Job Number:

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 45,000 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. Aligned with our transformed philosophy, we are steadfastly focused on ensuring that the District provides resources equitably to support every student, every school, and every community. Six core values guide the work we do every day for our students – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. Each role in the district supports our vision that every student deserves a rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience.

The Chicago Public School’s Instructional Core Vision centers identity, community, and relationships, which is called the “Inner Core.” Located within the Office of Teaching and Learning, the Department of Student Voice & Engagement (DSVE) leads the district's inclusive and responsive education strategy that aims to ensure all aspects of schooling in CPS are inclusive of and responsive to the lived experiences of students, and includes young people as key stakeholders in making decisions that impact them.

The primary objective of the Student Voice and Leadership Specialist will be to support the strategic expansion and improvement of Student Voice Committees in CPS. The Student Voice and Leadership Specialist will work directly with adult stakeholders advancing the Student Voice Committee program at their schools as a coach and professional learning provider. The Student Voice and Leadership Specialist will also support the district’s student voice infrastructure initiative, and help identify and advance opportunities for expanding youth-adult partnerships in decision-making across CPS. In order to ensure a coherent vision for a student voice infrastructure scaled throughout CPS, this role will be responsible for training teachers, principals, as well as youth in nurturing productive relationships that foster inclusive youth adult partnerships. The Student Voice and Leadership Specialist will report to the Manager of Student Voice & Leadership and will collaborate closely with colleagues within the department as well as across central office to support strategic efforts to strengthen student voice and decision making. This is a full-time, exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

The Student Voice and Leadership Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Supervise and support Student Voice Committees (SVCs) across CPS

• Expand opportunities for Student Voice Committees across schools

• Co-design and facilitate varied professional learning opportunities for SVC students, facilitators, and administrators that provide technical, curricular, and consulting support that strengthens the quality of SVC programming and inclusive youth adult partnerships

• Ensure professional learning for SVC facilitators and relevant stakeholders successfully achieves the following:

  • Builds their capacity to develop intergenerational spaces at their school that promote shared decision-making between adults and students.

  • Supports SVCs in developing a collaborative spirit amongst adults, and between adults and young people in service of intergenerational approaches to school improvement.

  • Prepares SVCs to act as representatives of the student body that deepen and enrich student representation and decision-making at their school.

• Lead continuous improvement in SVC strategy, ensuring SVCs are well supported and have the guidance and parameters conducive to a productive and trusting school community. Ongoing efforts include, but are not limited to, the following tasks:

  • Analyze, audit, and improve guidance and resources

  • Solicit regular feedback around priority areas of the SVC program; conduct observations, school visits, interviews, and focus groups to learn from and provide support based on the evolving needs and challenges SVC facilitators, students, and administrators face

  • Pilot new tools aligned to SVC quality criteria and SVC program evaluation findings

  • Evaluate professional learning outcome data, and use that data to improve professional learning offerings

  • Identify, document, and offer solutions around barriers to successful implementation of the SVC program

• Plan and deliver student and educator-facing events that model inclusive partnerships and elevate student perspectives on topics and issues relevant to CPS students

• Advance District-wide student voice and leadership initiatives that:

  • inform district policy development, revision, and policy implementation

  • are responsive to the current social-political moment, emerging, and persistent student needs

  • develop student leaders by providing opportunities to lead, present, and engage peers and adults in inclusive partnership

  • manage the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and development of students serving as members of the Districtwide Student Voice Committee (DSVC)

• Represent Chicago Public Schools and the Department of Student Voice & Engagement through internal and external collaborative relationships

• Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Student Voice and Leadership Specialist must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study from an accredited college or university, required

• Valid teaching certificate issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is preferred. (Candidates with a valid out-of-state, reciprocal license will be considered.)

• Master’s degree in a relevant field of study preferred

Experience Required:

• Minimum of four (4) years of relevant professional experience, including the following, is required:

  • Minimum of three (3) years working with educators and students in a school setting

  • Minimum of three (3) years working with youth in school improvement and/or civic engagement contexts

  • Minimum of three (3) years of education or youth leadership experience.

  • Minimum of three (3) years working with adult learners including creating, organizing, and facilitating professional learning experiences to meet the needs of participants.

• Experience working with or within Chicago Public Schools, and/or working with schools and community groups on Chicago’s south and west sides, preferred.

• Experience working within school improvement systems and structures in CPS such as CIWP, preferred

• Spanish language proficiency preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of anti-bias, anti-racist, and anti-adultist pedagogy; commitment to providing an educational environment free of discrimination and bias that uplifts Black and Brown students, celebrating their impact on our communities and world

• Capable of creating high-quality opportunities for teachers and students in youth voice, civic education, and democratic learning

• Act collaboratively and with integrity to build bridges and consensus within socially, racially, and politically diverse groups

• Expertise in planning, designing, facilitating, and evaluating professional learning

• Exceptional organizational skills; ability to effectively manage several work streams simultaneously; able to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks as well as adapt to priorities that change quickly.

• Superior analytical and critical thinking skills - analyze data to inform daily decisions, define problems, and take action

• Capable of building and sustaining positive, productive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; comfortable collaborating and communicating across a diverse range of audiences

• Solution-oriented - ability to address and solve challenges collaboratively with multiple interests/parties involved

• Demonstrates a sense of urgency in accomplishing goals and objectives.

• Excellent technology skills (Google Suite)

Benefits:

Health & Wellness: Your Care, Your Choice

CPS is committed to providing comprehensive health coverage to our employees and their eligible dependents. You'll have access to a variety of choices to best fit your needs:

Medical Plan Options

Pharmacy

Dental

Vision

Behavioral Health & EAP

Employee Wellness Program

Financial Security: Planning for Today and Tomorrow

We understand the importance of financial stability, which is why CPS offers strong retirement and savings options:

Basic Life Insurance

Life and Disability Insurance

Pension Plans

Supplemental Retirement Plans (403(b) and 457(b))

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Spot Pet Insurance

Work-Life Balance: Supporting Your Personal and Professional Life

CPS values the well-being of its employees and offers competitive paid time off policies:

Paid Leave

Sick Leave

Vacation Days

Parental Leaves

Short-Term Disability

Religious Holidays

Leaves

Reference the Chicago Public Schools: A Comprehensive Benefits Overview or the benefits handbook for comprehensive details.

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.