Early Childhood Professional Learning Specialist

State of Maryland•Baltimore City, MD

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Professional Learning Specialist leads the statewide implementation, administration, and daily operations of Maryland’s Professional Learning Approval and Compliance Framework. Reporting to the Director of Early Learning, Instruction, and Workforce Advancement, this role guides and supports the branch’s professional learning and training approval processes. The Specialist oversees daily operations, provides technical assistance, monitors quality and compliance, supports policy implementation, and ensures all work aligns with Maryland’s instructional priorities, workforce initiatives, and early childhood systems. This position offers technical assistance for professional learning across the state. It encourages collaboration among internal and external partners, coordinates professional learning organizations and facilitators, and manages monitoring and approval processes. The role also supports ongoing improvement through data analysis and evaluation, and creates guidance, resources, and communication tools to strengthen Maryland's early childhood workforce. The position provides day-to-day coaching, support, and operational guidance to assigned Specialists responsible for Professional Learning Systems and Professional Learning Approval activities, while ensuring work remains aligned with the Maryland State Department of Education strategic plan and priorities.

Requirements

A Master’s degree or the equivalent of 36 credit hours of post-baccalaureate course work from an accredited college or university.
Four years of teaching and/or administrative experience in, or affiliated with, an education program.
Experience leading workshops, coaching sessions, or professional learning for early childhood educators.
1 year of experience leading or coordinating statewide professional learning, educator development, adult learning, or a comparable statewide education initiative.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree in Early Childhood Education, Education, Educational Leadership, Curriculum & Instruction, Adult Learning, Public Administration
Knowledge of Learning Forward Standards and evidence-based professional learning practices.
Experience reviewing, evaluating, and providing feedback on professional learning proposals using quality standards and rubrics.
Experience leading statewide change initiatives involving multiple stakeholder groups.
Experience providing executive-level guidance, policy interpretation, and strategic recommendations.
Experience with statewide data systems, Learning Management Systems (e.g., Canvas), CCATS, or comparable platforms.
Demonstrated ability to build statewide partnerships, facilitate high-level meetings, manage competing priorities, and successfully implement large-scale initiatives.

Responsibilities

Provides statewide implementation and continuous improvement of Maryland's Professional Learning Framework and Professional Learning Approval & Compliance processes.
Provides technical assistance for statewide Professional Learning Organizations (PLO) and Professional Learning Facilitators (PLF) to ensure consistent implementation of policies, procedures, regulations, and quality standards.
Reviews and processes professional learning submissions; evaluates Professional Learning Facilitator records; and maintains the quality, integrity, and consistency of approval processes and CCATS administration.
Reviews and maintains statewide approval records, CCATS administration, compliance documentation, operational tracking processes, and renewal activities to ensure accurate, timely, and consistent administration of Maryland's Professional Learning Approval Framework.
Conducts monitoring, compliance, audit, and renewal activities; identifies statewide trends and opportunities for continuous improvement; and provides recommendations regarding implementation strategies, operational processes, and system enhancements.
Ensures professional learning content and facilitation practices align with the Maryland Professional Learning Framework, Learning Forward Standards, Early Learning Standards, curriculum frameworks, CLASS, Maryland’s Career Lattice and other applicable state priorities.
Provides technical assistance for the development, facilitation, and evaluation of professional learning (in-person, virtual, asynchronous, and hybrid) aligned with Maryland's Professional Learning Framework, Learning Forward Standards, High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM), the science of reading, early mathematics, CLASS, and implementation of Maryland’s Career Lattice, and other State priorities.
Provides guidance on Professional Learning Organization and Professional Learning Facilitator approval processes by interpreting regulations, policies, and procedures and ensuring consistent implementation across Maryland.