Director of Black Student Success

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 330,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 36,000 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.  In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity.  Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Office of Equity's mission is to develop, support, implement, and report on district efforts to eliminate the opportunity gaps in education quality, policies, and support for students and adults.  The Office of Equity is a cabinet-level office established in 2018.   The CPS Office of Equity works hand-in-hand with district offices to ensure each undertaking is pursued with equity as a goal.  To drive progress on equity, the Office of Equity oversees the continually evolving CPS Equity Framework, a source of guidance tools, evidence-based ideas, and resources for CPS staff, partners, and community members addressing complex equity issues. 

Job Summary: 

Reporting to the Executive Director of the Equity Office, the Director of Black Student Success is responsible for leading a team and operationalizing the CPS Equity Framework by serving as a key leader in the district. This role will also oversee and drive strategies, initiatives, and districtwide implementation plans to enhance the experiences and outcomes for Black students across CPS.  

The Director of Black Student Success will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive and forward-thinking strategy to advance Black student success aligned with the broader goals of the Office of Equity and Chicago Public Schools.
• Provide visionary leadership to shape and implement long-term initiatives addressing educational disparities faced by Black students.
• Build and lead a high-performing team dedicated to black student success providing mentorship, guidance, and support
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with school leaders, educators, parents, community organizations, city/state agencies, and other stakeholders to create a unified and collaborative approach to support Black students.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration within the district and externally to address systemic barriers.
• Utilize data-driven insights to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities related to Black student success.
• Implement comprehensive assessment tools to measure the effectiveness of initiatives and recommend adjustments based on evidence.
• Design and oversee the implementation of professional development programs for educators focused on cultural competency, anti-bias training, and best practices for supporting Black students.
• Partner with district and school leaders to ensure equitable practices are integrated into teaching and learning.
• Advocate for policies and practices at the district and city level that address systemic barriers and promote equity for Black students.
• Stay abreast of educational policies and current trends related to equity and represent the interests of Black students in policy discussions.
• Engage with the broader community to understand the unique needs of Black students and build partnerships that support their success.
• Lead efforts to organize and participate in community events that foster dialogue, collaboration, and understanding.
• Work collaboratively with district leadership to advocate for and allocate resources that directly impact the success of Black students.
• Ensure equitable distribution of resources among schools and programs.
• Participate in city, regional, and national efforts to address race and equity.
• Provide leadership and support to district, network, and school leaders, ensuring they have the resources and tools needed to operationalize the CPS Equity Framework and engage with families and communities successfully.
• Other duties as assigned. 

To be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Director of Black Student Success must possess the following qualifications: 

Education Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required; Preferred field of study - Education, Public Administration/Policy, Social Work, Social Justice, or a related field 
• Master’s degree is preferred

 Experience Required: 

• Minimum of seven (7) years of professional experience leading large-scale complex initiatives within a large organization, preferably within an urban school district 
• Minimum of five (5) years of school leadership experience and/or experience leading diversity, equity and inclusion work with a specific focus on racial initiatives 
• Minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience leading high-performing teams
• Extensive experience working collaboratively with community partners, including families, educators, and local organizations is preferred
• Experience with multi-year strategic planning and change management is preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Ability to articulate a vision, set high standards, and effectively guide school, district, and directors in realizing expectations set
• Advanced expertise in leadership development; Ability to coach toward excellence, build the capacity of content area teams, and develop meaningful and high-impact professional communities for district and  school leaders
• Demonstrates extensive success in designing and implementing initiatives aimed at promoting equity
• Exceptional communication skills (speaking - including presentations - listening, and writing)
• Demonstrate high levels of instructional expertise, integrity, honesty, credibility, and the courage to make difficult yet necessary decisions.
• Highly effective strategic planning capabilities, including establishing long-term vision and goals and aligning/managing activities toward goal fulfillment
• Strong leadership and team building skills, e.g., developing high-performing teams united around a clear vision for serving schools and achieving student success.
• Advanced knowledge of operations, budget/finance, management, and organizational development
• Exceptional ability to build collaborative relationships with a variety of constituent groups, including external partners, to ensure the entire system operates in the most effective manner possible to support schools and principals
• Advanced skill in defining problems, analyzing data, and outlining valid conclusions and action steps

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.
• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. “Up-to-date” on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.