Manager, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 45,000 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. Aligned with our transformed philosophy, we are steadfastly focused on ensuring that the District provides resources equitably to support every student, every school, and every community. Six core values guide the work we do every day for our students – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. Each role in the district supports our vision that every student deserves a rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience.

The Department of Student Assessment and MTSS empowers CPS stakeholders with high-quality evidence of student learning to advance achievement, access, and opportunity. The department supports schools in implementing balanced assessment systems and a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework to meet every student’s needs.

Job Summary:

Reporting directly to the ED of Student Assessment and MTSS, the Manager, MTSS serves as a core executive leader driving the districtwide vision, governance, and systemic scaling of MTSS across all 500+ Chicago Public Schools. This role leads the strategic alignment, policy execution, and system-wide integration of the MTSS framework—incorporating core instruction, academic interventions, and social-emotional supports—to ensure equitable, high-impact learning experiences for all students across the district. This is a full-time exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

The Manager, MTSS will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Architect and drive the districtwide MTSS Action Plan, establishing policy, operational frameworks, and equitable resource allocation across all central office teams, networks, and schools.
• Drive cross-departmental strategic alignment with central office leaders—including Literacy, Math, Multilingual Multicultural Education (OMME), Students with Disabilities (OSD), Early Childhood Education (OECE), Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising (OSCPA), Office of Student Support and Engagement (OSSE), and Office of Social Emotional Learning (OSEL)—to embed research-based MTSS practices across all district initiatives.
• Chair and convene regular meetings of the cross-departmental CPS MTSS Committee, driving executive alignment, establishing governance standards, and guiding central office leadership in MTSS integration.
• Establish, implement, maintain, and continuously improve districtwide systems for evaluating the fidelity, continuous improvement, and student outcome impact of MTSS and research-based academic interventions in alignment with Continuous Improvement and Data Transparency (CIDT) indicators.
• Executive reporting: Synthesize districtwide implementation analytics and present weekly progress reports, strategic risks, and recommendations to the Teaching and Learning leadership. And serve as an active member of the Teaching & Learning Leadership Team and Academic Leadership Team, advising executive leadership on district strategy, performance management, policy design, and systemic implementation.
• Oversee executive strategy, managing program strategy, high-level network partnerships, cross-departmental alignment, vendor relationships, and team management while managing CPS vendor relationships and contract performance for relevant MTSS platforms, software tools, and intervention providers to ensure consistent, research-aligned implementation across schools.
• Stay current on national best practices, policy trends, and research in large-scale urban MTSS implementation to continuously elevate CPS frameworks.
• Set the MTSS vision and strategy for districtwide professional learning, coaching models, and change-management resources targeting Central Office administrators, Network Chiefs, Principals, and lead teachers.
• Conduct strategic site visits across school networks to evaluate system-level MTSS implementation, capture best practices, and refine district guidance based on direct feedback from school-based staff.
• Other duties as assigned
  

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 45,000 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. Aligned with our transformed philosophy, we are steadfastly focused on ensuring that the District provides resources equitably to support every student, every school, and every community. Six core values guide the work we do every day for our students – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. Each role in the district supports our vision that every student deserves a rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience.

The Department of Student Assessment and MTSS empowers CPS stakeholders with high-quality evidence of student learning to advance achievement, access, and opportunity. The department supports schools in implementing balanced assessment systems and a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework to meet every student’s needs.

Job Summary:

Reporting directly to the ED of Student Assessment and MTSS, the Manager, MTSS serves as a core executive leader driving the districtwide vision, governance, and systemic scaling of MTSS across all 500+ Chicago Public Schools. This role leads the strategic alignment, policy execution, and system-wide integration of the MTSS framework—incorporating core instruction, academic interventions, and social-emotional supports—to ensure equitable, high-impact learning experiences for all students across the district. This is a full-time exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

The Manager, MTSS will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Architect and drive the districtwide MTSS Action Plan, establishing policy, operational frameworks, and equitable resource allocation across all central office teams, networks, and schools.
• Drive cross-departmental strategic alignment with central office leaders—including Literacy, Math, Multilingual Multicultural Education (OMME), Students with Disabilities (OSD), Early Childhood Education (OECE), Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising (OSCPA), Office of Student Support and Engagement (OSSE), and Office of Social Emotional Learning (OSEL)—to embed research-based MTSS practices across all district initiatives.
• Chair and convene regular meetings of the cross-departmental CPS MTSS Committee, driving executive alignment, establishing governance standards, and guiding central office leadership in MTSS integration.
• Establish, implement, maintain, and continuously improve districtwide systems for evaluating the fidelity, continuous improvement, and student outcome impact of MTSS and research-based academic interventions in alignment with Continuous Improvement and Data Transparency (CIDT) indicators.
• Executive reporting: Synthesize districtwide implementation analytics and present weekly progress reports, strategic risks, and recommendations to the Teaching and Learning leadership. And serve as an active member of the Teaching & Learning Leadership Team and Academic Leadership Team, advising executive leadership on district strategy, performance management, policy design, and systemic implementation.
• Oversee executive strategy, managing program strategy, high-level network partnerships, cross-departmental alignment, vendor relationships, and team management while managing CPS vendor relationships and contract performance for relevant MTSS platforms, software tools, and intervention providers to ensure consistent, research-aligned implementation across schools.
• Stay current on national best practices, policy trends, and research in large-scale urban MTSS implementation to continuously elevate CPS frameworks.
• Set the MTSS vision and strategy for districtwide professional learning, coaching models, and change-management resources targeting Central Office administrators, Network Chiefs, Principals, and lead teachers.
• Conduct strategic site visits across school networks to evaluate system-level MTSS implementation, capture best practices, and refine district guidance based on direct feedback from school-based staff.
• Other duties as assigned
  

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

Education Required:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Education, School Psychology, Educational Leadership, or a related field, required

• Master’s degree or Doctorate from an accredited college or university in Educational Leadership, Systems Leadership, Curriculum & Instruction, or relevant discipline, preferred

Experience Required:

• Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in education, school psychology, or district-level administration

• Minimum of 3 years driving complex, large-scale systems or cross-functional academic/MTSS initiatives within a large organization or urban school district

• Demonstrated success designing districtwide adult professional learning strategies

• Deep expertise in MTSS frameworks, specialized instruction for English Language Learners (ELL), and Special Education (Diverse Learners) at a systems level