Chief Schools Officer (Immediate Opening)

• →​Align cross-functional support to schools. Partner with Executive Leadership, so campuses receive one coordinated set of asks, not competing ones. 
• →Serve on the Executive Leadership Team. Provide counsel to the Deputy Superintendent, Superintendent, CEO, and Board on school performance and strategy. 
• →Advance IDEA 2035. Drive campus-level execution of IDEA's priorities: student belonging, rigorous academic access for all, and college completion and career readiness. 
• →Represent IDEA externally. Serve as an ambassador for IDEA's mission with families, communities, and education partners across Texas.​ 

• ​​Deliver on IDEA's student outcome goals. Own network performance against five goals: 85% of students entering 3rd grade on grade level in reading; every campus rated A or B; annual enrollment targets met; 90% student persistence within three years; 90% college enrollment (75% in 4-year college or university). Set regional targets, monitor progress, and adjust before results are final.​  

• ​​Ensure faithful implementation of the academic model. Partner with the Chief Academic Officer, who designs curriculum, assessments, training, and data tools. Build the systems that get those tools used well in every classroom: strong Tier 1 instruction, effective intervention, and disciplined use of data.​ 

• ​​Ensure faithful implementation of the school operations model. Partner with Chief Campus Operating Officer, who designs the operational model: facilities, safety, transportation, food service, and campus systems. Build the systems that get every campus running these well, so operations enable instruction rather than compete with it.​ 

• ​​Develop principals and the leaders who coach them. Coach Area Superintendents and Executive Directors to develop principals into instructional leaders. Build leadership pipelines and succession plans so every campus has a strong principal.​ 

• ​​Lead school improvement and turnaround. Diagnose struggling campuses early. Differentiate support based on root cause. Personally coach leaders of the network's highest-priority schools. Sustain gains rather than produce one-year spikes.​ 

• ​​Build consistent regional operating systems. Establish common expectations for coaching, school visits, progress monitoring, talent reviews, and strategic planning. Reduce unnecessary variation across regions while respecting local context.​ 

• ​​Steward campus resources. Ensure regions and campuses operate within budget, staff to model, and make resource decisions that protect student outcomes.​ 

• Make Strategic Decisions: 

​​This team member embodies IDEA’s mission and values in decision-making, balancing bold vision with ethical and operational rigor. They establish governance frameworks that ensure consistency and accountability organization-wide, while applying systems thinking to break down silos and drive data-informed continuous improvement.​  

• Manage Work and Teams: 

​​This team member designs scalable systems that anticipate future organizational needs, driving sustainable impact through cross-functional collaboration and strategic problem-solving. They foster a culture of ownership and accountability, lead change with clarity and purpose, and balance hands-on leadership with empowering others to build capacity and achieve long-term success.​ 

• Grow Self and Others: 

​​This team member embeds development priorities into strategic planning, ensuring organization-wide systems and resources support continuous learning. They build and empower senior leadership teams to drive performance, innovation, and inclusivity, while executing a comprehensive talent strategy that spans the full employee lifecycle and cultivates a culture of lifelong growth.​ 

• Build a Culture of Trust:   

​​This team member exemplifies IDEA’s values and ethical standards through integrity, transparency, and responsible stewardship. By openly sharing decision rationale and fostering curiosity and inclusion, they build trust across the organization and create a culture where diverse perspectives are valued.​ 

• Communicate Deliberately:  

​​This team member sets and upholds communication standards across the organization, ensuring clarity and trust, especially during times of change or crisis. They lead major initiatives with strategic, context-rich messaging, proactively shaping narratives that address challenges, foster resilience, and align stakeholder perception with organizational impact.​ 

• ​​Leading through layers of leadership across multiple geographic regions 
• Diagnosing instructional and organizational problems from classroom evidence 
• Translating network strategy into campus-level execution 
• Using leading indicators, not just annual results, to manage performance 
• Coaching senior leaders toward measurable outcomes 
• Communicating with boards, executives, principals, teachers, and families​ 

• ​​Bachelor's degree required 
• 10+ years of progressive educational leadership experience 
• Success as a campus principal, with a record of improving student achievement 
• Experience managing leaders who supervise principals (Executive Director, Area Superintendent, or comparable) 
• Demonstrated results improving academic outcomes across multiple schools or a region​ 

• ​​Master's degree preferred 
• Executive leadership in a high-performing charter network or large public school system 
• Experience with Texas accountability systems and school improvement frameworks 
• Experience leading turnaround in historically underperforming schools​ 

• ​​Must be able to travel up to 50% of the time to IDEA regions across Texas 
• Must be able to work in office, campus, and classroom environments 
• Must be able to navigate stairs or use an elevator
• Must be able to sit for extended periods during meetings and work sessions 
• Must be able to use a computer and other office equipment for extended periods​ 

Submit your application online through Jobvite. Please note that applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible. 

Learn more about IDEA  

At IDEA the Staff Experience 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: https://ideapublicschools.org/our-story/#core-values