Part Time Temporary ELA Assessment Associate

The Achievement Network

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT:

Part Time Temporary ELA Assessment Associate

Position is available immediately

Location: Boston, MA

Organizational Overview:

Top performing low-income schools across the country are demonstrating that the achievement gap can be closed. One common practice in these schools is how they effectively use student achievement data to identify gaps in student learning and then relentlessly target their teaching to catch up students who are falling behind.  Founded in Boston in 2005, The Achievement Network (ANet), an entrepreneurial non-profit organization on the cutting edge of the education reform movement, is designed to help schools achieve excellence and dramatically improve student achievement.   ANet has been the recipient of the prestigious Investing In Innovation (I3) grant from the federal government; was awarded the New Schools Venture Fund “Organization of the Year” in 2011; and is a partner in the 100Kin10 movement, which seeks to recruit, prepare, and retain 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers in 10 years.

ANet’s comprehensive solution builds partner schools’ capacity to use data effectively in their schools and increase student achievement. There are three major components that make up ANet’s partnership with schools.  First, we provide standards-aligned quarterly assessments and user-friendly data reports to determine which standards students are mastering and which standards students are struggling to comprehend. Second, ANet provides intensive coaching to help schools use the data effectively to action plan and re-teach concepts students have not yet mastered.  And third, ANet facilitates a peer network of leaders and teachers for best practice sharing and collaboration to accelerate improvement in schools across the network.

ANet currently serves over 250 charter and district schools educating 70,000 students in Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Newark, Chicago, Tennessee, and New York City.  ANet schools have increased the percentage of their students reaching proficiency on state year-end summative tests; these outcomes outpace gains made by the states in which we work, often by twice as much.

 

Position Overview:

We are seeking a Part Time Temporary ELA Assessment Associate to assist the ELA Assessment Team with the research, development, design, and production of standards-based interim assessments in ELA to be administered in elementary and middle schools. The Associate will help to manage the content for our supplementary materials for schools, such as our quiz tool. 

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Collaborate with the Assessment Team to ensure ANet interim exams align with state standards and rigor to measure student performance in grades 3 – 8: 
• Research and analyze state standards and released items
• Create items for a given standard
• Edit assessments to ensure assessments are a good approximate for the state assessment
• Aid in the creation of ELA assessments by creating items, selecting items, editing assessments, reviewing questions and all other aspects of assessment design
• Provide ELA subject matter expertise
• Support ANet staff with assessment use in schools by providing coaches with information regarding assessment design decisions
• Evaluate items created for given ELA standards to ensure items are grade level appropriate, rigorous and are error free
• Aid in the production of assessments for at least one geographic Network
• Select items to be used on a given assessment
• Review assessments to ensure all components are represented
• Contribute to the overall success of The Achievement Network:
• Manage the content of ANet’s supplementary materials for schools (e.g., ANet Quiz Tool)

Required Skills, Experiences and Competencies:

In order to be successful in this role, ideal candidates should demonstrate the following:

• Excellent education credentials and school experience:  Bachelor’s Degree required; 2+ years of standards-based teaching, preferably in grades 3 – 8; experience with or study of assessment creation and design a plus
• Comprehensive understanding of what students must know and be able to demonstrate in different grade levels/subject areas: In order to develop items and design tests and to serve as resource person for ANet staff and school leaders; Grades 3 – 8, ELA preferred
• Comfort with working in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced, highly collaborative and team-oriented environment: With a desire to contribute to a growing organization, outstanding project management skills and initiative
• Belief in The Achievement Network’s mission and strategy: Most importantly, a passionate commitment to and a sense of urgency for the support of urban schools, along with a belief that all students can achieve at high levels

Salary and Schedule:

This position will entail approximately 15-20 hours a week and will pay $15 per hour commensurate with experience.

How to Apply:

The Achievement Network is soliciting applications for this position immediately.  To apply, please visit our website, http://www.achievementnetwork.org/careers/ and click the "Apply Now” button.  You can review our positions, create an application, and upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling and urgent basis.

The Achievement Network is committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization.  We are an equal opportunity employer and seek individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply to this position.