Company: Massachusetts Teachers Association
DIVISION: Center for Education Policy and Practice (CEPP)
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Education Research and Policy (ERP) Specialist strengthens the union’s ability to build power and improve state and local education policies and practices by engaging in rigorous research and analysis that helps our members, leaders, and staff to prevail in legislative initiatives, state policy debates, collective bargaining, and other advocacy contexts. The ERP specialist works with educators, students, and other experts to identify obstacles to success for students and educators that are rooted in structural racism, economic inequality, and other forms of oppression and to develop solutions that dismantle those barriers.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Conducts quantitative and qualitative policy and data analysis and research to prepare policy statements, briefs and reports articulating MTA positions on educational policies and practices.
- Informs, educates, and improves the understanding of education issues by ensuring that MTA leaders, local leaders, and members have the knowledge to make critical decisions about the development and implementation of education policy at the local, state and federal levels.
- Produces technical reports and visualizations using Excel or other data visualization tools.
- Produces data and policy analysis to support Government Relations team’s work to advance equitable policies that reflect the values and expertise of educators and the best interests of students and that improve and protect the quality of public education from preK through college, including by ensuring that the working conditions of educators allow them to create learning conditions that help all students to thrive
- Influences educational policy by ensuring that the educator voice is included in education policy decisions:
- Develops mechanisms that allow professionals to define equitable standards of entry and holistic standards for teaching and learning.
- Improves practice by establishing MTA as the voice of quality education through the development of programs that meet the professional needs of individual educators throughout their careers, individual school communities, and school districts.
- Works with Executive Office of Education, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and Department of Higher Education staff and representatives of other educational associations on regulations and guidelines to present and advocate for MTA positions to improve the working conditions of educators and the learning conditions of students.
- Keeps current with education research and policy issues.
- Provides expertise to advance MTA’s leadership on PreK-12 policy issues, such as licensure/re-licensure, assessment policy, meeting the needs of all students including emergent bilingual students and students receiving special education services, school and district accountability, finance policies that allow districts to meet the needs of all students, and others issues important to students and educators.
- Provides expertise to advance MTA’s leadership on higher education policy issues such as affordability for students, state funding for targeted supports for students, and wages and working conditions for faculty and staff that will allow them to meet the needs of all students.
- Prepares and presents informational workshops and webinars explaining the impact of state policy, statutory and regulatory language on educator practice and school and district performance.
- Provides technical assistance related to education policy, including school improvement, education evaluation, licensure and re-licensure and accountability to local associations, members and MTA staff.
- Prepares material in collaboration with the Communications team for MTA Today, the MTA Web site, and other information outlets to explain educational issues and policies to MTA members and staff.
- Provides staff assistance to various MTA committees.
- Performs other duties as may be required.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Commitment to the mission and strategic goals of the MTA and the organized public education professions.
- Excellent quantitative and qualitative research skills, including familiarity with participatory action research.
- Familiarity with data and resources through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Early Education and Care, as well as U.S. Department of Education, census, and other research sites.
- Proven ability to undertake advanced data analysis projects and demonstrated advanced Excel skills such as being able to perform multi-step calculations with multiple linked spreadsheets.
- Five years of experience as an education policy researcher, or in a related area.
- Demonstrated ability to create persuasive, research-based, reports articles, fact sheets and presentations.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with individuals and groups.
- Strong technology skills, adept at using such programs as MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint; ability to learn new presentation and research applications; ability to use social media.
- Understanding of key concepts and commitment to dismantling systems of oppression that create inequity by race, class, and gender.
- Evidence of successful experience in working with diverse groups, committees and constituencies.
- Successful experience in public speaking before small and large groups.
- Strong writing skills: writing sample required.
- Willingness to travel and work nights and weekends and long hours when needed.
- Ability to work as a member of a collaborative, collegial team and to work well under a tight deadline and in a team environment
- Automobile and license or other personal transportation required.
- The level of expertise and knowledge that would be associated with a master’s degree or higher, whether achieved through experience as an advanced researcher and policy analyst or through academic training.
Foe immediate consideration, please submit a resume and cover letter describing your interest and qualifications when you apply via ADP.
*MTA reserves the right to waive any qualifications at its discretion*
The MTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all staff.
Salary: $103,000 – $137,000
Hybrid: Yes
Location: Quincy, MA