Job Description
Office:
Office of School Improvement and Supports
Date Posted:
8/25/2026
Salary Range:
1-5 / $98,423 - $111,058
NTE Date:
N/A
Position Overview
The mission of the Office of School Improvement and Supports (OSIS) is to ensure we support our schools and our students to succeed and to meet the Goals of our Strategic Plan. The Office works to dramatically accelerate the number of excellent schools through school transformation, including design, partnerships, Connected Schools, and Comprehensive School Planning (CSP). The Office develops, aligns, and delivers high-quality supports to ensure students, particularly students furthest away from opportunity, are in school, able to engage in rigorous learning, and have a joyous educational environment. The Office ensures our schools have excellent leaders, educators, and staff who are prepared to meet the diverse needs of the young people we serve.
Divisions/Teams
School Improvement
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School Performance: Promotes data-driven decision-making through a cycle of continuous improvement to develop, implement, and monitor the comprehensive school plan designed to move schools toward a consistent standard of excellence.
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Design: Designs innovative school models that transform learning for our students furthest from opportunity and supports District workstreams to be more grounded in community voice by anchoring in data, community engagement and understanding, and elevating and integrating student voice.
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Connected Schools: Supports schools in implementing the DCPS Connected Schools Model. Connected Schools take a whole child, whole school, whole community approach by making schools spaces that support not only a student’s academic development, but also the student and family’s overall wellbeing through access to resources related to health, employment, housing, and more.
Student Supports
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School Mental Health: Ensures that students' behavioral and social-emotional needs are met to increase access to the curriculum, strengthen emotional regulation and prosocial skills, and respond to school communities in times of crisis.
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Student Placement: Ensures every student that requires a change in school assignment based on housing status, military transition, community release or other special circumstance receives a placement that considers their unique needs for school success.
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Student Health Services: Ensures access to preventative and coordinated services for all students to support health and wellness, appropriate care of students with chronic health conditions and prevent absenteeism due to health-related factors.
Learning and Development Sciences
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Learning and Development Sciences Division (LDS) is charged with supporting the district’s Strategic Plan goals on Safety and Belonging. Grounded in the latest science of learning and development and powered by lived experiences, the district’s approach is a long-term vision that incorporates critical system shifts, codifies the most effective evidence-based practices, and supports individual schools to implement systems and practices that create favorable conditions for learning.
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Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): DCPS’s approach to tiered supports is grounded in a commitment to serving the whole child. The MTSS team supports schools to understand student and staff strengths and needs holistically and supports their implementation of aligned evidence-based best practices across academics, social-emotional learning, attendance, and behavior.
IMPACT: IMPACT is DCPS’ effectiveness assessment system for all school-based staff. IMPACT endeavors for all school-staff members to receive timely and accurate feedback on their performance and to have that performance recognized and rewarded. The ultimate goal of IMPACT is to ensure that all students, at all schools, have access to a highest quality staff members across all roles.
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IMPACT Operations: The team coordinates across DCPS to develop guidance for individual components that reflect DCPS’ priorities, manages external vendors for the accurate and timely production of scores for various components, manages a helpline where all staff can reach out with questions about their evaluation, supports managers to ensure all evaluations are conducted with fidelity, and produces data analysis to support the mission of other teams across DCPS.
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IMPACT Align: This team develops tools to ensure all teacher evaluators have what they need to apply DCPS’ classroom observation rubric accurately and consistently; produces resources and guidance designed to build fluency in the observation rubric among teachers; supports principal and instructional superintendent alignment with respect to DCPS’ school leader evaluation rubric; and collaborates with teams across DCPS to ensure all supported rubrics continue to provide a clear language of effectiveness that supports the mission of IMPACT.
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IMPACT Design: This team gathers and responds to feedback from DCPS leadership, staff and other central services teams. This team uses this feedback to consider possible adjustments to IMPACT to ensure the evaluation system remains accurate and aligned to DCPS priorities. The team also liaises with other states, districts, education groups, and researchers to learn from the best practices and lessons learned in the field of staff and school leader evaluation.
The Manager, Safety and Belonging (Elementary School Support) will work to directly support schools in implementing systems and practices aligned with our whole child, Safety and Belonging goals, by:
• Leveraging the science of learning and development to maximize the effectiveness of educators to support students in reaching their full potential
• Observing, supporting, and offering feedback to school leaders and staff about the implementation of systems and practices aligned with our whole child, Safety and Belonging goals using DCPS values, tools, and resources
• Leading professional learning opportunities ranging from all-staff sessions to individual coaching and support
• Serving as a champion for Safety and Belonging in order to inspire and activate school and district staff to maximize the potential of DCPS's Power Practices
This position has been designated as Protection Sensitive. Pursuant to section 410 of Chapter 4 of the D.C. Personnel Regulations; in addition to the general suitability screening, individuals applying for or occupying protection sensitive positions are subject to the following checks and tests: Criminal background check; Sex Offender Registry check; Traffic record check (as applicable).
The Manager, Safety and Belonging (Elementary School Support) will report to the Director, Safety and Belonging.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned.
• Collaborates with school leaders to analyze social, emotional, and academic data and strengthen whole-child, anti-racist practices.
• Leverages DCPS’s MTSS Panorama data systems to identify targeted areas for deeper support.
• Proactively communicates with cluster superintendent, district staff, and school leaders to identify and strengthen school-wide systems in connection with Comprehensive School Plan goals.
• Partners with other members of the Cluster Support Teams to provide professional learning opportunities for district and school staff.
• Consulting with the DCPS Safety and Belonging Team and cross-office divisions to track implementation progress, share lessons learned, and elevate the perspectives of school staff to inform continuous improvement of DCPS Safety and Belonging tools, resources, and priorities.
• Builds and maintains strong, trusting relationships with district staff and school leaders to learn what they most need and maximize full potential of support.
• Ensures an approach that supports the needs of the whole child, and integrates academic, social emotional, behavioral, health, and college and career readiness.
• Manages, coaches, and develops Restorative Practice Specialists to effectively support schools in reducing suspensions through proactive and responsive practices.
Qualifications
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Bachelor's degree and four to six years of related work experience. Master's degree preferred.
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Background in education, social work, science of learning and development as a practitioner. School or district leadership experience preferred.
• Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector a plus.
• Ability to adapt to change, remain flexible, and thrive in fast-paced, rapidly evolving environments.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with attention to detail.
• Commitment to continuous learning and improvement in service of student success.
• School or district leadership experience is preferred.
• Experience leading complex, large scale transformation efforts in a school or system.
• Ability to build relationships and leverage them to create momentum for major change efforts.
• Experience inspiring external and internal champions to transfer the charge of change efforts.
• Reflective practitioner with experience working to guide and/or coach the learning of organizational leaders.
• Results-orientation, coupled with a strong work ethic.
• Strong educational technology, Excel and PowerPoint skills preferred.
DCPS Values
• STUDENTS FIRST: We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do.
• COURAGE: We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success.
• EQUITY: We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds.
• EXCELLENCE: We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions.
• TEAMWORK: We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically.
• JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other.
We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive, accessible workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals with disabilities. Accommodation and/or application assistance is available upon request at all stages of the application and employment process. To request accommodation, please contact dcps.eeo-ada@k12.dc.gov.