Partners in School Innovation is seeking outstanding candidates who share our commitment to making research-based best practices work for schools and to achieving real school improvement. School Improvement Leaders (SILs) are individuals who have a strong teaching background and a deep commitment to closing the achievement gap with direct school improvement experience focused on improving teacher practice and accelerating student learning in low-income, low-performing urban schools. SILs gain a wealth of experience that makes them prime candidates for greater educational leadership career opportunities within the public school system.

Direct School Improvement
School Improvement Leaders (SILs) provide site-based, school improvement work at an urban elementary school. The primary responsibility of the SIL is to establish a high-performing, professional learning community among teachers where continually improving their practice leads to dramatically higher student achievement. SILs will guide the school's classroom-level implementation of PartnersSI's signature Continuous School Improvement System, a set of integrated services designed to improve the quality of teaching and school leadership in order to dramatically accelerate student learning. Driving this system is the Results-Oriented Cycle of Inquiry—a data-driven school improvement process that gives teachers and school leaders the opportunity to analyze data, plan and practice appropriate instructional strategies with colleagues, reflect on student learning and refocus teaching efforts to maximize student learning results. Key elements of the inquiry process include data analysis, observation, evidence-based discussions and grade-level collaboration.

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Professional Development
SILs participate in ongoing professional development where they receive content knowledge and implementation strategies and skills that can be applied back to their work in the school. They engage in intensive training and skills development one day per week and receive regular coaching and mentoring from experienced school improvement leaders to strengthen their school-site experience. The professional development curriculum is aligned with the site-based work and is drawn from current research, best practices and PartnersSI's fourteen years of on-the-ground experience in direct school improvement. Key topics for professional development include Results-Oriented Cycle of Inquiry, leadership, equity, instruction, English language development, coaching and practical skill building.

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Learning Community
PartnersSI continually reflects upon and codifies the knowledge we draw from our site-based work and from the diverse skills and experience of our staff to improve our program and professional development. SIFs are key members of this continuous learning community and benefit from as well as contribute to program and staff development. The specific area and extent of involvement will depend upon individual experience, expertise and interest.

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