EL Instructional Development Specialist

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 320,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 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:

Reporting to the EL Instructional Development Manager, the EL Instructional Development Specialist plays a crucial role in enhancing and improving English Learners’ (EL) learning experience across the district. This position focuses on building capacity among various stakeholders, providing instructional support, and contributing to the development and implementation of high-quality instruction for ELs in grades PreK-12. Each Instructional Development Specialist will have a primary area of focus—such as Special Education, Early Childhood, High School, MTSS, or Assessment—and may also have a content focus in core subjects like Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, or Science. This dual focus allows our specialists to bring targeted support to educators, combining best practices in instructional strategies with specific subject matter expertise. This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

This position will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

·       Develop and provide professional learning in various venues and formats, promoting best practices for EL instruction.

·       Collaborate with district staff, administrators, and other departments to provide comprehensive instructional support aimed at elevating the academic experience for English Learners.

Utilize EL data to inform instructional development:

·       Analyze student performance data related to English Learners.

·       Identify trends and patterns to inform instructional strategies and interventions.

·       Collaborate with educators to develop targeted approaches for improving EL learning outcomes.

·       Research, evaluate, and make recommendations on curricula, instructional methods, assessments, technology, and materials for ELs in both native language and English contexts.

·       Contribute to the district's framework for effective EL instruction and promote equitable access to rigorous, language-rich learning experiences.

·       Develop common tools and resources that demonstrate effective literacy practices for ELs across content areas and contexts.

·       Collaborate intra- and interoffice on professional learning, district initiatives, resources, and projects.

·       Stay current with research and innovation in English Learner education, implementing continuous improvements and fostering an adaptable, responsive instructional approach.

·       Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, this position must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

·       Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, required

·       Professional Educator Licensure (EPL) issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) with Bilingual and/or ESL endorsement, required

·       Master's degree in Education, Bilingual Education, ESL, or a related field of study, preferred

Experience Required:

·       Minimum of five (5) years of teaching experience with English Learners or dually identified students is required; Experience with high school, early childhood, MTSS, or special education experience is preferred          

·       Experience presenting to various stakeholders in more than one language is preferred

·       Experience in standards-based instructional planning, including backwards mapping from standards to instruction.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

·       Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Do not include experience in this section

·       Initiative, drive, and ability to manage time to produce high-quality deliverables and work in multiple teams

·       Knowledge 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 communication skills and the ability to establish efficient working relationships with colleagues, district and school staff, and community-based organizations.

·       Skilled in providing and receiving constructive feedback to drive improvement and support a collaborative, growth-oriented environment.

·       Strong problem-solving skills, ability to delegate, and recognition of failures as opportunities for improvement.     

·       Willingness to travel to schools and other locations throughout the district.

·       Self-starter with excellent organizational skills.

·       Proficiency in a range of technology tools and software, including Google Suite, Microsoft Office, CPS applications, virtual meeting platforms (e.g., Google Meet, Zoom), and instructional design software (e.g., Canva, Adobe Suite, or similar tools).

·       Commitment to continuous learning to stay current with research, district initiatives, and instructional best practices.

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.