IDEA Public Schools Careers

Role Overview

The Regional Director of Literacy and Data-Driven Instruction is a senior instructional leader at IDEA Greater Cincinnati, responsible for two of the region's most critical academic improvement priorities: dramatically accelerating K-3 reading outcomes and building a rigorous, sustainable data-driven instruction culture across all campuses. This is a high-impact, high-accountability role for someone with deep literacy experience, comfortable working as a systems-builder without direct line authority, and capable of coaching principals and instructional leaders to improve their practice.

This role operates without a direct supervisory relationship with Principals. Impact is achieved through influence, coaching, and close collaboration with the Regional Director of Academics and other regional leaders.

Compensation: 

• The starting range for this role is $82,090 to $100,971, with salaries set commensurate with experience, educational attainment, and certification.
• For more information about our compensation and total rewards, visit our compensation and benefits page.
• Additional hourly compensation is provided for leading approved after-school tutoring or Saturday school if applicable.

Other Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive benefits plan, covering the majority of the employee premium for the base medical plan and subsidizing the majority of costs for a spouse/domestic partner and children. Some of the special benefits we offer at IDEA include:

What You'll Do - Accountabilities

1.  K-3 Literacy: Strategy, Instruction and Intervention

K-3 reading proficiency is the region's highest academic priority. This role owns the design and execution of a comprehensive, multi-year K-3 ELA improvement strategy with a goal of 30% annual growth in 3rd grade reading proficiency on Ohio state assessments. This is not a supporting role to campus literacy work — it is the lead.

•          Lead the design and execution of a multi-year K-3 ELA improvement strategy grounded in the science of reading. The strategy must address all five components of foundational literacy — phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension — and be tailored to the specific instructional and student context of both IGC campuses.

•          Establish universal screening and structured progress monitoring systems in grades K-3 using a state recognized evidence-based tool. Ensure every K-3 student is screened on schedule, results are analyzed promptly, and intervention tiers are assigned and monitored.

•          Design and manage MTSS-aligned intervention systems in grades K-3. Every student who is not on track for reading proficiency must have a documented, actively monitored intervention plan. Intervention tiers should be adjusted based on progress monitoring data, not just scheduled assessments.

•          Ensure all Reading Improvement and Monitoring (RIMP) plans are developed, implemented, monitored, and adjusted as necessary to ensure effectiveness and compliance with applicable state and federal law.

•          Partner closely with the Regional Director of Academics to ensure K-3 curriculum selection and implementation are evidence-based and aligned to the literacy strategy. Flag and address misalignments between curriculum, instructional practice, and proficiency goals.

•          Coach and train Principals, Instructional Leadership Teams, Content Leads, and teachers on the levers most critical to K-3 literacy outcomes — including how to conduct high-quality early literacy classroom observations, deliver actionable instructional feedback, use diagnostic and progress monitoring data to drive coaching priorities, and manage a tiered intervention system effectively.

•          Partner closely with the Student Support Services team to train and develop parents and families on all Literacy topics and domains aligned to improvement plans to include Home to School Connections, Science of Reading, Financial Literacy, Arts Integration, English as a Second Language, Ohio State Testing, and more.

•          Build a K-3 literacy data review routine at the campus and regional level, so that early literacy data — not just annual state assessment results — drives instructional and intervention decisions throughout the year.

•          Build and maintain relationships with external early literacy partners, the Ohio Department of Education, and national research-based organizations. Actively source expertise, tools, and resources that can strengthen the region's K-3 instructional and intervention approach.

•          Stay current on Ohio's science of reading legislative requirements, state-level supports, and approved curriculum and assessment tools; ensure the region's approach is compliant and positioned to take advantage of available state resources.

2.  Data-Driven Instruction (DDI) Strategy and Implementation

•          Lead Cincinnati's participation in the IPS Data Strategy work. Serve as the Ohio representative in network-level strategy design and bring decisions back into a Cincinnati-specific implementation plan.

•          Implement the region-wide DDI system using the IPS five-level data framework: (1) classroom — exit tickets and standards mastery trackers; (2) grade/content team — weekly collaborative analysis; (3) campus leadership — instructional coaching driven by data; (4) regional — cross-campus performance review; (5) network — strategic decision-making. Ensure each level has clear routines, common protocols, and defined decision-making expectations.

•          Coach campus Instructional Leadership Teams to run high-quality weekly data meetings using standard protocols, conduct standards mastery analysis, and make timely instructional adjustments. Set and hold to a concrete standard: every campus principal should be able to identify which standards students are struggling with, which teachers are seeing the strongest mastery, and which grades require intervention — within 60 seconds, without navigating across multiple systems.

•          Collaborate closely with the Regional Director of Academics to ensure the DDI system is integrated with — not duplicative of — the academic model, content-specific coaching, and curriculum implementation already underway.

•          Track DDI fidelity across both campuses using observable indicators. Report progress to the Executive Director regularly and adjust the approach based on what data and observation reveal.

Working with Others – Collaboration Expectations

This role does not directly manage Principals or campus instructional staff. Success in this role is achieved through influence, facilitation, and strong collaborative relationships with the following:

•          Regional Director of Academics: Primary peer partner. Clear role delineation is essential. The RDA leads academic model implementation, content coaching, and curriculum fidelity. The RD of Literacy and DDI leads K-3 literacy strategy, intervention systems, and DDI system design. Both must coordinate closely to avoid friction and ensure a unified approach to campus academic improvement.

•          Executive Director, IDEA Greater Cincinnati: Direct supervisor and key thought partner. The RD keeps the ED informed on K-3 literacy progress, DDI implementation, and barriers requiring ED-level decisions.

•          IPS National Team: Coordinates on the network data strategy design and implementation; keeps national leadership informed on Cincinnati's progress and context.

•          Operations and Student Support Services: Partners to ensure K-3 literacy and DDI strategies are integrated with campus scheduling, MTSS, and intervention system infrastructure.

Knowledge and Skills – Competencies

•          Deep content expertise in early literacy and the science of reading: This leader is a recognized expert in foundational literacy development, evidence-based K-3 instructional practice, and structured literacy approaches. They can translate research into practical, campus-level systems.

•          Make Sound Decisions: Synthesizes complex data — early literacy screeners, progress monitoring, state assessments, DDI system indicators — to drive strategic decisions. Operates with analytical rigor and can distinguish symptoms from root causes.

•          Manage Work Without Authority: Achieves outcomes through coaching, facilitation, and influence without direct supervisory authority over campus staff. Highly effective at coordinating across roles to produce results.

•          Grow Others: Skilled at building leader and teacher capacity through coaching and embedded support. Understands how to sequence and differentiate adult development to produce observable changes in instructional practice.

•          Drive for Results: Holds self and others to ambitious, measurable outcomes. Names hard truths when plans are not working and adjusts course quickly.

•          Communicate Deliberately: Translates complex strategy and data into clear, actionable communication for principals, regional leaders, and external partners.

Required experience:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required
• Years of experience: 10 years in PK-12 education with significant experience in leadership, management, and supervisory responsibilities 

Preferred experience:

• Education: Masters degree in Educational Leadership and/or Administration or related
• Experience as a High School Principal, Secondary Education District Leader, Charter Start Up Leader
• Experience in Visual and Performing Arts, CTE, Expeditionary Learning – EL Education

About IDEA Public Schools 

At IDEA Public Schools, we believe each and every child can go to college. Since 2000, IDEA Public Schools has grown from a small school with 150 students to a multi-state network of tuition-free, Pre-K-12 public charter schools.   

IDEA Public Schools boasts national rankings on The Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report’s top high schools lists. IDEA serves over 80,000 college-bound students in 143 schools across Texas, Florida, Ohio, and is on-track to maintain its legacy of sending 100% of its graduates to college.    

When you choose to work at IDEA, you are part of our IDEA Team and Family. You will work alongside team members who set and reach ambitious goals every day, are excited to continue to grow with IDEA, and work relentlessly to make college for all a reality.

Staff Culture and Belonging

At IDEA, the Staff Culture and Belonging Team uses our Core Values to promote human connection and a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging for all Team and Family members.  Learn more about our Commitment to Core Values here!

To Apply

Please submit your application online through Jobvite. It’s in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.