ELL Program Manager

Job Summary

The ELL Program Manager responsible for the academic success and legal compliance of English Language Learners. You will serve as the primary ACCESS Assessment Manager, overseeing the entire WIDA testing cycle. Beyond testing, you will act as a high-impact instructional coach, helping teachers adapt curricula for linguistic diversity while building strong, culturally competent partnerships with families. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented advocate who can navigate complex OSSE compliance requirements while maintaining a tireless focus on closing the achievement gap for multilingual students by taking on a small caseload of students for direct instructional support. 

The starting salary range for this role is $86,280-$93,782. This is a full-time, fully on-site role with an anticipated start date of July 2026.

For 25 years, KIPP DC has partnered with students, families, and the community to create joyful, academically excellent schools across the nation’s capital. Today, our network of 22 schools educate more than 7,500 students in grades PreK3-12, supported by 1,500 dedicated teachers, leaders, and staff.

Our work is grounded in five pillars–Academic Excellence, Joy & Sense of Belonging, Highly Effective Teachers and Leaders, Safe, Structured, and Nurturing Learning Environments, and Commitment to College Readiness–which ensure every student is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue success in college, careers, and beyond. Our schools combine high expectations with joyful, affirming environments that nurture academic success and personal growth for students and staff alike.

As part of the national KIPP network, we share best practices and innovations while maintaining deep roots in Washington, D.C. Together, we strive toward a future without limits for our students, alumni, and community.

As the ELL Program Manager, you will:

• Manage the WIDA ACCESS Assessment process, including training all required staff, developing mandated school test security plans, and overseeing the implementation of test administration.
• Instruction: Lead small group instruction in accordance with ELL implementation plans
• Case Management: Develop and monitor individualized learning plans for ELL students, ensuring asset-based approaches that build on student strengths.
• Compliance: Oversee the screening, placement, and exiting of students identified as ELs. Maintain student files and ensure all programming meets local (OSSE) and federal legal requirements.
• Teacher Coaching: Deliver professional development on EL strategies and advise content teachers on adapting curriculum for linguistic accessibility and provide ongoing cycles of feedback for ELL teachers.
• Family Partnership: Serve as the primary connection between the school and families, providing culturally competent and linguistically accessible communication.
• Data-Driven Leadership: Analyze student growth data to inform instructional decisions and set ambitious goals for the ELL program

• Maintain database platforms to track the screening, placement, and exiting of students identified as ELs.
• Partner with school based ELL Point of Contacts to review ELL student rosters, service schedules, and implementation plans, ensuring they are measurable, standards-aligned, and instructionally robust.
• Direct push-in or pull-out service delivery to students
• Prepare and analyze technical reports for the Director, highlighting trends in observation data and programming effectiveness.
• Audit progress monitoring and progress report tools to ensure accuracy in student growth tracking.
• Monitor the implementation of accommodations to ensure students are receiving the full continuum of services as outlined in their plans.

• Delivery of  specialized English Language Development (ELD) instruction tailored to EL specific proficiency
• Meet regularly with the classroom teachers to align small-group goals with the broader curriculum and identify upcoming language barriers in lessons.
• Monitor ELL implementation plans and report student language proficiency data quarterly

• Manage the WIDA ACCESS Assessment process, including training all required staff, developing mandated school test security plans, and overseeing the implementation of test administration.
• Prepare and analyze technical reports for the Director, highlighting trends in observation data and SST programming effectiveness.
• Maintain and update specialized instruction dashboards, ensuring school leaders have real-time access to student performance data.

• Manage the distribution and organization of curricular materials and specialized instructional tools across assigned campuses.
• Provide "modeling" for data reviews, training school-based teams on how to use data tools to drive instructional decisions.
• Train teachers on a unified instructional framework (like SIOP or specific scaffolding techniques) so students experience the same high-quality strategies in every classroom
• The program manager facilitates regular sessions where ELL and general education teachers design lessons together, ensuring language support is woven into all content areas across the network 
• Complete weekly cohesive coaching cycles with ELL teachers to provide real time coaching, modeling, and feedback.
• Lead demonstration lessons and "learning walks," allowing teachers from different schools to observe best practices in action and replicate them on their own campuses 
• Use centralized assessment dashboards to ensure every teacher tracks student growth the same way
• Organize Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) where teachers  share successful resources and solve common challenges

• Manage end-to-end logistics for community events, including venue coordination, food, materials, and attendance tracking
• Generate communications, memos, and calendar invites on behalf of KIPP DC to ensure cohort alignment.
• Manage logistics for external presenters and outside contracts for specialized services.
• Ensure differentiated tracks of development for ELL team during network development days.

KIPP DC offers an extremely competitive compensation and benefits package:

• The anticipated starting salary range for this position is $86,280-$93,782. At KIPP DC we strive for clarity, equity, and to be highly competitive. When determining salaries we look at benchmarks in the education and non-profit sector.  
• KIPP DC offers a robust benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurances; various voluntary benefits; and employer paid benefits such as short term disability, long term disability, life insurance, and a membership to One Medical.
• KIPP DC also offers a 403(b) retirement account with a 3% employer contribution and a 3% match with vesting after three years.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

KIPP DC Public Schools does not discriminate against, or tolerate discrimination against, employees or applicants for employment on any legally-recognized basis or protected class including, but not limited to, actual or perceived race, color, national origin, immigration status (except as necessary to comply with federal, DC, state, or local law), religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression), marital status (including domestic partnership status), genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy, family responsibilities, personal appearance, veteran status, uniform service member status, status of being unemployed, status of victim a survivor of domestic violence, sexual offense or stalking, matriculation or any other protected class under federal, state, DC, or local law.

Click here or here to review KIPP DC’s non-discrimination policy and KIPP DC’s Title IX Coordinator’s contact information.

Please Note: If you encounter difficulties submitting your application or fail to receive a confirmation email after applying, kindly reach out to Danica Cunningham at danica.cunningham@kippdc.org. Please include your name, resume, and specify the role you are applying for in your email. We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience caused.