MISSION: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

ABOUT OUR DIVISION: The Analytics division resides within the Department of Strategy and Analytics in the Office of School Programs. This division serves and supports program leaders across the Office of School Programs. As an internal customer service organization, the division is both a decision-making engine and an operations support provider for program leaders to save time and increase impact. The Office of School Programs is made up over 150 staff members and is responsible for various programmatic areas including Student Assessment; College, Career, and Military Preparation; Early Childhood Education; Instructional Strategy; and Standards and Support Services.

This position is funded through September 30, 2024 with federal stimulus funds.  Continuation of the position beyond that date is contingent upon available funding. This federally funded role will provide critical support for the agency to urgently address student learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Data Analyst is responsible for leading analytical projects from definition to execution that impact over 5.5 million Texas students.  The Data Analyst will collaborate with partners across the Office of School Programs and TEA to analyze and maintain complex data sets, align metric outputs, and identify actionable insights and program opportunities.    

Within TEA’s School Programs Office, research, data, and analytical support are crucial for statewide programs affecting college and college access, early childhood, student assessment, and instructional training and effectiveness.  The Data Analyst is responsible for conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis on large datasets (e.g., the Texas Student Data System (TSDS), STAAR, etc.), as well as integrating and analyzing data from statewide initiatives including Texas Home Learning (THL), Reading Academies, and innovative school models, among others.  
 
This position helps establish and drive next-level improvements in the Office of School Programs operations. The position is additionally responsible for conducting detailed analysis and extensive research, providing results, and monitoring and implementing data quality.  This position may provide guidance to others and works under limited supervision, with latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Flexible work location within the state of Texas may be considered for qualified candidates.

Please note that a resume and tailored cover letter are required attachments for applying to this position. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applicants who are strongly being considered for employment must submit to a national criminal history background check. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Generates insights through the collection, analysis, and evaluation of programmatic and other research data to inform policy, determine strategy, and improve effectiveness of programmatic operations; applies statistical models and causal inference methods to uncover trends, measure impact, and predict outcomes; provides recommendations to maximize student impact; writes SQL/Python queries to extract, blend, clean, and analyze data.  
• Conducts primary research aimed at solving particular programmatic questions and policy choices; develops qualitative and quantitative data collection instruments and processes including surveys and web analytics that ensure foundational data are available and accurate for insights; contributes to all phases of research and evaluation projects.
• Creates and maintains analytical tools and user-friendly dashboards that empower senior leaders with effective support for decision-making; builds analytics and reporting capabilities to support ongoing program evaluation and operations; helps establish operating goals and targets; Supports product design and process by providing user research and related input on features.
• Supports data quality assurance exercises including validation and creation of data dictionaries.  
• Communicates insights and presents conclusions to key partners across the organization.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
 
Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university. Bachelor’s degree in an analytical field (e.g., Finance, Economics, Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, Mathematics, or another related field) preferred. 

Experience: At least one [1] year of experience in an analytical role. Consulting, data science, or other equally rigorous and quantitative experience preferred.  

Substitutions: Education and experience may substitute for one another on a year-for-year basis.

 
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Superior project and time management ability
• Passionate about working with data, measuring performance, and making decisions based on quantitative or deductive reasoning
• Advanced Excel knowledge with expertise in data analysis functions
• Experience with data visualization tools like Power BI, Tableau, etc.
• Proficiency with R or Python
• Proficiency with SQL 
• Incredible attention to detail
• Self-starter with an outcomes-based approach to management
• Fast learner who thrives in a high-performing environment
• High intellectual ceiling with the ability to solve new and dynamic operating problems
• A desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback and continuously improve
• Share the belief that all Texas students can achieve at high levels and are able to succeed in college, career or the military

As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, or veteran status, unless an applicant is entitled to the veteran’s preference.