Chief Academic Officer

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The Chief Academic Officer is the instructional leader of the school, responsible for ensuring high levels of scholar achievement through effective teaching, rigorous curriculum, and strong professional development. The CAO oversees curriculum and instruction, assessment, and teacher growth, and partners closely with the Executive Director and executive leadership team to ensure academic excellence for every scholar.

• Leadership & Strategy
  • Serve as the primary instructional leader for the school, ensuring alignment between the academic program and the school’s mission and Graduate Profile, a.k.a. Portrait of a Graduate or Student Success Profile, and maintaining accountability for meeting or exceeding academic goals.
  • Collaborate with the Executive Director to develop the academic plan each year, including setting priorities, goals, and performance metrics; oversee implementation of the plan.
  • Provide leadership to teachers, instructional coaches, and academic support staff to foster a culture of high expectations and continuous improvement.
• Curriculum & Instruction
  • Oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of standards-aligned curriculum across grade levels.
  • Support teachers in delivering engaging, rigorous, and culturally responsive instruction, with consistent commitment to developing student competencies aligned with the school’s graduate profile.
  • Model effective teaching practices and provide classroom observations and feedback.
• Assessment & Accountability
  • Design and implement assessment systems that track scholar progress and inform instruction.
  • Establish and monitor a K–8 assessment calendar (screeners, diagnostics, interims, state tests, etc.); regularly analyze scholar performance data to identify trends, address achievement gaps, and guide instructional decisions.
  • Collaborate with the data/technology team to maintain and continually improve data platforms (e.g., i-Ready/Amplify/Renaissance), including roster sync, cut-scores, and reporting.
  • Own academic components of authorizer, state, and district compliance (assessment administration, secure testing, Title I/IDEA documentation); co-author the School Improvement Plan; align with Operations on master schedule, testing logistics, and data privacy.
• Talent Management, Development & Support
  • Manage leaders of key programmatic areas, potentially Special Education, Gifted and Talented, STEAM, etc., based on the division of responsibility among leadership.
  • In partnership with the instructional leadership team, design the framework for professional development; ensure effective implementation of the PD program within and across academies, continuously improving the link between the PD program and improved student outcomes.
  • Lead professional development initiatives that strengthen teacher practice and leadership capacity.
  • Provide feedback to instructional leaders.
• School Culture & Equity
  • Promote a positive school culture.
  • Ensure instructional practices meet the needs of all learners, including scholars with disabilities, English learners, and gifted scholars.
  • Build strong relationships with staff to foster trust and collaboration.
  • Serve as a member of the executive team, working in partnership with the Executive Director and other executive members on whole school initiatives.
  • Communicate clearly with stakeholders about academic goals and progress.

Candidates for the position should be passionate about the use of data-driven decisions in a school setting by building strong relationships and applying a business-minded approach to the education sector.

• Master’s degree in education, curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, or related field (Doctorate a plus).
• Minimum 7 years of experience in K–8 education, including 3 years of proven success in an instructional leadership role (principal or network-wide position).
• Track…