Program Supervisor - Special Education

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) seeks to fill a Program Supervisor - Special Education. This full-time permanent position is based in Olympia, Washington. This position may be eligible for partial to near full-time telework. Telework is a combination of in-building and off-site days. During your initial training period you will be required to be in the office 3 days a week. After you’ve completed your initial training, you may have the option to work from home on a flexible telework schedule. While we’re happy to offer this balance of in-office connection and telework flexibility, this isn’t a fully remote position. To be eligible, you’ll also need to reside in the state of Washington. OSPI is the primary agency charged with overseeing public K–12 education in Washington state. Working with the 295 public school districts and 7 state-tribal education compact schools, OSPI allocates funding and provides tools, resources, and technical assistance so every student in Washington is provided a high-quality public education. OSPI is committed to its work but values the balance with personal lives and provides an environment that stimulates professional growth and values employees for their expertise. OSPI has several initiatives to help create a great working environment, including supporting a healthy work/life balance by offering flexible/alternative work schedules and mobile and telework options, a tuition assistance policy and support for employees seeking tuition waiver, an Infant at Work Program, and actively promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within OSPI. Vision: All students prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement. Mission: Transform K-12 education to a system that is centered on closing opportunity gaps and is characterized by high expectations for all students and educators. Values: Ensuring Equity, Collaboration and Service, Achieving Excellence through Continuous Improvement, Focus on the Whole Child. This position is a Program Supervisor in the Program Improvement unit within the Special Education division at OSPI, providing technical assistance focused on providing tiered supports to school and district partners to equitable outcomes for students with disabilities served through an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The duties and responsibilities of the position contribute to the overall mission, goals and objectives of the agency by ensuring that school districts are maintaining the required elements of state and federal special education laws and regulations and making efforts to improve special education programs to address the diverse needs of students with disabilities. This position is part of a work unit that provides integrated special education monitoring and technical assistance services for local districts throughout the state and includes tiered supports informed by data and in coordination with OSPI, regional, and statewide professional development partners. This position is responsible for ensuring that students with disabilities, their families, and schools and districts are informed and provide input into special education policy and practices.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in special education or other education-related field.
Three (3) years' experience in special education or closely related field, including instructional, programmatic, or administrative responsibilities OR Seven (7) years teaching in inclusive general education settings, including demonstrated experience supporting the provision of specially designed instruction to students with disabilities.
Knowledge and ability to apply the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and WAC 392-172A.
Must reside in the state of Washington

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in special education, School Psychology, or related field preferred.
Demonstrated leadership in the field of special education at the local, regional, or state level.
Experience with coaching or mentoring in special education, including evidence-based instructional practices, curriculum implementation, inclusionary practices, multi-tiered systems of supports, and progress monitoring.
Experience in special education administration, program monitoring, compliance oversight, and continuous program improvement.
Experience implementing evidence-based instructional practices, particularly for mid-level math and early literacy; overseeing curriculum implementation; and monitoring progress for students with disabilities.
Bilingual/Multilingual.

Responsibilities

Design and conduct on-site and desk program reviews of local districts and other public agencies that receive federal and state funding on behalf of eligible students with disabilities.
Develop and implement, in collaboration with other members of the Program Improvement team, special education monitoring reviews of selected districts, including developing, planning, and implementing an integrated, outcome-based monitoring system consistent with 18 performance indicators in the state’s Annual Performance Report (APR).
Provide oversight and verification of LEA submissions related to special education monitoring, including analyzing the results of the monitoring process and utilizing results of the data to create and disseminate meaningful information regarding special education performance through presentations, written reports, training modules, etc.
Compile data and/or narratives as necessary, for the accurate and timely submission of the State Performance Plan and subsequent Annual Performance Reports, as necessary.
Review and recommend approval of annual LEA grant applications for federal special education funding to support improvement efforts around special education referral, evaluation, provision of services, and progress monitoring.
Develop, propose, and influence policy and funding initiatives, utilizing effective communication skills to articulate agency goals and objectives as the spokesperson in various forums.
Serve as OSPI liaison to an assigned Educational Service District (ESD) and state agency workgroups and committees, to provide support and technical assistance related to the identification and services for students with disabilities.
Develop and implement statewide, regional, district, and school improvement activities and tiered supports focused on improving special education outcome data-based analysis of special education data obtained from supervisory and technical assistance efforts.
Conduct advanced analyses of project performance using established and innovative metrics linked to the overall strategic goals of the agency.
Make strategic recommendations for optimization based on these analyses, emerging trends, innovations, and successful projects in the field.
Conceptualize, develop, implement, and evaluate a strategic plan for tiered supports, including universal, targeted, and intensive supports related to professional learning, training, and technical assistance, leveraging analytics to identify needs, measuring effectiveness, and making necessary adjustments.
Assist in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating professional learning on topics to support students with disabilities such as evidence-based instructional practices (particularly in the areas of mid-level math and early literacy), inclusionary practices, multi-tiered systems of supports (MTSS), trauma-informed practices, and social emotional learning.
Respond to partner requests for technical assistance for IDEA-related issues and providing information and resources to support improvement efforts.
Provide technical assistance and professional development within the state specifically around prereferral interventions, special education referral and evaluation, IEP development, the provision of special education and related services, and progress monitoring systems and responses.
Support schools and districts with data literacy activities, improvement science efforts, and strategic planning activities to support improved outcomes for students with disabilities.
Learn and apply knowledge and skills of equity to interrupt systemic oppression, especially at the intersection of race and disability, including agency-wide efforts to develop and implement equity goals.