SAN JOSE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

I.

Title

Educational Services Research Specialist

II.

Definition

To perform highly responsible technical functions in evaluation of educational services
and school effectiveness; develop and maintain statistical indicators;perform complex
analyses that include disaggregation of data on educational services, equity comparisons,
and historical trends and projections, and analysis of costs. Tocoordinate research-on-
demand services to administration, school sites, and board of education, make graphical
data presentations, and coordinate completion of regularly scheduled reports to state and
federal agencies and to other foundations or agencies that fund district programs.

III.

Examples of Duties

Under limited supervision, develops and maintains research database documents or files
using software applications including, but not limited to, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft
Word, Claris FileMaker Pro, ClarisWorks, and SPSS;develops and maintains files in the
district's CIMS software that are part of the district's database of record;develops files
of matched data on students and staff for analysis of historical trends and projections and
for cohort analysis of students or staff;prepares graphical analysis of key indicators of
educational services including costs of materials and services, allocations of resources to
groups of students and to school sites, student enrollment in schools, courses, and
classes, and participation in extra-curricular programs, grades received by students in
classes and courses, and scores on traditional tests and on alternative measures of student
performance;provides research advice, support, and data services to district staff
engaged in grants writing and other development of funding sources;consolidates
reporting requirements in mandated evaluations of programs being done by staff at the
district office and at school sites to comply with state and federally funded programs
such as Program Quality Review, Consolidated Compliance Review, Title I and Title VII;
plans and conducts on-line searching of networked resources, including Internet, as an on-
demand service to district administrators and school sites to provide information about
school practices and effects.

IV.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Ability to perform difficult and complex analyses that require compulsiveness,
disciplined inquiry, reasoned interpretation, personal standards for self evaluation of
integrity of processes used and accuracy of results, and attention to detail.

V.

Employment Standards:

Educational Services Research Specialist
Page 2

A.

Knowledge of:

Basic educational programs and services provided by public school districts;

Requirements of state and federally funded programs for evaluation services,
unanalyzed data files, statistical summaries, and analytical reports;

Appropriate interpretations of descriptive statistics or representations such as
percentages, means, standarddeviations, and frequency distributions;

Basic concepts in measuring student performance andprocedures for analyzing and
reporting test scores and interpreting results.

B.

Ability to:

Act independently and accurately to ensure compliance with
mandatory reports;

Perform mathematical calculations with speed and accuracy;

Design computer spreadsheet models using formulas;

Monitor, audit, reconcile balance, research and analyze a variety of complex data
dealing with demographics, program costs, service delivery and use, and student
performance;

Work with administrators and teaching staff on needs for research data and for
interpretation of results;

Assist with training of new staff.

C.

Education/Training/Experience:

Four or more years of sustained experience in development, presentation, and
interpretation of statistical data, including extensive use of software applications for
spreadsheets and databases, specifically related to school and program effectiveness and
provision of educational services and/or equivalent of a Bachelor's degree from an
accredited institution with significant course work in applied
mathematics, education, or social science, having an emphasis on statistics.

D.

Licenses/Certificates:

Educational Services Research Specialist
Page 3

Valid California Driver's License

VI.

Specific Qualifications:

Passage of District clerical test and computer test.

Date:3/20/97

Range:AFSCME27

Position Code:ERS