Education Specialist - Mild/Moderate (Aspire APEX Academy)

Aspire Public Schools • Stockton, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Support Needs instructs students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) in an inclusive school environment. The role is based at a school site and collaborates regularly with special education staff, with outside consultants and district personnel as needed. The specialist supports students’ academic, behavioral, health, mobility, and transition needs while coordinating with general education teachers, families, paraprofessionals, related service providers, and IEP teams.

Aspire Public Schools operates a network of college-preparatory charter schools serving TK–12 scholars across California. Its stated purpose is to prepare scholars for success in college, career, and life, guided by values of well-being, belonging, community partnership, agency and self-determination, and joy. The position also supports Aspire’s mission, vision, values, and policies, including its commitment to antiracism.

The role requires a California Special Education Teaching Credential in Mild/Moderate Education Specialist or Mild-Moderate Support Needs, a bachelor’s degree, and at least two years of experience working with students with special needs in an educational setting. A master’s degree is preferred. The position requires Department of Justice background clearance, authorization to work in the United States, and current health (TB) clearance, renewed every four years. Physical requirements include moving through different positions and environments, remaining stationary for extended periods, moving between worksites, assessing work for accuracy and completeness, communicating with others, and repeating motions involving the wrists, hands, or fingers.

The work environment is a normal office, classroom, or school setting. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Aspire offers a competitive base salary benchmarked against local districts and charter schools. A $6,000 hiring bonus is offered to new Education Specialists.

Requirements

• California Special Education Teaching Credential in Mild/Moderate Education Specialist or Mild-Moderate Support Needs is required.
• Bridge Authorizations for Mild-Moderate Credentials received before June 2022.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field is required.
• At least two years of experience working with students with special needs in an educational setting.
• Knowledge of special education principles, concepts, methodologies, and documentation requirements.
• Knowledge of special education assessment, planning, instruction, and evaluation.
• Knowledge of child cognitive development and different learning styles.
• Ability and willingness to implement students’ IEPs.
• Belief in inclusion and Aspire’s Equity Belief Statements, with high expectations for students with diverse learning needs.
• Ability and willingness to reflect and improve.
• Ability to meet mandated deadlines and due dates.
• Flexibility, adaptability to changing conditions, and sound judgment in taking initiative to modify activities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to collaborate with general and special education colleagues, parents, and the community.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member and apply new learning from professional development.
• Ability to work with an ethnically and economically diverse student body.
• Expertise in applicable grade-level Common Core State Standards and academic IEP goal development.
• Knowledge of co-teaching models and inclusive approaches to serving students with disabilities.
• Ability to learn quickly and be effective in a fast-paced, dynamic, entrepreneurial environment; work autonomously and thoroughly with independent self-reflection, while taking direction as needed.
• Alignment with and urgency around Aspire’s mission, vision, and values.
• Clear the Department of Justice background screening.
• Be authorized to work in the United States.
• Provide health (TB) clearance, renewed every four years.
• Meet the stated physical requirements, including repositioning and moving between environments, prolonged standing or sitting, communicating, assessing work, and repetitive wrist, hand, or finger motions.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Administer academic assessments, write academic assessment reports, and present assessment information at IEP meetings.
• Consult and communicate with faculty and parents about student needs and progress through meetings, phone, and email.
• Maintain knowledge of current special education regulations.
• Collaborate with faculty to ensure student modifications and accommodations are implemented appropriately in general education classrooms.
• Assist with developing the master schedule to address student IEP needs.
• Meet minimum IDEA case-management requirements.
• Enter weekly IEP service tracking and meet all IEP timelines.
• Maintain rigorous instruction for students with disabilities to ensure equitable access to Common Core standards.
• Develop progress-monitoring tools for student goals and share them with the IEP team.
• Collaborate with team members and related service providers to review student data, ensure IEP and behavior-plan implementation, and co-plan or co-teach.
• Oversee paraprofessional support daily, including helping create schedules and implement IEPs.
• Organize and maintain notifications, records, files, and reports required by federal, state, and SELPA regulations.
• Implement health and mobility supports, such as toileting, g-tube feeding, and medication administration under school-nurse supervision, and assist with students’ physical needs, including lifting, mobility, and campus access.
• Oversee, teach, and implement student behavior intervention plans; gather and analyze relevant data regularly and collaborate with staff about student plans and progress.
• Co-teach and co-plan regularly with general education teachers.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of students’ Individualized Transition Programs.
• Demonstrate support for Aspire’s mission, vision, values, policies, procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality standards, and code of ethical behavior, including its antiracism commitment.
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

Benefits

• Paid time off.
• 100% core health benefits coverage on select plans.
• Life insurance and long-term disability.
• Participation in a California state retirement plan.
• Tuition reimbursement plan.
• Adoption assistance program.
• $6,000 hiring bonus for new Education Specialists.
• Competitive base salary benchmarked against local districts and charter schools.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level