Accountability Data Analyst.

About the role

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) is seeking a skilled Accountability Data Analyst to join the Accountability Analytics Team. This position plays a key role in producing, validating, and improving Colorado’s annual school and district performance ratings, including the District Performance Frameworks (DPFs) and School Performance Frameworks (SPFs).

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the annual production of DPFs and SPFs while working directly with district accountability contacts (DACs) and other field stakeholders to explain methodology, indicators, and results.
• Coach stakeholders from Colorado school districts, BOCES, and charter organizations on data submission, interpretation, and use of accountability metrics, including District and School Performance Frameworks (DPFs/SPFs).
• Calculate and validate accountability indicators, including academic achievement; academic growth; graduation rates; dropout rates; and postsecondary readiness measures and consult with district partners on how these measures are calculated and interpreted.
• Design and implement business rules and weighting methodologies aligned to state and federal accountability requirements in CDE’s data warehouse in collaboration with Information Management Systems (IMS) using SQL queries and ELT procedures.
• Maintain and improve reproducible analytic workflows.
• Train DACs and other field stakeholders on changes to performance framework methodologies to ensure accountability calculations are transparent and usable.
• Data Analysis, Validation, & Technical Assistance
• Conduct statistical analyses using large-scale longitudinal student-level data to support district and school understanding of accountability results and trends.
• Audit school and district data accuracy, consistency, and compliance through data quality assurance procedures.
• Identify anomalies, data quality issues, and trends and consult with internal and external stakeholders to contextualize results and support data-informed improvement planning.
• Coach DACs to investigate and resolve potential data discrepancies or anomalies.
• Manage collaboration with internal data teams to resolve discrepancies and ensure accurate accountability calculations.
• Mentor districts and BOCES on interpreting accountability indicators, growth measures, and related data.
• Reporting & Communication
• Develop and deliver technical documentation describing methodologies, calculations, and business rules for school and district stakeholders.
• Train external stakeholders such as district accountability contacts to support effective use of accountability and growth data.
• Coach accountability stakeholders in schools and districts seeking guidance on accountability metrics, data interpretation, and reporting processes through activities such as weekly office hours, etc.
• Develop and implement presentations to field advisory groups such as the AWG, ACEE, etc to gather feedback and inform the ongoing development of accountability policies and practices.
• Support public reporting processes and respond to data inquiries from districts and stakeholders as needed.
• Develop clear, field-facing data visualizations, guidance materials, and summary reports for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Present findings to internal teams, leadership, and external stakeholders as needed.
• Analyze the impact of proposed policy changes on accountability outcomes and communicate implications to internal and external stakeholders.
• Support simulations and scenario modeling related to indicator adjustments.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to design and implement scalable, modular SQL-based data systems from the ground up, including advanced ETL orchestration, reusable logic structures (e.g., parameterized views, stored procedures), and performance-optimized transformations across large, multi-source datasets.
• Strong statistical reasoning and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Ability to translate complex technical information into accessible explanations.
• Experience working with large administrative datasets.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
• High level of organization and ability to manage multiple deadlines during peak reporting cycles.
• Collaborative mindset with strong interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel.
• Experience creating dashboards or interactive data visualizations; familiarity with Tableau preferred.
• Commitment to educational equity and continuous improvement.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail (proofing work, spelling, grammar, formatting, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to effectively balance quality of work and productivity expectations.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with internal and external customers (e.g. school districts, other CDE units).
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and organize work to accommodate and meet the changing needs of the department and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and exhibit a proactive approach to work.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as in a team environment.