Executive Director of High Schools

Overview Of Position

This position is open until filled, and interested candidates are encouraged to apply immediately. The first review of applications will begin on June 3, 2026.

The Executive Director of High Schools will create specific conditions to actualize the Seattle Public Schools Strategic Plan and focus on the elimination of systemic opportunity gaps through inclusive services. The Executive Director of High Schools is a member of the EDS Team that reports directly to the Assistant Superintendent of Schools. SPS is strategically committed to improving how central office leadership shifts its work to support building principals as instructional leaders.

The Executive Director of High Schools will also support district and building school improvement efforts directly connected to our district strategic plan and building Comprehensive School Plans (C‑SIP). The role requires a masterful teacher of adult learners, strong system thinker, and collaborator, and will effectively support high school building principals and supervise other leaders in the district to support culturally responsive and inclusive practices, policies, and procedures.

• School Improvement (40%) – Effectively partners with and supervises high school principals and staff to improve student outcomes. Supports principals to develop, implement, monitor and adjust Comprehensive School Improvement Plans (C‑SIP) centered on instructional leadership and inclusive practices. Provides results‑focused professional learning and collaboration. Makes data‑driven decisions, using disaggregated data. Builds partnerships with families and community. Models effective instructional leadership and adult learning.
  
  Provides recommendations for principal and assistant principal hires and assists principals with federal and state law interpretation, staffing, scheduling, budgeting, and connection to central office departments.
• Accountability (20%) – Ensures principals and schools follow district policy. Supervises, monitors, and evaluates the performance of assigned personnel. Supports implementation of effective teaching strategies, curriculum, professional development, evaluation and student assessment. Recommends personnel actions and assists with development, implementation and monitoring of corrective actions.
• Central Office Leadership (15%) – Leads groups of central office leaders who support building principals. Informs policy and shapes procedures related to strategic direction. Analyzes and prioritizes school needs and facilitates collaboration with central office departments. Works with the Superintendent and other system leaders to implement the district’s strategic plan. Provides recommendations and support for major instructional and educational strategies and collaborates with other Executive Directors.
• High School Principal Leadership Development (10%) – Works with principals to improve performance, delivering coaching/mentoring, building learning networks, ensuring central office support, developing annual budgets, analyzing financial data with equity analysis, and authorizing expenditures within guidelines.
• District and School Engagement (10%) – Serves as a representative on internal and community boards, attends or chairs meetings, and collaborates with city, county, agencies to meet SPS goals. Resolves student placement, disciplinary, complaint, appeals issues with other district departments.
• Athletics (5%) – Provides leadership for high school athletic programs to enable safe, coordinated, high‑quality competitive and intramural events. Supervises the Athletic department and acts as liaison for comprehensive high schools to oversee and resolve athletic issues.

• Maintains current knowledge of federal, state, and grant regulations.
• Seeks regulatory interpretations from General Counsel’s Office.
• Assists principals in preparing and distributing state and federal compliance reports and prepares for audits.
• Assists in developing appropriate parent and community involvement strategies.
• May perform related duties consistent with the scope and intent of the position.