ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCY FOR THE

2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR

Data & Evaluation Specialist

DISTRICT WIDE

Job Goal: Somerville Public Schools is looking for a Data & Evaluation Specialist for both the district and the STAR (Science, Teacher support, Access and Readiness) initiative. The STAR Initiative was launched in 2018 by the Biogen Foundation, which invested $12 million over five years in order to catalyze the development of local STEM ecosystems in Cambridge and Somerville.

STAR is intended to strengthen and support the educational landscapes in these cities by helping increase access to STEM resources and opportunities for students most underrepresented in STEM college or career pathways. While employment in STEM fields is growing, students from under-resourced communities are disproportionately unexposed to and unprepared for STEM careers. STEM Enrichment opportunities are limited, and primarily directed towards students already equipped with a history of academic success and access to professional networks. The STAR initiative addresses this disparity by supporting the development of a coordinated network of organizations that help students from economically marginalized communities develop and sustain their interest in STEM, gain necessary STEM exposure and enrichment opportunities, and successfully transition into post-secondary education in pursuit of STEM careers.

Responsibilities:

• Use student data to create reports of data requested by program partners.
• Create and/or manage comprehensive student datasets; merge data from disparate sources and update data on a regular basis. This may include working with staff to design a method to capture program participation and inputting student participation information into this system.
• Develop methods, tools and technological supports to enhance communication and data sharing between SPS and Biogen STAR Partners. Create dashboards to help district and partner programs engage in inquiry around data.
• Participate in monthly and quarterly Biogen STAR Liaison meetings as well as weekly check-ins with SPS Director of Data, Assessment, and Accountability.
• Meet weekly with Root Cause, and commensurate position (STAR Data Specialist) in Cambridge, to identify valid data analyses, which examine the impact of Biogen STAR partner programs on students (attitudes, confidence, self-identity in STEM as well as school attendance, academic performance, etc.)
• Collaborate with Cambridge STAR Data Specialist to develop evaluation strategies, methodology, and reports.
• Work with Root Cause and Cambridge Public Schools’ commensurate STAR Data Specialist staff person to co-develop periodic data reports summarizing findings to date, including bi-annual reports for Biogen and other STAR partners; and contribute to STAR communications materials and activities (e.g. STAR annual report, periodic newsletters, etc.as needed)
• Co-facilitate presentations with Root Cause and Cambridge Public Schools’ STAR Data Specialist to share out findings with key stakeholders and lead discussions around evaluation activities.
• Support other STEM/secondary data-related projects in the district as needed and to be decided at the discretion of the SPS Data Coordinator and as time allows.
• Collaborate with departments across the district to design and create interactive dashboards that provide actionable, high-level data.
• Advise program directors on how to evaluate academic and SEL programs.
• Create evaluation tools as necessary to measure program impact and effectiveness.
• Support coordination and the administration of data collection tools, surveys and data collection efforts throughout the calendar year. Data collection tools will include assessing impacts on students and educators.
• Documenting and reflecting on data management and reporting processes and making recommendations for scale-up.

Qualifications:

Data Skills:

• Experience using analysis tools such as Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Tableau, or other online data tools
• Experience with and knowledge of analytical tools for decision-making
• Experience cleaning datasets, using formulae, and conducting descriptive analysis, including running basic statistics such as averages, medians, and means
• Ability to use basic statistical techniques such as chi-square tests or odds ratios
• Ability to answer questions about datasets with data reports, charts, tables, or other visualizations
• Ability to manipulate databases to produce reports for a variety of audiences
• Ability to create dynamic data dashboards that contribute to data storytelling
• Willingness to learn about and adhere to federal and state data policies, particularly those related to data privacy.

Interpersonal/Management Skills:

• Attention to detail
• Ability to think strategically and communicate thoughtfully; excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders
• Ability to be flexible and change direction as needed
• Comfort working as part of a team with ability to work independently to complete specific tasks

Terms of Employment:

• This is a full time, salaried position. Work year is 260 days (July 2022 - June 2023).