2024-2025 Colorado State Review Panelists

SchoolWorks Job Opportunity

2024-2025 Colorado State Review Panelists

 

Organizational Overview
SchoolWorks is an educational consulting group whose mission is to build the capacity of educators and educational organizations to advance all aspects of student learning and well-being. We represent a diverse client base including departments of education, school districts, charter school authorizers, charter management organizations, charter schools, district schools, K-12 service providers and foundations, and individual practitioners.


Description
Recruitment has begun on finding Colorado-based educators to participate on the Colorado State Review Panel (SRP) – the body assigned to evaluate schools and districts at the end of the Accountability Clock (i.e., earned Priority Improvement or Turnaround plan type for five years), and provide recommendations to the State Board of Education on required actions when schools and districts fail to make progress. Applicants with experience and expertise in school or district turnaround, alternative education, experience as a superintendent, English language learning expertise, and those who are bi-literate or multiliterate (able to read and write) in both Spanish and English are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants will be expected to participate in an SRP orientation session and training workshop prior to assignment to reviews. Upon demonstrating proficiency in the activities associated with evidence collection and analysis, State Review Panelists will be assigned to teams tasked with reviewing school/district Unified Improvement Plans (UIPs) and other supporting documents and completing a site visit to a school/district. Panelists will then provide recommendations to the Commissioner and State Board of Education on potential actions when a school or district remains on the Accountability Clock for consecutive years or earlier upon request.

Resources and procedures will be provided for panelists to support their examination of the six areas outlined in legislation:

  • Whether the leadership is adequate to implement change to improve results;
  • Whether the infrastructure is adequate to support school improvement;
  • The readiness and apparent capacity of personnel to plan effectively and lead the implementation of appropriate actions to improve student academic performance within the school or district;
  • The readiness and apparent capacity of personnel to engage productively with, and benefit from, the assistance provided by an external partner;
  • The likelihood of positive returns on state investments of assistance and support to improve the performance within the current management structure and staffing; and
  • The necessity that the school/district remain in operation to serve students.

Note that the State Review Panel is an integral part of the state’s accountability clock process. The Colorado Department of Education has selected a third party — SchoolWorks — to coordinate the State Review Panel. This ensures that the Panel is independent of the department in their recommendation-making process. Panelists are employed by SchoolWorks.

Time Commitment and Compensation. In addition to the orientation session and training workshop, the estimated time commitment for the review process is approximately 8 hours per document review and 1.5 days on site for each site visit. In addition, following the site visit, panelists will spend approximately 4-to-6 hours completing a written recommendation to be submitted to the Commissioner and State Board of Education. Reviews will take place from September through June. Compensation will be provided through an honorarium for each review completed, as well as travel reimbursements when overnight travel is required. Panelists will also be eligible to earn Continuing Education Credits from CDE for their time participating in the training and reviews.

Application Process. Applicants must be based in Colorado to be eligible for this work.

  • Download the writing sample instructions (first-time applicants only). Click Here
  • Complete the application and upload a resume and writing sample (first time applicants only).
  • Submit the completed application by May 17, 2024.
  • Please note, candidates may have to schedule an interview before candidates are selected. The final membership list must be approved by the Colorado State Board of Education.

Questions about this role or the application process can be directed to SRP@schoolworks.org.

Colorado State Review Panelists Application

  • Contact Information

  • References

    Provide contact information for two references that would be able to speak about skills/tasks needed of panelists.

  • Educational Background

  • Experience

  • Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest, and Assurances

  • Confidentiality

    Each review team member shall maintain confidentiality about their assigned school or district reviews. No member shall disclose the contents of feedback to anyone outside of the team. All conversations and determinations of the team (including assignments, teammates, etc.) shall be kept confidential – even after the work of the State Review Panel has concluded.

    Conflict of Interest

    By participating in the State Review Panel, all review team members must affirm that they do not have a personal or financial interest regarding their assigned schools or districts. All such potential conflicts of interest situations must be reported to the SchoolWorks Project Manager prior to reviewing the body of evidence. See the examples of conflict of interest below. Furthermore, the special knowledge that panelists have as a result of the review may not be leveraged to promote future gain (e.g., financial, employment).

    Assurances

    By checking the box below, I understand and agree to the following: • To have read and understand the roles and responsibilities of being a State Review Panelist; I will work with the utmost excellence, integrity, and impartiality in carrying out my responsibilities. • To understand that my name will be associated as being a panelist; recommendations of the panel will be used to determine actions by the State Board in relation to schools and districts. • To be accountable in confidentiality and quality of service to the process and review team. • To actively monitor and provide timely notification of any identified conflict of interest. • To spend the required time to ensure that a quality report is developed for the school/district. • The review is to support an accountability process. I will not solicit the school/district to provide technical assistance or market any consulting services to assigned schools/districts at any point during or after the State Review Panel process.

  • Examples of conflict of interest may include, but are not limited to:
    • You, a family member, or close associate/relative have a financial interest in an assigned school or district (e.g., have a contract or are employed by the school or district). • You have been offered an opportunity to serve as a consultant or employee of an assigned school or district. • You helped prepare, provided comments, or otherwise reviewed any portion of the assigned school or district’s Unified Improvement Plan. • You, your spouse, your employer (current or within the last 12 months), your spouse’s employer, or a close colleague have an interest (financial or otherwise) in the outcome of the review currently or in the future. • An organization with which you are seeking employment have a financial or other interest in the outcome for an assigned school or district. • You serve as a support or as a volunteer of an assigned school or district. • You have previously expressed an interest in your children or grandchildren attending an assigned school or district. • You are aware of any other circumstance(s) that might cause someone to question your impartiality in serving as a reviewer for an assigned school or district.


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