PreK Support Specialist I

State of Maryland•Baltimore City, MD

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Maryland State Department of Education is dedicated to supporting a world-class educational system that prepares all students for college and career success in the 21st century. With excellent stewardship from our divisions, we oversee State and federal programs that support the needs of a diverse population – students, teachers, principals, and other educators throughout Maryland. GRADE State of Maryland Salary Grade 21 State Salary Guidelines apply for current State employees. STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS LOCATION OF POSITION Nancy S. Grasmick Education Building 200 West Baltimore Street Baltimore, MD 21201 Main Purpose of Job Pillar 1 of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future ensures that all children enter kindergarten ready to learn. The overarching goal is to increase access to high-quality early childhood education programs and schools by expanding full-day Pre-K for children ages 3 and 4. This expansion will be implemented through a mixed delivery of public and private systems. This position serves as an education specialist responsible for monitoring, programmatically, the prekindergarten programs' compliance with the grant requirements of the mixed-delivery Prekindergarten Expansion Grant (and any related grants) for program accountability, and for private providers receiving Blueprint Formula funding for operating public Pre-K programs. The Education Specialists will act as a resource through grant monitoring, coaching, and providing technical assistance to both private providers and public schools to ensure that high quality standards including supporting positive teacher-child interactions through the use of CLASS, implementation of curriculum and assessment, providing opportunities for professional learning that focuses on Maryland Early Learning Standards, and ensure that programs exercise fiscally sound procedures.

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 administrative or teaching experience in, or affiliated with, an education program.
One-year experience providing technical assistance and/or coaching to early childhood educators and preschool programs to support quality improvement quality improvement and school readiness outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Ability to provide reliable and expert technical assistance and/or coaching to early educators and preschool programs to improve their quality and support school readiness.
Experience working across multiple settings, including community-based preschool programs, Head Start, and public school prekindergarten.
Completed training and passed the annual reliability test for the Classroom Assessment Scoring System Pre- K tool or has knowledge of CLASS (CLASS Pre-k Reliable).
Skill in facilitating work groups, and engaging with partners and interest-holders
Knowledge of education grants management and fiscal monitoring.
Knowledge of special education population (MLL) and students with disabilities.
Skill interpreting and applying laws and regulations governing early intervention and special education programs.

Responsibilities

Provides technical assistance, coordination, and support to Education Agencies and private providers approved to operate public Pre-K under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future:
Monitors and evaluates all activities of the prekindergarten expansion sites operated by local boards of education and community-based programs by conducting onsite and virtual visits.
Guides increased teacher-child interactions through CLASS and program improvement planning and provides support to MSDE workgroups and councils in PreK matters.
Evaluates and ensures the implementation of high-quality programs standards in accordance with Pillar 1 of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future: including curriculum and assessment aligned with Maryland’s Early Learning Standards, developmentally appropriate practices, staff to student ratios, and teacher and staff qualifications.
Maintains CLASS reliability and conducts CLASS assessments and uses CLASS data along with other program data to inform technical assistance and quality improvement supports.
Provides professional learning opportunities to local school systems and private providers/community-based programs regarding the intent in the design and operation of Pre-K expansion sites, assuring that funded programs meet state-approved goals and objectives and support child outcomes and school readiness.
Supports policy and program improvements and engages with leadership, other state agencies, interest holders, and policy makers.
Supports the independent evaluator and DEC Office of Research, Data and Partnerships in conducting a long-term evaluation of the prekindergarten expansion sites and in annual data collection and analysis including use of data to inform Pre-K Grant Program improvements.