LEAD SPECIAL EDUCATION INCLUSION SPECIALIST

Arizona Department of Administration • Phoenix, AZ

6d • $70,000 - $74,800 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Arizona Department of Education is a service organization committed to raising academic outcomes and empowering parents. This role supports the statewide design and implementation of professional learning to strengthen Arizona's capacity to meet specific State Performance Plan (SPP) indicators related to academic achievement and education environments for students with disabilities. It also assists in coordinating targeted technical assistance and professional learning opportunities for disproportionality and Public Education Agency (PEA) determination. The specialist will work closely with the Director and other specialists to enhance and implement professional learning, provide coaching, manage data collection and analysis, oversee projects, and support new staff onboarding. This position serves as an intra- and inter-agency liaison to foster collaborations impacting outcomes for students with disabilities and can act in lieu of a director. Occasional in-state and rare out-of-state travel is required.

Requirements

• Understanding of the IDEA/FAPE, and disability categories
• Least restrictive environment
• Current research on inclusive practices
• Collaborative planning instruction between general and special education
• Formative assessment practices
• Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
• Data collection and analysis
• Coaching systems
• Evidence-based practices/HLPs for students with disabilities
• Adult learning theory for virtual learning and in-person professional learning development
• Arizona State Standards
• Implementation of science & systems change
• Trends in special education
• A Bachelor’s degree in Education or equivalent experience to substitute for the degree
• Instructional coaching, cognitive coaching, and mentoring skills
• Organization skills
• Oral/written communication skills: data collection, analysis, and written reports
• Customer service skills
• Presentation skills to large and small groups
• Marketing and development of formal presentations skills
• Project development skills
• Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
• Project and task management skills
• Program monitoring skills
• Budget management skills
• Ability to develop and write reports, proposals, and grant projects
• Strategic planning skills
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and work efficiently under time constraints while being flexible in an environment with multiple tasks and changing priorities
• Ability to demonstrate credibility with schools and other stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage change
• Ability to successfully work independently as well as in a team environment
• High degree of professionalism, integrity, and dependability
• Ability to communicate with individuals from varied educational and cultural backgrounds
• Ability to maintain accurate records
• Ability to develop as a professional educator
• Ability to communicate effectively and tactfully in both oral and written forms
• Ability to prepare a variety of reports and presentations
• Ability to utilize technology for both instructional purposes and to communicate and create presentations and reports
• Ability to collect, analyze, and use student data to identify learning needs
• Ability to meet schedules and timelines

Nice To Haves

• Certification in special education plus five years serving as a teacher, instructional coach, or administrator in a public school
• Master's degree plus three years serving as a teacher, instructional coach, or administrator in a public school
• Master's degree plus three years serving as an instructional or district coach

Responsibilities

• Participate as a lead specialist in department/division task teams, special projects, and professional learning activities, including statewide conferences, regional trainings, task forces, and technical assistance centers.
• Coordinate schedules, facilities, materials, presenters, and registration for professional learning activities.
• Respond to requests for information and/or assistance from school personnel, coaches, presenters, and the public.
• Provide daily guidance to other specialists, answering questions related to their work functions.
• Provide professional learning, mentoring, and coaching to other Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices Specialists on effective development, organization, delivery, and evaluation of professional learning opportunities, and on-site PEA visits and walkthroughs.
• Lead efforts to align professional learning opportunities within ESS and ADE to ensure cohesion, support systems change, and demonstrate sustainability.
• Support leadership and participate in the Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices units' strategic planning process.
• Serve as a coach/consultant to assigned PEAs, offering technical assistance and professional learning in special education related areas.
• Conduct site visits providing classroom walkthroughs, coaching, and technical assistance to promote the implementation of High-leverage Practices (HLPs), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and other evidence-based instructional practices.
• Attend conferences, write articles, solicit information from experts, and review professional literature to stay current on special education issues.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Affordable medical, dental, life, and short-term disability insurance plans
• Top-ranked retirement and long-term disability plans
• Ten paid holidays per year
• Vacation time accrued at 4.00 hours bi-weekly for the first 3 years
• Sick time accrued at 3.70 hours bi-weekly
• Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program)
• Deferred compensation plan
• Wellness plans

What This Job Offers

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