Director of Math, 5-8

 About Achievement First

Achievement First (AF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that currently supports 41 public charter schools in New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Consistently rated as one of the top charter school networks in the country for almost 25 years, AF is committed to continuous improvement, programmatic evolution for enhanced student outcomes, and sustainable growth. The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from low-income families who will be the first in their families to graduate from college. AF currently employs more than 2,200 staff — 64% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color — who collectively educate nearly 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence, RI.

The mission of Achievement First is to deliver on the promise of equal educational opportunity for all of America’s children. AF knows that every child—regardless of race, zip code, or economic status—deserves access to great schools. At AF, students realize their potential and develop the skills they need to graduate from high school, succeed in college, thrive in a competitive world, and serve as the next generation of leaders in their communities. At AF, students and staff embark on a shared journey to fulfill their incredible potential.

The Achievement First Math Program

The Achievement First middle school math program aims for students to master Common Core math standards, develop confidence in themselves as mathematicians, and find joy in persevering through challenging tasks to discover mathematical insights and problem-solving strategies.

Our program is grounded in several core components

• Core Instruction: Students grapple with mathematical concepts to provide a strong foundation and procedural fluency with grade level standards.
• Problem Solving: Students apply their learnings from core instruction to complex, multi-step authentic real world tasks that push them to hone their problem solving skills and mathematical practices.
• Cumulative Review: Students engage in robust review of complex problems from previous units to both retain and extend learning.
• Small Group Instruction: Students receive personalized, differentiated support (both remediation and extension) to master grade level expectations and to ensure students reach their fullest mathematical potential.
• Support Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness: We also strive to ensure our curriculum, tools, resource and student experiences are relevant, affirm student identity and foster a diverse array of perspectives.

Your Impact

The Director of 5-8 Math Achievement is an integral part of the math team that works with principals, academic deans, and teachers to craft and drive the vision behind an exemplary math program. We work closely with these cohorts to ensure that they develop tools, skills, and knowledge through professional development, core skill building, classroom observations and data analysis. This position offers the opportunity to be at the forefront of this instructional work at one of the nation’s top charter school networks 

Responsibilities of the Director of 5-8 Math Achievement will include but are not limited to:

• Math Program Management & Design: Lead and support the middle school math team in continuing to build a robust program and curriculum:
• Manage Program Vision and Implementation
• Act as a thought partner to the network leadership teams to help synthesize the network vision for math instruction and contribute to the development of clear programmatic recommendations for school leaders
• Analyze Data
• Deeply analyze student achievement data (student work samples, weekly quizzes, interim assessments and state tests) to determine how to better develop materials and provide targeted, high quality teacher training

• Math Program Execution Support: Drive strong results in partnership with schools:

• Facilitate Professional Development
• With the middle school math team, develop professional development sessions that support vision setting for the math program, implementation of the curriculum and growth of core skills and knowledge
• Coaching and Observations
• Conduct focused observations to push content-specific instructional practices, improve implementation of curriculum, gather information on best practices and pilot new projects
• Develop instructional eye of deans and principals through focused co-observations and feedback
• Coordinate Core Math Program Systems
• Coordinate school leaders, deans and teachers in maintaining quality control of core systems integral to teaching and learning, such as process-based assessment, data collection, etc. 

Skills and Characteristics

• Curricular and Programmatic Vision: Has in-depth content and pedagogical expertise in math
• Brings an Equity Lens to the Core Work: Consistently ensures that the Leading for Racial Equity lens will be a required, explicit part of priority planning, goal-setting, professional development planning, and progress monitoring for school leaders and network leaders
• Practices Self-Awareness: Consistently reflects on “How am I positioned (relative to privilege and/or oppression) in all aspects of my identities (e.g. race, class, gender, language)? How might these identities impact people and our process?”
• Focuses on Relational Trust and Human Values: Notices and actively repairs broken trust/relationships; notices and addresses patterns of exclusion in meetings and 1:1 interactions; holds time to address and lean into non-discussables.
• Designs with not for: Actively looks for and insists on decision-making that requires us to listen, learn, and co-create with the people most impacted by work/decisions.
• Utilizes a Growth Mindset: Consistently identifies and addresses gaps in previous mindsets/skills and perceives the strength and performance of others through a growth mindset. Actively seeks feedback to improve and demonstrates growth in response to feedback.
• Employs Strategic Thinking: Utilizes multiple perspectives and data points to drive to a clear understanding of the current state relative to organizational goals and best practices and pushes for deeper understandings of how and why this came to be. Sets clear, obtainable, and timely goals which move work and the program forward and proactively plans how to involve and invest others in those goals.
• Analyzes and Responds to Data: Accurately identifies strengths and gaps based on existing data, considers additional information which may/may not be included in the dataset and provides specific insights based upon multiple data points.

Educational Background and Work Experience

• A bachelor's degree required; master's degree in education, math, or a related field preferred.
• Four or more years of experience as a dean of academics/instruction (or equivalent instructional leadership role), with a demonstrated track record of coaching teachers to strong math results — OR two or more years of experience as a Director of Math (or comparable role) at another school system or network.
• Direct experience coaching adults (deans, instructional leads, or teachers) on instructional practice, data-driven action planning, and professional development design.
• A proven track record of driving math achievement results through others — i.e., evidence that the leaders/teachers this person coached improved their practice and their students' outcomes
• Two or more years of experience working in a school or network serving primarily low-income students.
• Experience analyzing and acting on multiple forms of student achievement data (interim assessments, state tests, student work) to drive coaching and professional development decisions at scale (across multiple classrooms/schools).
• Strong preference for candidates with experience managing or influencing multiple school sites or leaders simultaneously, given the multi-school scope of this role.

 Travel Expectations 

This is a hybrid role. The expectation is that the person in the role would be able to come into the Network Support office (NYC, CT, or RI) at least 3 days a week. There may be additional travel to regions outside of your own on a monthly basis. 

Compensation

Achievement First sets salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on the requisite skills, education, and experience relevant to the role.  The salary for this position is $117,753. In order to uphold our commitment to equity, Achievement First does not negotiate pay.  Additionally, Achievement First offers to all regular, full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match, and paid Family Leave. 

Achievement First is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Spanish language proficiency is a plus. You can learn more about diversity at Achievement First here: http://achievementfirst.org/about-us/diversity/