Requisition No: 880585 

Agency: Department of Education

Working Title: CHIEF OF STUDENT ACHIEVE THRU LANG ACQU - 48000720

 Pay Plan: SES

Position Number: 48000720 

Salary:  80,000.00 - 85,000.00 

Posting Closing Date: 08/07/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Florida Department of Education

Division of Public Schools

Bureau of Student Achievement through Language Acquisition

Location: Turlington Building – Tallahassee, FL

Position Title: Chief, Student Achievement through Language Acquisition - DOE

Salary Range: $80,000.00 - $85,000.00

CANDIDATES ARE TYPICALLY HIRED AT THE MINIMUM SALARY

This advertisement may be used to fill multiple vacancies up to six months.

APPLICATION INFORMATION & HIRING REQUIREMENTS

Application Information:

• Your Candidate Profile (application) must be complete in its entirety.
• Work History (in easy to review chronological order) Consists of:

• • Any position held by a State of Florida Agency
  • Any position held by a Florida University
  • All periods of employment from high school graduation
  • All periods of current or prior unemployment
  • Gaps 3 months or more must be accounted for*
  • Any Education
  • Any Volunteer Experience
  • Your resume and application must match
• *Gaps 3 months or more must be addressed – you will need to account for and explain any gaps in employment including unemployment. You can either list these in your application under Period of Employment or attach a word document listing your gaps.
• It is unacceptable to use the statement “See Resume” in place of entering work history. Your candidate profile will be converted to your official application.
• Include supervisor names and phone numbers for reference checks or the contact information for your Human Resources office to verify current or former employment.
• Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.  

Hiring Information and Requirements:

• The Bureau of Personnel Management reviews every application for prior State of Florida and Florida University work history in the People First system.

• If claiming Veteran’s Preference, the candidate MUST attach supporting documentation such as the DD214 and your VA Letter that reflects level of disability if applicable. Applicable to career service positions only.
• If claiming Right to First Interview, the candidate MUST attach a copy of your official layoff letter when applying. This only applies to employees laid off from Career Service positions. Applicable to career service positions only.

If you are missing any of the items above, your packet may be held up at the final review step.

NOTE: Responses to qualifying questions must be clearly supported by the state application and any omission, falsification, or misrepresentation in the answering of the qualifying questions will be cause for immediate elimination from the selection process.

OFFICE CONTACT:

Laishka Popoca, 850-245-0050

JOB DESCRIPTION:

This is a mid-level manager position performing advanced level work under the direction of the Executive Staff Director (WT: Vice Chancellor, Strategic Improvement), Division of Public Schools.  Position serves as the Chief of the Bureau of Student Achievement through Language Acquisition (SALA) responsible for the  management of state plans for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Dual Language Programs, Foreign Language Education Programs and other programs for English Language Learners (ELLs).  Position is responsible for overseeing the activities assigned to the bureau and providing supervision and guidance to assigned staff.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

(Note: The omission of specific job duties does not preclude management from assigning specific duties not listed herein if such duties are a logical assignment to the position.)

The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has an open position that is responsible for executing the following functions:

• Responsible for implementing the academic achievement and English language acquisition efforts of the Division of Public Schools for English Language Learners (ELLs) in grades K-12.
• Analyzes Florida Statutes, State Board Rules, and federal laws to identify areas needing technical assistance and potential revision to state policies, rules, and laws.
• Develops and implements policies and procedures to support the effective administration and continuous improvement of the State Academic Language Assessment (SALA).
• Participates in providing technical assistance and professional learning to school- and district-level personnel, educators, and parent and community groups across all Florida school districts.
• Assists in the establishment of department-wide standards for educational services to English Language Learners (ELLs), including state assessments.
• Participates in professional learning opportunities to improve knowledge and skills in the areas of ESOL, World Languages and increasing student academic achievement as well as trainings related to improving job performance 
• Demonstrates strong knowledge and capacity in the Science of Reading and is able to apply this knowledge to the instruction of ELLs.
• Participates in professional learning opportunities to keep abreast of the latest research in literacy and the instruction of ELLs to support increased academic achievement for ELLs.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

The ideal incumbent has a working knowledge and understanding of state rules and regulations regarding personnel management—someone who excels in working under tight timeframes with competing deadlines. Organizational skills and the ability to multitask are key to completing the duties and responsibilities of this position. Since this position travels and presents at conferences as well as provides training on a needed basis, the prospective applicant needs to be able to travel and is comfortable presenting to people and training new staff.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Required Licensure/Registration/Certification/Experience or Education:

• Must have Professional Educator’s Certificate
• Minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in K-12 education, educational policy, program administration, assessment, ESOL/ELL services, or a closely related area.
• Knowledge of federal and state laws, regulations, and policies related to English Language Learners (ELLs), including civil rights requirements and educational accountability systems.
• Experience providing technical assistance, professional development, training, or instructional support to educators, administrators, or other stakeholders.
• Experience analyzing educational policies, procedures, data, or program requirements and making recommendations for improvement.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop guidance documents, reports, presentations, and training materials.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including school districts, educators, parents, community organizations, and state agency personnel.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Ability to travel 
• Ability to communicate effectively including verbal and written communication.
• Experience in creating and conducting training courses.
• Experience with public speaking

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Preferences will be given to:

• Florida ESOL Endorsement or ESOL Certification.
• Experience with statewide assessment programs and educational accountability systems.
• Experience working with multilingual learners in K-12 settings.
• Experience developing educational policies, procedures, or guidance at the district, state, or federal level

EDUCATIONAL SUBSITITUIONS:

SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements.

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or University in Applied Linguistics, Education, Public Administration, or a related field can substitute for 4 years of direct experience.
• A master’s degree from an accredited college or University in Applied Linguistics, Education, Public Administration, or a related field can substitute for 6 years of direct experience.

Related work experience may not substitute for any licensure, certification, or registration required by an agency and indicated in the advertised job description.

THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE HIRING OFFICE

The primary focus of the Bureau of Student Achievement through Language Acquisition is to assist schools and districts with Florida's English Language Learners (ELLs), a population of nearly 360,000. Florida's variety of ELLs surpasses most states in the country. Florida is ranked 3rd in ELL population, and although Spanish is the major native language of these students, the ELLs speak more than 243 different languages.

The Bureau is also responsible for ensuring that these students receive comprehensible instruction by monitoring schools and districts for compliance with state and federal rules, regulations, the Florida Consent Decree, and the 2003 Modification of the Consent Decree.

In addition, the Bureau manages the Title III, Part A Grant, currently totaling more than $59 million, which is allocated to eligible districts. These federal funds support supplemental professional learning for teachers of ELLs, the implementation of evidence-based instructional programs that promote English language acquisition and academic achievement, and parental and community participation.

Another focus of the Bureau is the management of World Languages. This includes offering leadership and technical assistance for implementing standards, teaching courses and instructional materials in World Languages as well as guidance for implementing the Florida Seal of Biliteracy.

Florida Department of Education

WORKING FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS BENEFITS!

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

LEAVE INFORMATION:

• Annual Leave - Employees in Senior Management Service and Selected Exempt Service positions are credited with 176 hours of annual leave upon appointment. In subsequent years, the annual allotment is credited on the anniversary date of the initial appointment.

• • Sick Leave - Employees in Senior Management Service and Selected Exempt Service positions shall be credited with 104 hours of sick leave upon appointment. In subsequent years, the annual allotment is credited on the anniversary date of initial appointment.

BACKGROUND SCREENING REQUIREMENT

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Education that applicants for employment/volunteer undergo Level 2 background screening in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, as a condition of employment or being permitted to serve as a volunteer. You will be required to provide your Social Security Number to conduct required verifications. No applicant for a designated position will be employed, contracted or permitted to volunteer until the level 2 screening results are received, reviewed, and approved by the Department. Level 2 background screening shall include, but not be limited to, finger printing for all purposes and checks under this requirement, statewide criminal and juvenile records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, federal criminal records check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and local criminal records checks through local law enforcement.

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM (SSS) AND REQUIREMENT

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion in the Other Personal Services (OPS) or Career Service, or appointment in the Selected Exempt Service (SES) or Senior Management Service (SMS) unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire. 

For more information, please visit the Selective Service website.

If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.