Assessment Development Lead - Math

This Education Program Specialist (EPS) position is primarily an Assessment Development lead for Ohio’s State Tests in mathematics for middle school grades 6-8, with possible opportunities to work with Alternate Assessments in mathematics.

This is essentially a project management type of position. As part of the assessment development team, this position collaborates with DEW staff and the test development vendor and helps to facilitate and manage the development of mathematics statewide assessments for Ohio:

• Manages, coordinates, and oversees development of Ohio Statewide Assessments which includes:
  • Reviewing draft test items for OSTs and Alternate Assessments (Test items are first created by the test development vendor based on Ohio’s Learning Standards and given to DEW for review)
  • Ensuring appropriate format of items and test forms and that they are accessible to all students
  • Ensuring items are aligned with learning content standards
  • Ensuring tests are based on blueprints and test specifications
  • Managing test item banks
  • Ensuring test drafts are error free
  • Managing field test-item development and review process, which includes data review/analysis of field-tested items
  • Building and facilitating stakeholder assessment committees
• Oversees work related to test content, test development vendor deliverables, and compliance to ensure statewide assessments and related materials are appropriate, reviewed, and completed (including print forms) by deliverable dates
• Provides ongoing planning and communication with test development vendor to ensure adherence to test specifications and blueprints (e.g., test development and training and scoring of field-test items)
• Participates in quality control of vendor’s work on statewide assessments
• Provides ongoing planning and communication with contractors and Ohio DEW staff to ensure effective development of statewide assessments
• Ensures adherence to established timelines and schedules for test development (e.g., timely delivery of draft and final test material)
• Collaborates with test development vendors to create and review test items and supplemental materials for Ohio stakeholder committee reviews

Provides technical assistance regarding statewide testing in accordance with state and federal law and code:

• Facilitates and/or attends multiple in-person assessment committee meetings (e.g., Content Advisory Committees, Rubric Validation Committees, Fairness Committees)
• Helps develop training materials for scoring tests
• Develops and conducts presentations to internal and external groups (local, state, and national)
• Ensures current assessment information is available through a variety of sources (e.g., test portal, website, email, newsletters, webinars, social media)
• Collaborates with other offices within the Department (e.g., Office for Academic Success, Office of Literacy, Office for Exceptional Children, Office of Communications) with regard to testing
• Prepares correspondence and reports

Performs other duties as assigned.

The work location of this position is 25 South Front Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215. You will be required to report to this work location full-time, if selected.

If this position is filled with an internal employee who has an approved telework agreement, the employee may be required to report in-person during the initial training period.

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

• Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Minimum qualifications

• Six years’ experience in any combination of the following areas:
  • Working in an educational setting (e.g., K-12, higher education) in one of the following capacities (e.g., educational administrator or teacher with experience in development of districtwide/schoolwide curriculum/assessments)
  • Monitoring and ensuring compliance with contractual specifications, program requirements, timelines for deliverables
  • Interpreting statute and code, law (i.e., operating standards, Ohio Revised Code, Ohio Administrative Code, state/federal requirements and guidelines), providing assistance to stakeholders
  • Performing one of the following (i.e., measurements/psychometrics, educational policy development, assessment/evaluation) in a government and/or educational setting

Preferred qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent post-bachelor course work
• Experience teaching mathematics in middle school, high school, or higher education.
• Knowledge of student assessment or educational measurement, public education procedures, and/or contract oversight
• Ability to analyze data, define problems, recommend solutions, and handle sensitive information with school personnel, vendors, and the public
• Able to use current technology, including computers and online testing technology
• Commitment to excellence, professionalism, strong interpersonal communication skills, good judgment of situations, excellent customer service, and solution driven
• Interest in professional growth and development, willing to learn policies/procedures/manuals
• Competency in program improvement in content, methods, and materials

The final candidate selected for this position will be required to undergo a criminal background check as well as other investigative reviews. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position, unless restricted under state or federal law or federal restrictions. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

The final applicant for this position will be required to submit urinalysis to test for illegal drug use prior to an appointment. The State will decline to extend a final offer of employment to any applicant with a verified positive test result. Also, an applicant with a positive test result will not be considered for any position with the State of Ohio for a period of one year.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer that values diversity and seeks talented individuals from diverse backgrounds. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class. Questions or concerns about this should be directed to the Office of Human Resources ([email protected]).

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.