School SPED Evaluator

Options School SPED Evaluator

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 310,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 40,000 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 Options Network provides administrative support, strategic direction, and leadership development to its schools, mirroring the support model found across the district's traditional networks. However, the Options Network is unique in its dual-function, serving as both support infrastructure and the authorizing body for a highly diverse portfolio of 36 schools and programs serving approximately 6,000 students. While the network includes traditional district-run schools, 32 of its 36 schools operate as non-district entities (charter, contract, and ALOP models).

Consequently, the network's authorization function demands rigorous, continuous oversight, monitoring, support, and evaluation across three critical pillars: academic performance, financial stability, and operational compliance.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Manager of Options Performance & Support within the Options Network, the Options School SPED Evaluator serves as a key member of the Authorization Team working collaboratively alongside Options School Evaluators to ensure balanced network oversight. This role participates in all site visits and co-leads the evaluation of special education programming across charter, contract, and Alternative Learning Opportunities Program (ALOP) schools.

The Options School SPED Evaluator utilizes CPS-aligned rubrics to collect data, analyze educational practices, and assess instructional quality, school leadership, and climate through a special education compliance lens. The role is responsible for synthesizing site visit observations, stakeholder input, and school artifacts into comprehensive, final Site Visit Reports that inform high-stakes accountability decisions and network-wide strategic planning. Additionally, this role collaborates with the Authorization team and subject-matter experts to design, develop, and implement progressive methods for continuous monitoring and tiered support regarding network-wide special education compliance.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct comprehensive site visits using standardized, evidence-based rubrics, focusing on instructional quality, school leadership, climate and culture, data-informed practices, and special education compliance
• Participate in all network site visits, including those focused on academic quality, school culture and climate, and special education, serving as the co-lead evaluator for special education reviews while actively contributing to and supporting the team during all other evaluative components
• Co-lead specialized Special Education Site Visits in partnership with the OSD Special Education Coordinator, evaluating IEP compliance, service delivery, and the fidelity of specialized instruction
• Participate in all site visit components, including school preparation meetings, rigorous classroom observations, artifact/document reviews, and stakeholder focus groups and listening sessions
• Synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative data, including instructional practices, compliance reports, artifacts, and special education files, to assess overall school performance, compliance, and readiness for contract renewal
• Contribute to comprehensive Site Visit Reports that provide clear, objective findings and actionable recommendations aligned to renewal and federal/state special education compliance standards
• Collaborate with the Authorization team and subject-matter experts to design, develop, and…