Manager, Early Childhood

The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has set ambitious goals to ensure that every childin every school and every neighborhoodhas access to a world-class learning experience from birth, resulting in graduation from high school college- and career-ready.

The mission of the Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services (ODLSS) is to provide high quality and specially designed instructional supports and services for all diverse learners within their least restrictive environment. We work collaboratively with several units, specifically schools and Networks with the goal of improving the academic achievement of all diverse learners by ensuring diverse learners receive meaningful and relevant access to grade level core instruction within their neighborhood school, school of choice, or the school closest to their residence.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Manager of Early Childhood Diverse Learners will work to ensure that identification, timely referrals, consent, evaluation, and appropriate placements in the least restrictive environment are secured for preschoolers with disabilities. The successful applicant will drive program development, execution & evaluation by identifying, monitoring and evaluating the delivery of evidenced based, innovative practices that improve early learning experiences and outcomes for preschoolers with diverse learning needs.

The ​ Manager - Early Childhood Diverse Learners ​ will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Collaborates with Departments within CPS including, but not limited to Early Childhood, Teaching & Learning, Transportation to ensure early childhood diverse learners receive necessary supports to access education
• Provide technical assistance, individual consultation and ongoing support to early childhood educators in delivering high quality services via itinerant, center-based or blended models
• Research evidence based practices and instructional support models and works with stakeholders to strategically implement evidence-based interventions aligned to the Illinois Early Learning Standards that will result in increased academic achievement for students with diverse learning needs.
• Develop and maintain a repository and corresponding resource center to capture and organize instructional best practices for students with diverse learning needs.
• Oversee the development of tools and best practices to be used in said instructional delivery models that support all students including those who require a specialized instructional setting and corresponding supports
• Demonstrate ability to build and customize universally designed instructional programming, tools and services aligned to the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards for students with diverse learning needs
• Ability to analyze data to make district-wide decisions relative to implementation of high quality, evidence based instructional practices in a variety of instructional delivery models such that targeted, meaningful support is provided at the network, school and classroom level
• Ability to engage and mobilize relevant stakeholders around a common goal of improving academic outcomes for preschool children with disabilities
• Ability to utilize, integrate and implement evidence based practices specially designed to increase kindergarten readiness skills and position students with diverse learning needs for academic success in elementary school
• Provide guidance at the network level to strengthen principal understanding and accountability of high quality early childhood instruction and programs for diverse learners
• Ability to lead collaborative conversations on the use of one or more classroom walkthrough (e.g., learning walks) protocols to identify opportunities to strengthen classroom instructional practices
• Gathers, monitors and analyzes data surrounding effectiveness of processes and early learning outcomes and modify as needed to better meet the needs of students
• Supervise and evaluate early childhood educators
• Monitor district progress on ISBE state performance plan indicators related to early childhood special education
• Other duties as determined appropriate by the Chief Officer and his/her designee

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Manager - Early Childhood Diverse Learners must possess the following qualifications:

Type of Education ​ :

• Illinois Professional Educator License with a teaching endorsement.

• Five years in Education

• Type 75 or Type 73 preferred

• Early Childhood Special Education preferred. ​

Type of Experience and Number of Years ​ :

• Experience providing services, participating in IEP meetings and writing reports within schools.

• Experience working consultatively and collaboratively with a team of professionals.

• Experience managing multiple tasks at once in a fast-paced environment.

• Experience working with students and families of culturally diverse backgrounds. ​

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities ​ :

• Knowledge of evidenced based best practices in early childhood education

• Knowledge of the Early Learning & Development Standards and implications for diverse learners

• Demonstrated and experienced instructional leadership capabilities

• Demonstrated project management skills

• Possesses excellent analytical and organizational skills.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrators, team members, students, parents and advocates.

• Ability to collaborate and be a creative problem solver and team player.

• Ability to meet deadlines, multi-task between assessments / meetings and respond to requests based upon priority and complexity.

• Ability to have shared ownership of work and expected outcomes.

• Ability to promote and encourage parental involvement and participation.

• Knowledge of CPS operating systems including, but not limited to: ORACLE, IMPACT, etc.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Applications.

• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with multiple stakeholders.