EL Program Specialist

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 500+ schools and employing approximately 44,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Office of Multilingual-Multicultural Education (OMME) exists to guide CPS in providing a high-quality education for all language learners that is attentive to a culturally and linguistically diverse community of students, families, and educators. OMME aims to achieve its mission through strategic planning, collaborative partnerships, professional development, and the production of tools and resources to improve instruction.

Job Summary:

The EL Program Specialist will be conducting EL Program Reviews in schools implementing Transitional Bilingual Education and Transitional Program of Instruction (TBE/TPI) programs and supporting district-wide reviews related to EL programs to ensure required state and federal mandates and CPS policies are met and TBE/TPI programs align to district priorities and to the needs of English language learners. This position will report to the EL Program Equity Manager.

The EL Program Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

Conduct EL program reviews (including on-site visits) of schoolsAudit and monitor EL program areas, such as:EL identification and placementEstablishment of appropriate programs, including teachers' licensure and endorsement information, and appropriate student placement and assessmentInstructional materials, professional learning around ELs, monitoring EL student progress, EL parent involvement, student records, and services for ELs with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)Prepare reports to summarize school findingsCompile network- and district-wide summaries of findings that can assist other Central Offices in supporting the schools as they develop corrective action plans to address their findingsDevelop guidance, training, and supporting documents that can be shared with schools to support their efforts of EL program continuous improvementSupport training of other OMME staff around policy and programs related to EL instructionOther duties as assignedIn order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the EL Program Specialist must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

Bachelor's degree in Education, Bilingual Education, ESL, or a related field of study.Master's degree preferredValid Professional Educator Licensure (PEL) issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) with Bilingual and/or ESL endorsement, required.Experience Required:

Minimum of five (5) years of classroom teaching experience working with English Learners or dually identified students, including the following, is required:Minimum of one (1) year of reviewing EL Programs in schools or organizations.Experience in standards-based instructional planning, including backwards mapping from standards to instruction.Other Requirements:

Access to reliable transportation to travel to schools and other locations throughout the district, requiredKnowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Expertise in the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and/or Spanish Language Arts, WIDA ELD and/or SLD Standards.Understanding of literacy in content areas as well as first and second language literacy development.Proficiency in providing high-quality instruction in native and/or English language.Ability to design and implement differentiated instruction to meet the diverse needs of English learners, including those with varying proficiency levels.Excellent time management and organizational skills; capable of managing several priorities across multiple teams simultaneously, driving them to completion and producing high-quality deliverablesExcellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to build collaborative relationships with a variety of constituent groups, including colleagues, internal and external stakeholders, and community-based organizations.Strong problem-solving and analytical skills; ability to delegate, and recognition of failures as opportunities for improvement.Proficiency with a range of technology tools and software, including Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and CPS applications.Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency -

Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 -

Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. "Up-to-date" on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.