Chief Academic Officer

Chief Academic Officer

Coney Island Preparatory Public Charter School

Brooklyn, New York

What is the Role?

The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) will lead Coney Island Prep’s (CIP) academic vision, strategy, and innovation in teaching, teacher development, and student learning. The CAO is a strategic instructional leader who uses data to identify trends and root causes, sets and executes a clear academic vision while building buy-in among staff, and establishes systems that drive continuous improvement. This role oversees the network’s academic strategy across K–12 schools, including curriculum design and implementation, instructional and data systems, and overall academic performance. 

The CAO champions our school’s expectations and belief that all of our scholars will be prepared for success in the college and career of their choice as a result of our rigorous academic program and support. Their vision and expectations are rooted in deeply held values of equity, especially for our predominantly low-income, first-generation college-going, student of color population.They will leverage a systems approach to achieve exceptional and sustainable outcomes for our students. 

The CAO will serve on the school’s network leadership team and the position is based in our network office in Coney Island, Brooklyn, with the flexibility to work from home two days a week after onboarding is complete. The CAO will be hired by and report directly to the CEO.

What You’ll Be Asked To Do

Deliver exceptional academic results by driving the school’s vision for effective teaching and learning, including instructional systems and routines and intellectual preparation that drive teacher development and sustainable student achievement

• Employ a research-based, data-driven approach to decision-making and academic goal-settingArchitect and maintain the school’s instructional cycle (preparation and internalization; observation and feedback; data review) to drive instruction and decision making
• Keep up to speed with education, brain science, and pedagogical best practices to ensure continuous improvement in our school’s educational approach and, to eliminate racial disparities and racist outcomes from school performance and academic data
• Research, select, and implement standards-aligned curriculums that deliver the best possible outcomes across all contents, grade levels, and campuses K-12, with a particular eye towards student performance across demographic subgroups
• Support implementation of differentiation strategies and ensure academic rigor is accessible to all student groups

Collaborate and co-lead by working closely with the Chief Schools Officer to collectively lead all aspects of the day-to-day teaching and learning, especially with a focus on instructional systems, practices, and outcomes.

• Identify curriculum needs for the upcoming year and partner closely with the Chief Operating Officer to implement curriculum inventory and purchasing process in order to fully utilize FAMIS funds
• Work closely with other members of the organization’s senior leadership team, including the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Talent & Equity Officer to support all compliance, financial, academic data, and teacher evaluation systems
• Build trust-based relationships and navigate across organizational layers to achieve challenging goals with the support of both school-based leaders and other network level team members

Develop talent by managing and coaching a team of six director content specialists who directly support school leaders and vice principals in implementing instructional systems with fidelity.

• Design and deliver ongoing professional development to directors, principals, vice-principals, and teachers 
• Lead weekly Academics Team meetings focused on maintaining and improving academic systems, data, professional development, and effective practices 
• Conduct academic walkthroughs with directors focused on improving coaching and instruction 
• Continuously utilize and improve the instructional practice and development guide (IPAD), and thought partner with CSO on changes
• Meet regularly with principals and vice-principals to discuss student achievement data, coaching, and instruction; provide professional development on culturally responsive teaching, anti-bias education, inclusive classroom practices, trauma-informed instruction 
• Partner with the People Team to refine and improve People Systems, and recruit and retain diverse instructional staff

Operate with Effectiveness by leading with a systems orientation to drive long term sustainable results.

• Ensure compliance, especially as it relates to supporting students with special needs; city, state, and federal compliance related to Individualized Education Plans; and supporting English Language Learners
• Codify systems to ensure best practices are implemented across campuses
• Innovate and partner with the operations team to ensure continuous improvement around student academic data systems, the use of technology to support and facilitate instruction, and curriculum purchasing

Build diverse, equitable, and inclusive community by designing systems and structures with an eye toward equitable outcomes across stakeholders. 

• Develop and implement an academic vision that explicitly prioritizes equitable outcomes across race, language status, disability, socioeconomic background, and gender. 
• Set measurable equity goals around closing achievement gaps, AP course access, and GPAs
• Align curriculum, assessment, grading policies, and instructional frameworks to equity commitments

What You’ll Need

• Passion for education and a dedication to Coney Island Prep’s mission; steadfast belief that all scholars can achieve at the highest academic levels and deserve an opportunity to succeed in the college and career of their choice 
• Set a vision and execute on that vision
• Data analysis skills 
• Problem solving orientation
• Professional demeanor and adept at organizing complex deliverables and tasks for multiple stakeholders 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Self-reflective and open to frequent feedback, with the ambition and desire to grow, develop, and strive for excellence
• Ability to manage and protect time in a deadline-driven work environment; excellent calendar and time management skills; robust short and long-term project management skills and a high level of detail orientation   
• Strong data analysis and presentation skills that allow others to contextualize a problem and act responsively; adept at organizing complex deliverables and tasks for multiple stakeholders 
• Demonstrated problem solving skills and the ability to coach others to do the same
• Strong change management skills, and the ability to influence and facilitate decision-making among multiple, diverse parties
• Highly developed people skills and the desire to work collaboratively as part of a team; background in coaching and managing a team 
• Team-first collaborator and communicator
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Experience coaching senior leaders and school leaders in an educational setting
• Bachelor’s degree and at least 10 years of professional experience with at least five years K-12 school leadership experience; Master’s degree preferred

Who are we?

Coney Island Prep is a college preparatory public charter school in Brooklyn, New York. Merging growth, performance, and commitment, the Coney Island Prep community takes its responsibility to prepare scholars for the college and career of their choice very seriously, but not ourselves. We balance our sense of ownership and responsibility with humility and levity and support each other every step of the way. Coney Island Prep currently serves over 1,300 scholars across its four schools, including:

• 312 scholars in kindergarten – second grade at the lower elementary school
• 336 scholars in third – fifth grade at the upper elementary school
• 320 scholars in sixth – eighth grades at the middle school
• 350 scholars in ninth-twelfth grade at the high school

Commitment to Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Coney Island Prep is committed to building a team that collectively reflects the various backgrounds, experiences, and identities of our scholars. We recognize and respond to different points of access, so that everyone maximizes their highest potential. We also recognize that because of institutionalized racism and systemic oppression, historically marginalized groups are at a disadvantage when it comes to most application and hiring processes. We want to ensure that all candidates, regardless of their identity, are able to demonstrate their qualifications and are not limited by a lack of opportunity or access. We are committed to creating a space where everyone’s identity is acknowledged, respected, and welcomed. We are intentional about creating an environment where people feel comfortable being their authentic selves at work by constantly examining our organization culture and challenging our traditions.

Benefits and Compensation

• Employees at Coney Island Prep are provided with salaries that are highly competitive, set through a lens of equity, and based on an individual’s skills and experiences relevant to the role. The starting salary for this role is $190,000.
• As a regular full time employee of Coney Island Prep, you will be eligible for benefits that include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance as well as a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match and Paid Family Leave.
• Staff are provided with a MacBook Air and access to all the necessary technology and resources needed to succeed in their role.

Are you “All In?” This position starts May 11, 2026. To apply, head to our Careers Page!

Coney Island Preparatory Public Charter School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, national origin, citizenship or disability. We want Coney Island Prep to be a place where scholars and staff of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities are valued and can excel.