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Saturday, October 3, 2009

Tweed Continues To Post Jobs, Despite Hiring Freeze



It seems that "Tweed", the nickname of the New York City Board of Education, has not been informed that there is a hiring freeze and is offering the three positions below.

I have asked this before, and will probably ask it again in the future: why do we need such a huge bureaucracy at "Central Headquarters"? Why cant we have five people at Tweed:

1) Public School Chancellor: Person with a strong teaching background, with administrative policy-making experience as well as more than 10 years working at an Executive level in an educational institution; legal background not required or recommended;

2)Assistant to the Chancellor, Academic support: An individual with an academic background in curriculum design and implementation who has taught in a public school for more than 15 years, full-time;

3) Assistant to the Chancellor, Special Needs: coordinator for implementing federal guidelines for children with special needs, special education funding (including gifted and talented), and provider procurement; Attorney with strong ethics preferred;

4) CPA/Accountant: experienced Certified Public Accountant with 20 years' experience in managing a large public institution; forensic informatics experience preferred, with a speciality in taxation;

5) Field Coordinator for Personnel and Accountability: person able to coordinate the activities of all 32 Superintendents, and provide accountability assessment for these Superintendents in terms of the success/failure to meet reasonable goals in each school within each of their districts; able to design and implement appropriate standards for personnel hiring/firing; outplacement and re-assignment strategic planning a plus; 10 years' experience in the area of human resource management required.

We all must remember Erin Einhorn's article in the NY Daily News:

18 Ed Dept. bigs making at least 190G
BY ERIN EINHORN, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER, Tuesday, December 18th 2007, 12:26 PM
LINK

Educrat Marcia Lyles and Chancellor Joel Klein both make over $200,000 - more than the police commissioner.

Eighteen city education honchos were making more than $190,000 a year when classes began this September - up from just two last year, a Daily News salary analysis found.

That's more than Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta and the commissioners of major city departments like Health, Housing and Children's Services, who all make $189,700.

The top execs at the Education Department's Tweed Courthouse headquarters are among only 28 noncourt officials in all of city government who have cracked the $190,000 line. Most of the others are deputy mayors.

"Tweed is too top-heavy," said William McDonald, who heads a citywide group of elected parent leaders. "I don't know what it is these people are doing, but it doesn't seem to be getting down to the kids."

One of the 18 execs has since dropped to part-time status, but even with her out of the mix, the total number drawing salaries above $180,000 has surged to 36 from 20 in September 2006.

"Given their responsibilities, the salaries are appropriate," schools spokesman David Cantor said. "You're talking about the top managers of an agency that employs 140,000 people and educates 1.1 million children."

He pointed out that the number of managers making more than $150,000 dipped from 204 early in the year to 194 in September.

School officials yesterday could not provide details on total administrative salary costs this year compared with last year. A consultant hired to cut fat claims $170 million that once went to the bureaucracy is going to classrooms.

Most of the pay increase was part of a one-year 6.5% bump that went to most city managers last year. That's compared with the 2% increase teachers collected from October 2006 to this October.

The total cost of paying the top 100 people on the school payroll surged by 7.3% from September 2006 to this September.

Those 100 execs cost nearly $18 million.

"It's way too much," said Carlton Richardson, a member of the elected Community Education Council in Brooklyn's District 18. "They need to filter that money down to schools."

City Council Education Committee Chairman Robert Jackson said he has "no problem with paying people a good salary as long as they produce."

But school officials, he said, are leading a system where only 50% of kids earned an on-time diploma last year.

"Overall, as a system, that's failure," he said.

eeinhorn@nydailynews.com

With Tina Moore and Benjamin Lesser


Instead, what we now have is a top-heavy administration that hires more people to hide the facts (the NYC BOE public relations/press office, for example) than necessary, too many people to do petty paper-pushing, and too many positions filled with "thank you" people - people whose relative/friend is owed a favor. The Department of Labor Relations has alot of information for researchers.

I also like the look at personnel issues on the "bold exec" blog, where blogger Tom Epley goes into the Personnel Matrix: "Solid personnel decisions are one of the most important management functions. They impact individual positions and the way the entire organization views the CEO."



Anyway, with so many good teachers in key subjects being terminated or let go for dubious reasons, the right thing to do would be to maximize the use of already hired in-school personnel, and go for an overhaul of "Tweed", as in letting everyone there go off the public payroll. We dont need them.

Betsy Combier

Here are jobs posted on the NYC BOE website, and open until October 28, 2009:

Developer, Progress Reports (DAAR)
Tracking Code: 6561
LINK

Job Description

Position Summary: The New York City school system is the largest in the country, composed of approximately 1.1 million students and 90,000 teachers in over 1,600 schools. In January 2003, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel I. Klein launched Children First: A New Agenda for Public Schools in New York City, a multi-year reform effort aimed at significantly improving student achievement through effective teaching and learning.

Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein have made accountability an essential element of New York City’s education reform effort. With an investment of over $130 million from national and local foundations, New York City has embarked upon an ambitious education reform initiative that is unprecedented in urban education. The NYC Department of Education will drive and support the creation of more robust accountability tools over the next three years.

The Report Developer, Progress Reports in the Division of Accountability and Achievement Resources will be responsible for managing the report production process related to the School Progress Reports and School Surveys, which serve as accountability and performance management tools used by school administrators and educators. This will involve programming, design, and distribution of a series of reports and tools. The Report Developer also provides technical support for implementation and policy decision-making relating to the Progress Reports and School Survey. This position requires a detailed-oriented, well-organized professional with experience in Excel VBA or SAS.

Reports to: Lead Developer, Progress Reports

Direct Reports: NA

Key Relationships: Will work closely with members of the Progress Report team and other members within the Division of Accountability & Achievement Resources.

Responsibilities

Manage and improve report production and business intelligence tool production for the Progress Reports and School Survey.
Coordinate product distribution with stakeholders including schools, administrators, and database administrators.
Perform analyses and simulations in support of policy decisions pertaining to the Progress Reports and general school policies (e.g., credits, state exams, Regents, graduation).
Write, maintain, and execute code required for the implementation of the Progress Reports and School Survey
Perform quality assurance of products and codes.
Perform policy analysis or technical support for policy analysis.
Qualification Requirements:

Minimum:

A master's degree from an accredited college in economics, finance, accounting, business or public administration, human resources management, management science, operations research, organizational behavior, industrial psychology, statistics, personnel administration, labor relations, psychology, sociology, human resources development, political science, urban studies or a closely related field; or
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and three years of satisfactory full-time professional experience working in one or a combination of the following areas: working with the budget of a large public or private concern in budget administration, accounting, economic or financial administration, or fiscal or economic research; in management or methods analysis, operations research, organizational research or program evaluation; in personnel or public administration, recruitment, position classification, personnel relations, labor relations, employee benefits, staff development, employment program planning/administration, labor market research, economic planning, or fiscal management; or in a related area.

Preferred:

1-3 years experience as a professional programmer.
Expertise with Excel, especially Excel 2007.
Strong object-oriented software development skills.
Proficiency with VBA or SAS.
Dedicated work ethic to deliver results rapidly.
Experience with SQL, particularly Microsoft SQL Server.
Experience with SAS macros.
Experience with design, data visualization, or infographics.
Experience with SharePoint or other Microsoft technologies.
Experience with a scripting language, e.g., Python.
Experience performing file management tasks, e.g., Windows command line, PowerShell.
Interest in public education.
Salary: $60,571

Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application.
Applications will be accepted through October 28, 2009.
NOTE: The filling of all positions is subject to budget availability.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

It is the policy of the Department of Education of the City of New York to provide educational and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, national origin, alienage, citizenship status, age, marital status, partnership status, disability, sexual orientation, gender (sex), military status, prior record of arrest or conviction (except as permitted by law), predisposing genetic characteristics, or status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual offenses and stalking, and to maintain an environment free of harassment on any of the above-noted grounds, including sexual harassment or retaliation. Inquiries regarding compliance with this equal opportunity policy may be directed to: Office of Equal Opportunity, 65 Court Street, Room 923, Brooklyn, New York 11201, or visit the OEO website, http://schools.nyc.gov/OEO.

Job Location
Tweed (52 Chambers Street) (TWEED)
Position Type
Full-Time/Regular
New Posting
Yes
Readvertisement
N/A
Recanvass
No
District
N/A

Policy Director, School Performance (DAAR)
Tracking Code: 6559
LINK

Job Description

Position Summary: The New York City school system is the largest in the country, composed of approximately 1.1 million students and 90,000 teachers in over 1,600 schools. In January 2003, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel I. Klein launched Children First: A New Agenda for Public Schools in New York City, a multi-year reform effort aimed at significantly improving student achievement through effective teaching and learning.

Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein have made accountability an essential element of New York City’s education reform effort. Over the next three years, the NYC Department of Education will drive and support the creation of more robust accountability tools through the Division of Accountability and Achievement Resources (DAAR).

Reporting to the Executive Director of School Performance and working with the other group leaders in the Division of Accountability and Achievement Resources, the Policy Director will manage a small team of researchers/analysts to evaluate the impact on student achievement of current and potential New York City education initiatives.

Reports to: Executive Director of School Performance

Direct Reports: Associate Director, Policy Team, Director Analytics and indirect management of work done on the Research and Policy Support Group.

Key Relationships: Works closely with Executive Director of School Performance, Chief Accountability Officer, members of the Chancellor’s Office and Press Office, the Research and Policy Support Group and members of DAAR.

Responsibilities

Manages team engaged in the planning, implementation and conduct of major research, evaluation, and policy studies (including college readiness), as well as analyses designed to assess the effectiveness of and improve existing educational programs.
Sets policy agenda for Chief Accountability Officer that largely informs agenda for the Department and ensures that student achievement is a key metric by which potential education initiatives are evaluated.
Uses modeling, regression, psychometric and other techniques to identify structures, conditions, interventions, and programs associated with high student achievement.
Collects, analyzes, and interprets data; prepares statistical and narrative reports and/or graphs, as appropriate; prepares manuscripts for publication; presents research results to DOE leadership.
Directs creation of systems for separating routine reporting and analytic requests suitable for help desk coverage from requests requiring high-end analysis.
Produces ad-hoc data reports and analyses at the request of DOE leadership, including the Chancellor and his Cabinet.
Sets process and policy for maintaining integrity of achievement-focused data system-wide
Maintains currency of knowledge with respect to relevant DOE policies and data as well as state-of-the-art technology and statistical methodology.
Serves as principal investigator on projects of complexities consistent with above criteria; writes proposals to external funding agencies to ensure DOE thought leadership in the area of K-12 school accountability.
Qualification Requirements:

Minimum:

A master's degree from an accredited college in economics, finance, accounting, business or public administration, human resources management, management science, operations research, organizational behavior, industrial psychology, statistics, personnel administration, labor relations, psychology, sociology, human resources development, political science, or a closely related field, and two years of satisfactory full-time professional experience in budget administration, economic or financial administration, fiscal or economic research; management or methods analysis, operations research, organizational research or program evaluation; educational, personnel or public administration, recruitment, position classification, personnel relations, labor relations, employee benefits, staff development, employment program planning/administration, labor market research, economic planning, fiscal management, or a related area, for educational program(s) and/or institution(s), 18 months of which must have been in an executive, managerial, administrative or supervisory capacity. Supervision must have included supervising staff performing professional work in the areas described above; or
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory full-time professional experience as described in '1' above, including the 18 months of executive, managerial, administrative or supervisory experience described in '1' above.

Preferred:

A Ph.D. in statistics and/or research methodologies or related discipline and 2 years of relevant work experience with 18 months managerial experience OR a master’s degree in statistics and 4 years of relevant work experience with 18 months managerial experience OR a bachelor’s degree in math/statistics and 5 years of relevant work experience with 18 months managerial experience.
Minimum three years data analysis experience, including knowledge of statistical software packages such as SAS, SPSS, S-Plus etc.
Ability to perform independent, original research in advanced areas of statistical expertise.
Ability to conduct systematic analysis and develop solutions to complex data analysis problems.
Ability to develop and follow research methodology and protocol.
Ability to develop reports and charts based research.
Ability to use independent judgment to adapt and modify research concepts and approaches to specific projects.
Knowledge of current technological developments/trends in area of expertise.
Ability to propose, design, organize and coordinate scientific research projects.
Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
Excellent interpersonal skills in dealing with education and non-education personnel internal and external to the DOE.
???Ability to thrive in and enjoy working in a team-oriented, high-pressure environment.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Experience or working knowledge of the public sector and/or demonstrated interest in public education strongly preferred.
Experience in a public reform or start-up environment, favorable.
Attentive to detail, extremely well organized, able to work under pressure, and meet frequent and changing deadlines.
Salary: $95,000 +

(Internal candidates who are selected for this position and who currently hold comparable or less senior positions within the DOE will not make less than their current salary.)

Please submit a resume and a cover letter with your application.

Applications will be accepted through October 28th, 2009.

NOTE: The filling of all positions is subject to budget availability.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

It is the policy of the Department of Education of the City of New York to provide educational and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, national origin, alienage, citizenship status, age, marital status, partnership status, disability, sexual orientation, gender (sex), military status, prior record of arrest or conviction (except as permitted by law), predisposing genetic characteristics, or status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual offenses and stalking, and to maintain an environment free of harassment on any of the above-noted grounds, including sexual harassment or retaliation. Inquiries regarding compliance with this equal opportunity policy may be directed to: Office of Equal Opportunity, 65 Court Street, Room 923, Brooklyn, New York 11201, or visit the OEO website, http://schools.nyc.gov/OEO.

Job Location
Tweed (52 Chambers Street) (TWEED)
Position Type
Full-Time/Regular
New Posting
Yes
Readvertisement
No
Recanvass
No
District
N/A

Policy Manager, Progress Reports (DAAR)
Tracking Code: 6560
LINK

Job Description

Position Summary: The New York City school system is the largest in the country, composed of approximately 1.1 million students and 90,000 teachers in over 1,600 schools. In January 2003, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel I. Klein launched Children First: A New Agenda for Public Schools in New York City, a multi-year reform effort aimed at significantly improving student achievement through effective teaching and learning.

Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein have made accountability an essential element of New York City’s education reform effort. With an investment of over $130 million from national and local foundations, New York City has embarked upon an ambitious education reform initiative that is unprecedented in urban education.

The Policy Manager will support the Progress Report Team in evaluating the performance of all schools in the City. This person will work on challenging and important projects that require strong organizational, communication, and analytical skills.

Reports to: Executive Director, School Performance

Direct Reports: Senior Analyst, Progress Reports

Key Relationships: Works closely with the Children’s First Intensive team, ARIS team, and other members of the School Performance team.

Responsibilities

Manage, maintain, and evaluate the effectiveness of the business policies underlying the New York City Progress Report.
Work collaboratively with the School Performance Team and other NYC DOE divisions and schools to solicit feedback and get buy-in to any proposed changes to the business policies.
Design and perform data analysis relating to the Progress Report and other accountability reports, e.g., School Survey. Assesses the effectiveness of each measure on the Progress Report, analyzing trends in Progress Report data from year to year, and correlating Progress Report outcomes with other school accountability data.
Apply structured, thoughtful analytical approaches to the examination and solution of a wide variety of policy issues. This includes: how to evaluate student progress for hold-overs; how to baseline a student’s proficiency in the absence of proficiency data; how to ensure that progress is being measured accurately for all students, e.g., ELLs, Special Education, and use ingenuity in selecting and evaluating approaches to unforeseen problems.
Provide guidance to facilitate the development of new Progress Reports for schools that have not received one in the past, such as those focused on special education students and early childhood education.
Demonstrate and apply a thorough understanding of statistical and analytical methodology and protocols. Perform correlation, regression, and factor analysis to test the reliability and validity of the Progress Report results. Use cross-tabs and pivot tables to summarize key Progress Report results.
Qualification Requirements:

Minimum:

A master’s degree from an accredited college and three (3) years of full-time progressively responsible professional experience in education administration in one or more education-related areas, at least eighteen (18) months of which must have been in a managerial capacity; or
Graduation from an accredited college with a baccalaureate degree and four (4) years of full-time progressively responsible professional experience, as described in (1); or
A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience which is equivalent to (1) above including teaching experience towards meeting the general experience in (1) above; however, all candidates must have the eighteen (18) months of managerial experience.

Preferred:

Extensive data analysis experience, including Microsoft Excel and Access and knowledge of statistical software packages such as SAS, S-Plus, etc.
Ability to conduct systematic analysis and develop solutions to complex data analysis problems.
Ability to trouble-shoot, problem-solve, and anticipate issues around accountability measures.
Ability to manipulate, organize, and analyze large datasets.
Ability to develop and follow research methodology and protocol.
Ability to develop reports and charts based on research.
Ability to use independent judgment to adapt and modify research concepts and approaches to specific projects.
Attentive to detail, extremely well-organized and able to meet frequent and changing deadlines.
MA/PhD in statistics or related discipline.
Experience or working knowledge of the public sector and/or demonstrated interest in public education.
Salary: $81,000 +

(Internal candidates who are selected for this position and who currently hold comparable or less senior positions within the DOE will not make less than their current salary.)

Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application.
Applications will be accepted through October 28, 2009.

NOTE: The filling of all positions is subject to budget availability.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

It is the policy of the Department of Education of the City of New York to provide educational and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, national origin, alienage, citizenship status, age, marital status, partnership status, disability, sexual orientation, gender (sex), military status, prior record of arrest or conviction (except as permitted by law), predisposing genetic characteristics, or status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual offenses and stalking, and to maintain an environment free of harassment on any of the above-noted grounds, including sexual harassment or retaliation. Inquiries regarding compliance with this equal opportunity policy may be directed to: Office of Equal Opportunity, 65 Court Street, Room 923, Brooklyn, New York 11201, or visit the OEO website, http://schools.nyc.gov/OEO.

Job Location
Tweed (52 Chambers Street) (TWEED)
Position Type
Full-Time/Regular
New Posting
Yes
Readvertisement
No
Recanvass
No
District
N/A