Coordinator of English Language Proficiency Assessment; ESD

The Education Secretariat is committed to equity and valuing the unique and diverse characteristics and experiences of every member of its workforce. We encourage an authentic workplace where colleagues show up as their full selves, where collaboration, innovation, and connections are key to realizing our mission that all children, youth, and families thrive socially, academically, and economically. We seek teammates who are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive work environment, where everyone is valued and engaged.

We encourage you to apply and identify your strengths in these areas.

This position currently follows a hybrid model of reporting to work that combines two (2) in office workdays and telework days as needed. The primary work location is Everett.

The Office of SAS at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is responsible for coordinating the development, administration, and reporting of the Commonwealth’s statewide student assessment programs.

The Coordinator of English Language Proficiency Assessment is a member of the Inclusive Assessment team and manages all aspects of DESE’s statewide assessment for English learners, currently WIDA ACCESS. The coordinator oversees communications and training for schools and districts; provides support before, during, and after administration; monitors reporting of results; and ensures equitable access for students with disabilities.

The Coordinator of English Language Proficiency Assessment works with both internal and external partners to ensure that district and school staff are prepared to administer the assessment in accordance with state and federal requirements, works closely with the testing contractors and SAS staff to prepare and present annual reporting data and progress results, and contributes to ongoing reviews and feedback for the WIDA ACCESS program.

Responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to:

• Leading all aspects of the English Language Proficiency Assessment program for the Commonwealth, in collaboration with DESE staff and outside vendors, and in accordance with state and federal requirements
• Customizing and sending notifications to schools throughout the assessment cycle and assisting schools and districts with programmatic or procedural changes
• Developing and disseminating guidance documents to support schools and districts to ensure the successful administration of the assessment; communicating policies and procedures; and providing technical assistance before, during, and after the testing window
• Scheduling, developing, and delivering multiple virtual (and occasional in-person) training sessions for district and school staff throughout the year
• Visiting schools and monitoring test administration processes of Local Education Agencies (LEAs)
• Serving as a liaison between DESE, LEAs, and advocacy groups for English learners
• Collaborating with SAS and staff in the Office of Language Acquisition to analyze and interpret data for presentation of state-level results
• Monitoring and communicating information about English language assessment results, policy changes, and technological assessment innovations to SAS leadership
• Developing, maintaining, and implementing an annual work plan and professional development plan

The successful candidate for this position will possess the following qualifications:

• Strong knowledge of educational services for students identified as English learners
• Working knowledge of assessments, especially large-scale assessment programs for measurement of English language proficiency
• Experience in measurement or evaluation of standardized assessments of student performance
• Familiarity with computer-based testing and administration in schools and districts
• Experience managing programs and program transitions
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and ability to communicate information to a variety of audiences
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize and present complex information in both in-person and virtual settings
• Familiarity with desktop applications (such as Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams);
  Adobe Pro; and video conferencing (Zoom), and creating…