Education Specialist

Community Roots Foundation•Laguna Niguel, CA

12h•$56,420 - $64,900•Onsite

About The Position

The Education Specialist designs, implements, and improves educational programs and initiatives. They will work with teachers, administrators, and students to enhance teaching methods, learning outcomes, and educational policies. Under the immediate direction of the Directors of Special Education, provide comprehensive specialized academic services to students in a school setting based on Individualized Education Program, addressing their unique needs and supporting their participation in educational activities. Provides consultation and support for school site teams who have special needs students with mild to moderate disabilities in general education classrooms for the majority of their school day; Perform other related functions as required.

Requirements

Knowledge of: Principles, theories, techniques, and strategies pertaining to the teaching and instruction of students with disabilities; Practices, trends, fiscal and legal aspects, affecting all inclusion programs; Child growth and development and behavior characteristics of child experiencing learning challenges; Techniques and procedures regarding curriculum and instruction design and delivery systems for both special education and district core curriculum; Behavior management and behavior shaping strategies, techniques, and methods, and conflict resolution procedures; Socio-economic and cultural background differences of the community.
Ability to: Plan, organize, and coordinate full inclusion program at all grade/age levels throughout the district; Supervise in the development of strategies for curriculum modifications; Develop and present training for teachers and instructional assistants in best practices regarding full inclusion; Evaluate and analyze complex problems, issues, and concerns, and recommend appropriate alternative solutions; Communicate effectively in oral and written form to a variety of audiences; Establish and maintain cooperative organizational, public, and educational community relationships; Comply with the District’s customer service standards, as outlined in Board Policy.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, including all courses needed to meet credential requirements. Coursework in the psychological characteristics of exceptional children and remedial techniques in the basic skills subject area is desirable.
Certificate Requirement: Current California teaching credential authorizing service for individuals with exceptional needs.
Qualification Requirements: One year of experience in programs for children with disabilities.
Certification (Added Authorization in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDAA))
Copy of Transcript
English Learner Authorization
Letter(s) of Recommendation (Three)
Resume
Education Specialist Instruction Credential - Mild/Moderate

Nice To Haves

Effective listening and communication
Collaboration
Adaptability
Creativity
Time management
Computer literacy.
Experience: Two years of experience supporting individuals with exceptional needs is desirable before being assigned to this position.

Responsibilities

Case management of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), including the development and monitoring of goals, interventions and services.
Assists general education teachers and special education support staff in adapting curriculum for special needs students, and provides modified curriculum and resources as needed by school site teams.
Creates schedules to ensure all specialized academic instructional minutes are being met.
Meets all IEP deadlines: progress reports, addendum IEPs, annual IEPs, triennials and initial IEPs.
Collaborates with related service providers (i.e. SLP, OT, etc.), as needed, in order to develop and/or update student IEPs.
Provides meeting invitations for all types of IEP meeting and communicates with parents and/guardians.
Attends IEP’s and staff/parent meetings of students with special needs in general education classrooms, as requested.
Implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to support academic achievement in the general education setting.
Conducts ongoing training for regular and special education teachers and instructional assistants regarding inclusive education practices, curriculum modifications and behavior interventions for special needs students in general education classrooms.
Assists general education teachers, special education support staff and school site teams with developing daily reports, behavioral schedules and social skills curriculum for special needs students in general education classrooms.
Models teaching strategies and techniques for regular and special education teachers and instructional assistants for special needs students in general education classrooms.
Provides consultation and support for parents of special needs students in general education classrooms and helps to facilitate positive collaboration between parents and school site teams.
Confers frequently with district special education support staff and administrators to provide needed services regarding inclusive education practices.
Assists school site teams in problem solving and program issues related to inclusive education practices.
Teach and instruct students with disabilities who need in subject matter areas, auditory and visual perceptual training, and fine and gross motor skill development.
Utilize an adopted course of study, and curriculum and instruction guidelines.
Use program instruction guidelines and other materials to develop lesson plans and teach outlines designed to remediate diagnosed learning dysfunctions.
Utilize a variety of specialized methodology in teaching and instructing students and in providing assistance to other instructional personnel, including remedial instruction, and activity participation using a variety of educational equipment, materials, books, and learning aids.
Review, analyze, and evaluate the history and background of students with disabilities, and assist instructional personnel in the assessment of students with disabilities.
Design educational programs to meet individual learning needs and assist in implementing the various educational processes.
Individualize instructional processes, adapt instructional delivery systems.
Provide individual and group instruction in remediating students with disabilities and effectively utilize the available instructional time.
Employ a variety of behavior management strategies and techniques, including behavior modification, reinforcement, and other positive behavior shaping processes.
Assist in the coordination of the individual education planning team.
Review, analyze, and evaluate student academic, behavioral and social growth.
Record and report perceptions of student progress and recommend changes to students’ individual educational plans.
Prepare, administer, score, and record the results of criterion referenced and group standardized tests in evaluating student growth and progress.
Counsel, confer, and communicate with parents and instructional personnel concerning student progress and the interpretation of students’ individual educational programs.
Additional or different duties to address needs of the school and change practices.