School Scheduling Manager

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 40,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Office of Teaching and Learning (T&L) provides school administrators and teachers with the professional learning and resources needed to engage students in rich and rewarding learning experiences. The Office is comprised of various academic and support departments, which work collaboratively to support student growth and progress in meeting or exceeding state standards for academic excellence.

Job Summary:

The School Scheduling Manager will work in collaboration with other district offices on the development and implementation of equitable district scheduling practices and procedures, ensuring that student schedules meet state and district instructional requirements while allowing for a holistic school experience. This includes ensuring students have access to elementary school coursework that prepares them for high school, and high school level courses that prepare them for success in college and careers. School Scheduling Manager will serve as a subject matter expert and key contact for support at the designated school level, either elementary or high school, and will work closely with their counterpart to ensure consistent, cohesive scheduling practices, guidance, and support are provided across CPS schools. This position will report to the Executive Director of Instructional Systems and Supports (ISS).

The School Scheduling Manager will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Define the district’s guidelines and parameters for local school schedulers
• Establishing elementary school student schedules that meet state and local district instructional guidance
• Establishing high school course sequences leading toward earning college credit or industry credentials, etc.
• Manage, coordinate, and support the creation of master schedules with networks and local schools
• Develop thorough scheduling resources to support network teams and school leaders in making informed strategic decisions surrounding School Scheduling throughout the school year
• Maintain, update, and continually improve upon the district’s comprehensive user guides documenting how to navigate and comply with CPS School Scheduling procedures (ex: processes, expectations, policies, requirements, etc.)
• Create additional comprehensive guides, templates, detailed timelines, and other resources to aid stakeholders in meeting scheduling expectations
• Collaborate to establish and implement a professional development plan for school schedule design at all school levels that provides a holistic experience for students
• Develop, communicate, and promote a calendar of ongoing and quarterly training sessions and weekly office hours to be held throughout the year
• In coordination with partner organization(s), develop and implement a master scheduler pilot program that supports schools in building master schedules that allow for both academic and enrichment opportunities
• Evaluate and continually improve upon the scope, design, and implementation of the scheduling training program, including the development of practical training, as well as other support programs related to the mission of the district (e.g., summer School Scheduling)
• Develop and maintain up-to-date resources, guides, and support documents related to the scheduling training program
• Provide continual one-on-one support to stakeholders
• Maintain communication and provide ongoing support and guidance to school sites around the master scheduling process, and assist with technical troubleshooting (ie: Aspen support), as necessary
• Manage the upkeep and further development of elementary and high School Scheduling data quality indexes (DQIs) to improve organizational performance
• Collaborate with department colleagues to provide input and guidance regarding the creation of the relevant school course codes; support ongoing maintenance of the district’s course code catalog, as needed
• Oversee the development and implementation of various district scheduling policies, evaluating their performance to ensure they are meeting the district's goals
• Monitor and maintain the School Scheduling intranet page for the assigned school level (elementary or high school) to ensure guidance documents are accurate and updated annually
• Collaborate with CPS colleagues both within the ISS team and from the Department of Information and Technology Services (ITS) to review scheduling processes, make recommendations and execute process improvements; maintain communication regarding ongoing projects, vetting requirement documents and ensuring alignment with the organization's goals
• Drive continuous improvement efforts related to School Scheduling practices and policies at the designated school level; work collaboratively to identify and solve for areas of opportunity in the existing scheduling processes (including those completed manually and/or electronically through the student information system software framework)
• Collaborate regularly with stakeholders, including partnering departments, Network representatives, and school-based staff to provide ongoing scheduling support
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of current trends and developments related to School Scheduling
• Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the School Scheduling Manager must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Education or related field from an accredited college or university is required

Experience Required:

• Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience as a school master scheduler, programmer, or similar role responsible for managing and leading elementary or high school-level course scheduling programs, training and compliance, including the following, is required:
• Experience developing and facilitating training for adult professionals
• Experience working with student information systems
• Experience in a school-based position supporting scheduling work, strongly preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills; ability to build collaborative relationships with a variety of constituent groups, including external partners
• Strong organizational skills; ability to effectively manage several work streams simultaneously
• Capable of success in a fast-paced environment adapting to quickly changing priorities
• Effective analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving and strategic planning capabilities, including the ability to establish long-term vision and goals, and align/manage activities toward goal fulfillment
• Capable of designing and facilitating effective, professional trainings, discussions and presentations for a variety of audiences
• Ability to define problems, analyze data, and outline valid conclusions and action steps
• Self-starter capable of leading individuals in a team environment as well as working independently on projects with minimal oversight

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.

• Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. “Up-to-date” on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.