Educational Policy Analyst, Student Transportation

The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is the seventh largest school district in California, serving more than 54,000 students who speak more than 44 documented languages across 136 schools in the city of San Francisco every year. We aim for every student who attends SFUSD schools to discover his or her spark, along with a strong sense of self and purpose, and that all students graduate from high school ready for college and career, and equipped with the skills, capacities and dispositions outlined in SFUSD’s Graduate Profile. Every day in our quest to achieve this mission we provide each and every student the quality instruction and equitable support required to thrive in the 21st century.

What It Means to Work Here

The SFUSD community is unified by our Core Values:

• Student-centered: We put students’ needs first
• Fearless: We persist through challenges
• United: We celebrate and build on each other’s strengths
• Social Justice: We stand with those most vulnerable in our community
• Diversity-driven: We respect and seek to understand each person

We are also inspired by Vision 2025, which captures our aspirations and vision for the future of public education in San Francisco. Alongside the District’s strategic plan, Transform Learning. Transform Lives.SFUSD is reimagining how public education will change over the next decade to meet the dynamic future of San Francisco. As a CORE district, SFUSD is also a leader in critical systems change for more comprehensive school accountability and innovations that help strengthen the instructional core, which is the foundation of our strategic plan and Vision 2025.

Who We Want

SFUSD is searching for an innovative, equity-centered leader who views public transit as a social justice issue and has the knowledge, skills, and ability to lead large and complex projects. This is an amazing opportunity to help transform SFUSD’s approach to school transportation and help disrupt systemic inequities.

As the Educational Policy Analyst , you will report to the Executive Director of Transportation and will be responsible for leading strategic and analytical projects for SFUSD’s Transportation Department such as the co-development of a School Access Plan with the San Francisco County Transit Authority (SFCTA), and the development of a transportation strategy to support our new student assignment policy for elementary schools.

We are looking for a passionate, dedicated team player who is committed to SFUSD’s vision and values to lead this work. You are good at listening to people to understand the core problem and you love to structure creative, analytical approaches to inform decisions. You take pride in being rigorous, practical and creative. You are a strong collaborator, skilled communicator, and problem solver who is comfortable in a community of continuous learning.

We expect our Educational Policy Analyst will:

Demonstrate a Leadership Mindset

• Approach school transportation with a systems lens , and encourage both internal and external partners to consider the district-wide implications of various policy alternatives
• Welcome and incorporate constructive feedback from community members and SFUSD colleagues
• Articulate the goals and priorities for student transportation in the context of Vision 2025

Manage to Results

• Lead multiple strategic and analytical projects that are aimed at improving transportation services for students. Develop and communicate project plans with clear and measurable goals and deliverables to diverse, cross-departmental working groups
• Analyze geographic and demographic data and consider multiple, sustainable, modes of transportation to inform the development of assignment zones for SFUSD’s new elementary school student assignment system
• Construct models of proposed policy options for assignment zones, bell times and transportation, accounting for demographic, educational, and other factors
• Produce timely reports representing diverse perspectives and projected outcomes from policy proposals, including concise, intuitive charts, maps, and other visual displays that summarize findings and explain advantages and disadvantages

Manage Teams

• Engage with schools, families, and students to establish start times that are economically viable and promote equitable access
• Thoughtfully exhibit cultural competence and sensitivity by consistently respecting individual differences among team members

Manage Relationships

• Collaborate with local and national transportation experts, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders to strengthen SFUSD’s school transportation infrastructure and ensure our racial/ethnic and socioeconomic integration goals are being met.
• Partner with the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) and the Department of Children, Youth, and their Families (DCYF) to develop a San Francisco School Access Plan.
• Build strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to improve transportation services for children in SFUSD.

Minimum Qualifications

• Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with major
  coursework in Transportation, Logistics, Urban Planning, Public Policy, Social Sciences, or a
  related field
•  Minimum 2 years of related experience

Education requirement may be substituted for additional experience on a year-for-year basis

Preferred Qualifications

• Two years of professional level experience advancing social justice in student/public transit
• A Masters’ degree in Transportation Management, Urban Planning, Public Policy, Public Administration or a related field

Desired Qualifications

We are seeking an analyst with strong skills and knowledge in:

• Transportation planning and social justice
• Google Sheets/Excel for data analysis; experience with statistical analysis tools or programming is a bonus
• Google Slides for data presentation; experience with visualization tools such as Tableau is a bonus
• Transportation planning tools; experience with Edulog School Bus Routing Software and with Geographic Information Systems such as ArcGIS is a bonus
• Task management and prioritization; project management experience is a bonus
•  Aptitude for big-picture thinking combined with attention to detail
• Appreciation and respect for the perspectives and interests of diverse stakeholders
• Knowledge of the history, law, research, and principles behind transportation planning and school integration
• Experience speaking in public forums ; experience in community and political settings is a bonus
• Experience working in, or with large urban public school districts. Deep familiarity with San Francisco , and the San Francisco Unified School District is a bonus.

What We Offer

SFUSD offers a competitive salary of $98,416.47 – $134,433.68 commensurate with experience in a similar position. We offer a comprehensive benefits plan including dental and vision plans, a defined benefit pension plan, disability, life insurance, flexible spending account options and vacation time. We also offer an inclusive and equity-centered environment where we encourage staff to bring their whole selves to work.

How to Apply

• Visit www.careers.sfusd.edu and create a new account to begin your application.
• If you have previously applied to a job on JobAps, you will be prompted to “select an application to copy;” please select any previous application: you will have the opportunity to update the application and your resume; if you have not previously applied you will be prompted to create a new account
• You will be prompted to electronically attach a letter of interest, resume, list of professional references and any applicable credentials or licenses
• Our Human Resources team will then review your entire application to determine your eligibility status and contact you directly should you move forward in the process