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At Hopkins Public Schools, we believe that our strength lies in the diversity of our students, staff, and community. We are a proudly inclusive E-12 district serving approximately 7,200 students across the City of Hopkins and surrounding communities. Our district represents a rich mosaic of cultures, backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences; we value and celebrate that diversity in everything we do. As an academically rigorous and human-centered district, we are committed to fostering a welcoming environment where every student and staff member feels seen, heard, and valued. There is no "typical" Hopkins student, and we embrace this truth as a catalyst for innovation, growth, and equity in learning.
We seek educators and staff who are equity-minded, culturally responsive, and deeply committed to creating inclusive spaces where all learners can thrive.
We welcome candidates who are passionate about dismantling systemic barriers, advancing justice, and preparing students to become bold, collaborative, and compassionate global citizens. When you join Hopkins Public Schools, you are not just joining a district, you are becoming part of a community that honors difference, nurtures potential, and inspires remarkable achievement in every learner, from birth through graduation.
You are welcome at Hopkins. You belong at Hopkins.

SUMMARY:
The Director of Research, Assessment & Continuous Improvement serves as the Superintendent's chief advisor for organizational performance, strategic measurement, research, evaluation, assessment, and continuous improvement. As a member of the Superintendent's Cabinet, this position ensures Hopkins Public Schools has the reliable information, analytical capacity, and learning systems necessary to make informed decisions
that improve student outcomes and organizational effectiveness and efficiency.

The Director leads the design and continuous improvement of districtwide systems that measure student learning, evaluate the effectiveness of district programs and initiatives, and generate actionable evidence to support strategic planning and continuous improvement. The position oversees enterprise data systems, district assessment, research and evaluation activities, accountability reporting, and information governance while ensuring compliance with all applicable state and federal requirements related to educational data, privacy, and reporting.

Central to this role is fostering organizational learning across the district. The Director develops systems that help leaders understand not only what is happening, but why it is happening, whether district strategies are producing their intended results, and how evidence can be used to continuously strengthen teaching, learning, operations, and organizational performance. Through rigorous research, thoughtful analysis, and meaningful evaluation, this position transforms information into organizational knowledge, knowledge into informed action, and action into continuous improvement.

Working in close partnership with the Superintendent's Cabinet, district leaders, and school administrators, the Director advances a culture of inquiry, collaboration, and continuous improvement by ensuring research, assessment, and organizational learning are embedded within strategic planning and organizational decision making.

Mission Alignment: Advance the district's mission, Vision 2031, and strategic priorities by building an evidence-informed learning organization where research, assessment, evaluation and continuous improvement strengthen teaching, learning, operations, and organizational effectiveness to improve outcomes for every student.
 

Evidence of Success
A successful Director of Research, Assessment & Organizational Learning will establish systems that enable Hopkins Public Schools to become an evidence-informed learning organization. Success in this role is demonstrated through outcomes such as:

• Vision 2031 is monitored through meaningful district scorecards, key performance indicators, and executive dashboards
• District leaders consistently use timely, accurate, and actionable evidence to inform instructional, operational, financial, and strategic decisions.
• Research, assessment, and evaluation systems generate meaningful insights that improve student outcomes, organizational performance, and resource allocation.
• Organizational learning processes help district leaders identify effective practices, evaluate initiatives, and continuously improve district systems.
• Enterprise data systems produce accurate, secure, and trusted information that supports instructional improvement, operational excellence, accountability, and public confidence.
• State and federal reporting requirements are completed accurately, efficiently, and in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• District assessment systems provide meaningful measures of student learning while promoting equitable, accessible, and instructionally relevant assessment practices.
• Cabinet, principals, and the Board of Education receive clear, concise, relevant, and actionable analyses that strengthen strategic planning and organizational decision making.
• District data governance practices ensure responsible stewardship of educational data, protection of privacy, and ethical use of information.
• Cross-functional partnerships strengthen organizational coherence and support a culture of inquiry, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
   
  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. Research, Evaluation & Organizational Learning
Lead the district's research, evaluation, and organizational learning systems to assess the effectiveness and impact of district initiatives, strengthen strategic decision making, and inform continuous improvement.

• Lead the district performance management framework aligned with the district's strategic priorities and Vision 2031.
• Design and maintain districtwide evaluation frameworks that measure implementation fidelity, effectiveness, organizational impact, and return on investment for strategic initiatives and major district investments.
• Cultivate organizational learning by developing systems that help leaders understand what is working, why it is working, and where improvement efforts should be focused.
• Lead independent evaluations, root cause analyses, environmental scans, and other inquiry processes that assess the effectiveness and impact of district programs, initiatives, and organizational systems while partnering with instructional leaders to inform continuous improvement.
• Translate complex research findings into actionable recommendations that support district leadership, strategic planning, organizational learning, and Board governance.
• Foster a culture of inquiry, reflection, and evidence-based decision making throughout the organization.
• Build partnerships with universities, research organizations, and external evaluators to strengthen district learning and innovation.
   
  

2. Assessment Systems & Accountability
Lead a comprehensive assessment system that provides meaningful information about student learning while meeting all state and federal accountability requirements.

• Develop and continuously improve the district's comprehensive assessment system.
• Partner with and provide leadership to the District Assessment Coordinator in advancing district assessment systems and contributing to the leadership of coordinated districtwide data services
• Ensure the effective administration of local, state, and federal assessments.
• Promote assessment literacy among educators and leaders to strengthen instructional decision making.
• Evaluate the quality, validity, reliability, and appropriate use of assessment systems.
• Lead district accountability reporting and continuous improvement planning associated with state and federal accountability systems.
• Ensure assessment practices reflect principles of equity, accessibility, and meaningful measurement.
   
  

3. Enterprise Data Strategy & Information Governance
Provide strategic leadership for the district's enterprise data systems to ensure information is accurate, accessible, secure, and trusted.

• Lead the district's enterprise data strategy and long-term information management systems.
• Develop enterprise data standards, definitions, business rules, and governance practices that ensure consistent, accurate, and trusted information across district departments and reporting systems.
• Provide executive leadership and supervision for Data Specialists and other staff responsible for district data systems, reporting, and analytics, cultivating distributed leadership and staff expertise across the data services team.
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of a districtwide data services model that provides coordinated expertise, reporting, and analytical support across schools and departments.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and compliant state and federal reporting, including MARSS and other required submissions.
• Develop systems and processes that strengthen the quality, integrity, and reliability of instructional, operational, financial, and student information.
• Collaborate across departments to improve interoperability, efficiency, and consistency of enterprise information systems.
• Promote responsible, ethical, transparent, and secure stewardship of district data.

4. Strategic Analytics & Decision Support
Transform data into meaningful insight that supports strategic planning and organizational effectiveness.

• Develop analytical frameworks, dashboards, and reporting systems that support district priorities and continuous improvement.
• Identify trends, opportunities, risks, and emerging issues that inform strategic planning and organizational decision making.
• Partner with district leaders to develop meaningful measures of organizational performance and strategic success.
• Conduct longitudinal analyses and predictive modeling that support planning and resource allocation.
• Provide analytical support to the Superintendent, Cabinet, Board of Education, and district leadership teams.
• Evaluate the return on investment and organizational impact of district initiatives to inform future strategic decisions.
• Communicate complex information in clear, compelling, and actionable ways for a variety of audiences.
• Support the development and monitoring of district strategic goals, key performance indicators, and organizational outcomes.
• Develop and maintain district performance management systems that monitor strategic priorities, organizational outcomes, and key performance indicators.
   
  

5. Data Privacy, Compliance & Public Information
Ensure district information systems operate with integrity, transparency, and full compliance with applicable laws and ethical standards.

• Lead district compliance related to educational data privacy, security, information governance and serve as the data practices compliance official.
• Coordinate district responses to requests for public data in accordance with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and other applicable laws.
• Develop policies, procedures, and agreements governing data access, sharing, retention, and responsible use.
• Ensure appropriate protection of confidential student, employee, and organizational information.
• Monitor emerging legal, technological, and ethical issues related to educational data and artificial intelligence.
• Partner with district leadership and legal counsel to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and best practices.
• Monitor, implement, and administrate all data sharing agreements

6. Leadership & Cross Functional Collaboration

Serve as a strategic partner who strengthens organizational coherence through collaborative leadership and evidence-informed decision making.

• Serve as a member of the Superintendent's Cabinet, contributing to districtwide leadership, strategic planning, and organizational improvement.
• Partner closely with the Director of Innovation, Design & Learning to ensure research, assessment, and evaluation systems support the district's instructional improvement efforts while maintaining a clear distinction between instructional leadership, implementation support, and independent evaluation.
• Coach school leaders and district departments to strengthen organizational capacity for evidence-based decision making
• Build districtwide capacity in data literacy and improvement science.
• Collaborate with external partners, universities, and state agencies.
• Support grant development, implementation, evaluation, and reporting through rigorous research and evidence collection.
• Facilitate cross-functional organizational learning processes that strengthen organizational effectiveness and improve outcomes for students.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of district priorities.
   
  

Required Qualifications
Education

• Doctorate preferred; Master's degree required in educational leadership, educational research, program evaluation, assessment, statistics, public administration, organizational leadership, or a closely related field.
   
  

Licensure

• Minnesota K12 Principal or Superintendent license preferred.
• Valid Minnesota teaching or administrative license preferred.

Professional Experience

• Eight or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in research, assessment, accountability, evaluation, data strategy, educational leadership, organizational learning, or organizational improvement.
• Demonstrated experience leadi...