The District of Columbia Government is seeking a State Superintendent of Education to lead the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The State Superintendent is charged with providing strategic vision, clear direction, and steady leadership to the agency which serves over 90,000 students in public schools across more than 60 local education agencies (LEAs).
Under the helm of the State Superintendent, OSSE works in partnership with traditional and public charter schools to achieve its core mission of sustaining, accelerating and deepening progress for DC students. OSSE is charged with closing the achievement gap and ensuring people of all ages and backgrounds are prepared to succeed in school and in life.
The State Superintendent manages a team of 2000 employees and oversees an annual budget of ~$2B. This position reports to the Deputy Mayor for Education and operates with a high degree of independence in planning, designing, and carrying out the goals and objectives of OSSE. The State Superintendent exercises a high degree of judgment, ingenuity, decisiveness, and resourcefulness in implementing, interpreting and applying guidelines and policies.
The State Superintendent is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council of the District of Columbia for a four (4) year term.
Duties and Responsibilities
The State Superintendent of Education performs the following key functions:
- Overseeing all federal education programs and related grants administered in the District of Columbia.
- Developing state-level standards aligned with school, college, and workforce readiness expectations.
- Ensuring access to high-quality child care and universal pre-kindergarten for eligible District families.
- Providing resources and support to assist the District’s most vulnerable student populations.
- Administering the annual Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), the statewide student academic achievement exam.
- Providing regional, door-to-door transportation to school for District children with special needs.
- Awarding higher education financial assistance to eligible District students at public and private colleges and universities in DC and across the country.
- Increasing health and physical education awareness as well as ensuring access to free meals year-round.
- Overseeing the DC State Athletic Association (DCSAA), which provides interscholastic athletic programming that enriches the education experiences of all student-athletes.
- Providing common, comparable information for families and educators about all public schools in the District of Columbia through the DC School Report Card.
Core Values
- Focus on students. We believe in the potential of all DC students, from our infants and toddlers all the way to our adult learners, to learn and achieve at high levels. We believe that a critical part of our role as the state education agency is in ensuring greater equity in outcomes for our students, by accelerating progress for those who are furthest behind.
- Organizational excellence. We hold ourselves and our colleagues to high expectations. We focus on getting the details of our core work right, and developing systems that will make it possible for us to sustain excellent work over time. We act with a sense of urgency, and balance this with the need to bring good judgment and make wise decisions.
- Determination. We are relentlessly focused on finding solutions and paths forward, and bring creativity, innovation, and skill in navigating and addressing barriers to do so. We are committed to learning and continuous improvement. We constantly strive for a higher level of performance in all of our work.
- Partnership. We strive to understand the needs and perspectives of our stakeholders, and we work in partnership with many others to support DC students and families. We are committed to working with empathy, transparency, and humility. We are mindful of the trust placed in us to administer services fairly and honestly and operate with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
- Teamwork and collaboration. We believe in the importance of diversity in many forms, and believe that it strengthens our team and our work. We value and care about each other, operate with a generosity of spirit, and inspire, challenge, push, and support each other to be our best. We are guided by mutual trust and respect, accountability to one another, and a shared sense of mission and purpose.
Qualifications
In addition to a demonstrated ability to successfully execute the above duties and responsibilities, the ideal candidate profile includes:
- Master’s Degree or higher in education, administration or a closely related field.
- At least five (5) years documented experience in public school administration, policy development and/or organizational management.
- Skill and experience in providing leadership in a managerial capacity.
- Expertise in leading diverse teams and committees in achieving strategic outcomes and priorities.
- In-depth understanding of Federal and DC education law including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
- Expert knowledge of the budget planning process, grant administration, and financial forecasting in a government or nonprofit setting.
- Ability to execute on the organizational mission and objectives, operating procedures and guidelines, and educational programs overseen by OSSE.
- Experience managing the operations and modernization of complex data systems and the use of statewide longitudinal data to drive decision making and policy development.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to develop analytical reports and deliver public messaging in a clear and concise manner.
- Experience engaging a wide variety of high-level officials in state and federal governments including members of Congress, representatives from the US Department of Education, members of the Council of the District of Columbia, and members of the State Board of Education.
How to Apply
For immediate consideration, please submit your application below.