CIARA WEAVER
Chicago,IL
Summary
Early Childhood Policy Specialist with advanced expertise in policy development, educational leadership, and data-driven program implementation. Proven track record of leading cross-functional teams, developing evidence-based policy recommendations, and building partnerships across education, government, and nonprofit sectors. Multi-disciplinary background in Child Law, Development, and Special Education leveraged to drive comprehensive policy solutions that advance outcomes surrounding young children.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Public Voices Fellow ; The Op-Ed Project
National Black Child Development Institute
01.2024 - Current
- Selected as 1 of 20 national thought leaders to advocate for racial equity in early childhood education, focusing on increasing representation in play-based learning policy development
- Collaborate with education journalists and policy experts to produce research-based narratives addressing systemic barriers in early childhood education across 4 intensive leadership summits
- Develop strategic frameworks for systemic change in early childhood policy, with specific focus on play-based learning accessibility in Illinois' full-day kindergarten implementation
- Partner with cohort of 20 fellows to draft policy recommendations ensuring equitable access to play-based learning opportunities across diverse communities
Elementary Teacher ; Instructional Team Member
Chicago Public School, William H. Ray Elementary
07.2023 - Current
- Redesigned kindergarten assessment framework tracking 6 key domains (literacy, math, social-emotional, physical, cognitive, language), resulting in 40% faster progress monitoring for 25 students
- Implemented digital management system for classroom resources and materials, achieving 25% reduction in supply costs while maintaining comprehensive student learning materials
- Facilitated weekly grade-level team meetings for 3 kindergarten teachers, resulting in creation and implementation of 15+ shared instructional strategies now used across grade level
- Designed and led 4 data-focused professional development sessions on student growth tracking, with 92% of participating teachers adopting assessment protocols within first quarter
Data Analyst Fellow ; Academy of Global Citzenship
Education Pioneers
06.2024 - 08.2024
- Spearheading comprehensive evaluation of 6 data tracking frameworks to develop organizational performance metrics, utilizing advanced analytics tools to identify $300K+ in potential resource optimization opportunities
- Leading in-depth analysis of mission-critical data systems covering 3 years of student outcomes, resulting in creation of AGC's first centralized performance dashboard
- Conducting detailed assessment of organizational data architecture through 15+ stakeholder interviews and 4 team workshops, establishing standardized protocols across 6 departments
- Developing data-driven recommendations for executive leadership, translating complex metrics into actionable insights for strategic planning and resource allocation
Early Childhood Policy Fellow
TeachPlus Inc.
09.2023 - 06.2024
- Spearheaded development of 'Start With Play Coalition,' bringing together 25+ stakeholders including Illinois AEYC, Latino Policy Forum, and Illinois ASCD to create unified approach for implementing play-based learning in response to HB2396 full-day kindergarten mandate
- Led monthly working group with education leaders to establish first-ever state definition of play-based learning, focusing on both guided and student-initiated play frameworks, currently under review for state-wide implementation
- Created coalition infrastructure including mission statement, action plan, and stakeholder engagement strategy, resulting in successful launch of three policy advocacy meetings reaching 100+ education leaders across Illinois
Educational Policy Intern
University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
08.2022 - 06.2023
- Analyzed research and implementation strategies for early childhood initiatives focused on play-based learning integration across 12 grade-level classrooms
- Created comparative analysis framework examining early childhood policies across 6 essential components (play-based learning, developmental approach, assessment methods, resource allocation, teacher support, implementation guidelines)
- Managed database of early childhood policy updates, producing monthly summaries that informed leadership decisions on kindergarten program development
- Synthesized research findings into actionable briefing documents used in 8 key stakeholder meetings to advance school's early childhood policy agenda
Elementary Teacher ; Policy Intern
University of Chicago Charter Schools
08.2021 - 06.2023
- Spearheaded implementation of PBIS framework for K-2 division, analyzing 300+ behavior incidents to create targeted intervention strategies, resulting in 25% reduction in discipline referrals
- Led 5-person kindergarten team in developing data-driven behavior management system, achieving 40% improvement in classroom engagement metrics and adopted by 3 additional grade levels
- Designed and launched weekly SEL curriculum reaching 25 students, creating 30+ character development lessons with 85% student mastery rate on social-emotional competency assessments
- Contributed to district PBIS initiatives by analyzing monthly behavior data across K-2 classrooms, producing actionable reports that informed school-wide implementation strategies
- Created and managed individualized learning plans for 25 kindergarten students, leveraging data analysis to achieve 15% increase in academic growth metrics
Elementary Teacher ; Instructional Team Lead
Archdiocese of Chicago, Holy Angels School
08.2017 - 06.2021
- Led implementation of restorative justice framework across 12 classrooms, training 15+ staff members and achieving verified 30% reduction in behavioral incidents within first year
- Managed K-3 data analysis initiative tracking 8 key performance indicators for 200+ students, resulting in verified 15% increase in achievement scores and adopted by entire elementary division
- Developed comprehensive onboarding program for new teachers, mentoring 10 educators over 3 years with 90% retention rate and average performance rating of 4.2/5
- Orchestrated quarterly cross-grade level collaboration sessions with 20+ teachers, resulting in creation of integrated curriculum maps adopted by administration for school-wide implementation
- Created peer mentoring system pairing 8 veteran teachers with new staff members, resulting in 85% implementation of identified best practices across 12 classrooms
Education
Master of Science - Child Development
Erikson Institute
Chicago, IL05-2023
Master of Jurisprudence - Child Law/Family Policy
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, IL05-2023
Master of Education - Early Childhood Special Education
DePaul University
Chicago, IL06-2018
Bachelor of Science - Child and Family Services
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Carbondale, IL12.2014
Skills
- Policy Analysis & Development
- Strategic Partnership Building
- Change Management
- Cross-functional Team Leadership
- Data Analytics & Program Evaluation
- Evidence-based Practice Implementation
- Program Assessment & Improvement
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Professional Development Design
- Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
- Educational Technology Platforms
Timeline
Data Analyst Fellow ; Academy of Global Citzenship
Education Pioneers
06.2024 - 08.2024
Public Voices Fellow ; The Op-Ed Project
National Black Child Development Institute
01.2024 - Current
Early Childhood Policy Fellow
TeachPlus Inc.
09.2023 - 06.2024
Elementary Teacher ; Instructional Team Member
Chicago Public School, William H. Ray Elementary
07.2023 - Current
Educational Policy Intern
University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
08.2022 - 06.2023
Elementary Teacher ; Policy Intern
University of Chicago Charter Schools
08.2021 - 06.2023
Elementary Teacher ; Instructional Team Lead
Archdiocese of Chicago, Holy Angels School
08.2017 - 06.2021
Master of Science - Child Development
Erikson Institute
Master of Jurisprudence - Child Law/Family Policy
Loyola University Chicago
Master of Education - Early Childhood Special Education
DePaul University
Bachelor of Science - Child and Family Services
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
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