Kobi forwarded this on, I don’t know anything about it but it looks like it could be interesting:

Position: Data Analyst – Policy Team
Location: Flexible location

Job Description:

We are currently seeking an Data Analyst to join our Policy team. This position reports to the Policy Project Director and will work from our central office in Brooklyn, New York or from a home office anywhere in the U.S. This position is available immediately.

Policy Team

TNTP has worked with urban school districts on their human capital challenges since its inception. From that experience, TNTP analyzed how a web of policy and process barriers prevented urban school districts from hiring the best new teacher applicants by delaying hiring until well into the summer and early fall. TNTP shared this research in its first national report titled, Missed Opportunities: How We Keep High-Quality Teachers Out of Urban Classrooms, which was published in 2003. TNTP published a second national report in 2005, Unintended Consequences: The Case for Reforming the Staffing Rules in Urban Teachers Union Contracts, which analyzed the impact of collectively-bargained teacher staffing rules on urban schools.

In November 2005, the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) used findings from TNTP’s research to help resolve a nearly two-year deadlock in contract negotiations with the city’s teachers union, resulting in a new contract that ushered in a “mutual consent” teacher placement system. TNTP examined the impact of these school staffing policy reforms on teachers and schools in its most recently published report, Mutual Benefits: New York City’s Shift to Mutual Consent in Teacher Hiring. Additionally, TNTP played an instrumental role in passage of state legislation in California requiring reform of teachers union collective bargaining agreements.

Most recently, TNTP has published a third national report, The Widget Effect: Our National Failure to Acknowledge and Act on Differences in Teacher Effectiveness. The Widget Effect describes how our public education system treats teachers as interchangeable parts, not individual professionals. Though it is widely accepted that a teacher’s effectiveness matters more than any other school factor in student success or failure, our school systems operate in a policy framework that assumes all teachers are the same. As a result, excellence goes unrecognized, development is neglected and poor performance goes unaddressed. Instructional effectiveness almost never factors into critical decisions such as which teachers are hired, developed or retained. This pervasive indifference to performance disrespects teachers and gambles with the lives of students. TNTP believes that until we make a teacher’s effectiveness matter, our schools will never be able to realize sustainable improvement or close the achievement gap that has long disadvantaged poor and minority students. (For the full reports, see www.tntp.org.)

Since the publication of Unintended Consequences, TNTP has undertaken a multi-tiered district, state and national initiative to improve access to highly effective teachers. As part of this effort, TNTP is working to ensure that states and districts support – rather than undermine – teacher effectiveness at the local level. Our experience and research has suggested to us that too often well intended district practice, certain types of collective bargaining provisions, and state laws can erect considerable barriers to effectively staffing schools with effective teachers. Removing these barriers depends upon providing a fact-based, non-ideological case to leaders and lawmakers.

Role and Responsibilities

The main responsibilities of the Data Analyst are the initial review and analysis of primarily quantitative data from either partner school districts or states. Through this work, the successful candidate has the opportunity to have a profound impact on the direction of major educational reforms. Specific responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Organizing, cleaning, and analyzing district HR data (or other similar state data)
• Building surveys and analyzing survey data
• Participating in district (or state) interviews and organizing/analyzing the data
• Working with the Project Directors to produce a final report and all other interim updates
• Analyzing district contracts and state laws
• Preparing written documents, presentations, and executive summaries for senior district and state level audiences

Qualifications

We are seeking candidates who are motivated by our mission and who will bring excellent project and client management skills to our district and state-level policy work. Successful candidates will be independent and focused self-starters. The Data Analyst must be driven by vision of a reform that positions schools to support student achievement and must be capable of translating that vision into practical steps. In addition we seek individuals who have:

• Strong computer skills including Excel, Access, and SPSS
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills
• Experience with performing statistical significance tests (preferred)
• Extraordinary attention to detail
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Problem solving skills
• Propose innovative solutions using data
• The ability to manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously
• The ability to learn quickly and work in a fast paced environment
• Flexibility
• Strong interpersonal skills
• The ability to work well independently and with others

Compensation

The annual salary for this position is $55,000 or commensurate with experience in a similar position. We also offer a motivated team of colleagues, a collegial atmosphere that values professional development, a comprehensive benefits plan effective on the first day of employment – including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, and a 403(b) plan with matching – as well as the opportunity to impact the direction of a growing, mission-driven company that is committed to the success of our nation’s children.

We review applications on a rolling basis – so it is to your advantage to apply as soon as possible. We will not consider applications without a cover letter tailored to this position, which can be addressed to the Human Capital Team. The New Teacher Project is committed to fostering and capitalizing on the diversity of our organization. We are an equal opportunity employer and seek individuals of all ethnic and racial backgrounds to apply to this position.