (pulling data from multiple data sets, merging data sets, etc.) and applying complex rules to create custom indicators required.
  
  
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) required. ( Proficiency will be assessed at time of interview).
  
  
• Experience in working with educational data strongly preferred.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) required. Proficiency in SAS or other statistical software a plus. Knowledge of multiple visualization tools and/or web development is a plus.
  
  
• Ability to conduct multiple projects concurrently and switch between them as needed based on shifting priorities.
  
  
• Strong organizational skills
  
  
• Ability to communicate effectively both in person and via email, especially with respect to understanding data requesters' needs and explaining work products.
  
  
• Ability to work well in a team setting essential.
  
  
• Knowledge of educational performance measures, educational research and urban education systems a plus.
  
  

Terms of Employment:

• CPS employees are required to be residents of the City of Chicago within six months of beginning employment, and are required to maintain Chicago residency throughout employment.
• Chicago Public Schools is not currently hiring individuals for this position who now or in the future require sponsorship for employment based non-immigrant and immigrant visas.
• Chicago Public Schools is an EEO/AA Employer. All qualified individuals, including minorities, females, veterans, and individuals with disabilities, are encouraged to apply.