Adjunct Instructor: Policy and Leadership in Public Education

Adjunct Instructor: Policy and Leadership in Public Education

The Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University seeks an adjunct instructor for Policy and Leadership in Public Education for students in the Master of Science in Public Policy and Management (MSPPM) program. We invite professionals with deep experience and demonstrated leadership in the field to apply.

This course introduces students to policy in public education while simultaneously building the skills to lead

change through authentic assignments and in-class collaboration. The content of the course will consist of four aspects of education policy highlighting the impact of the pandemic on each area:

1. The basics: the purpose of schooling as well as the current structure and legislative landscape within K-12 public education in the United States

2. What is taught: policy and practice around curriculum, standards, and assessment

3. Who teaches: human capital strategy and policy

4. Where does education take place: school design and structure, including opportunities for transforming how students learn.

Students will explore these areas through research, presentations, discussion, and engaging directly with experts who are currently working in the field of K-12 public education. Class activities and assignments are designed to mirror formats likely used regularly in careers and serve to build skills that will serve students as future leaders in the field.

Recognizing education policy and leadership is a broad and complex topic, the minimum goals of this course are to:

* Define the basic features of public education in the US including structure and major policy areas and the impact of the pandemic on K-12 public education policy

* Identify and compare the differing perspectives related to a particular policy issue and construct a compelling argument for a policy change related to that issue

* Devise a strategy for effectively leading change in public education

* Articulate complex ideas orally and through writing in an organized and clear manner

The course is an elective course for students in the MSPPM program, typically in their second year of study. The instructor should assume that the students have some baseline knowledge of the public education system and policy in the United States. The instructor should be a practitioner with direct experience in the field of education policy. Recent experience in teaching is preferred.

The course is a half semester (i.e. 7 weeks) during either the fall or spring semester. Course times could be afternoons (two 80 minute class sessions per week) or evenings (one 170 minute class from 6:30-9:20 PM, inclusive of a break, per week), as preferred.

The course design should at minimum include relevant readings (textbook, research papers, news articles, etc.), in-class discussions, and appropriate evaluations of mastery of concepts for grading purposes (homework, quizzes/exams, etc.). Given the focus of Heinz College graduate programs, utilization of data, strategic thinking, and application of leadership skills are highly encouraged to be integrated into the course.

About Heinz College

The Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy is home to two internationally recognized schools: the School of Information Systems and Management and the School of Public Policy and Management. The unique colocation of these two schools sets Heinz College apart to tackle society's most complex problems by teaching our students a firm understanding of policy, technology and analytical foundations, and the management skills to deploy solutions for maximum impact - the intersection of people, policy, and technology to approach complex societal problems. For more information, please visit www.heinz.cmu.edu.

* Master's degree in a related field such as arts management, nonprofit leadership, public policy, or business preferred.

* Experience leading or advising client-based projects, especially within nonprofit, consulting, or arts and cultural sectors.

* Strong familiarity with arts management practice and theory, including emerging trends in arts funding, audience engagement, digital innovation, and national research (e.g., NASAA, SMU DataArts, Americans for the Arts).

* Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to deliver constructive, motivating feedback.