SPECIALIST, TWICE EXCEPTIONAL

Denver Public Schools•Denver, CO

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Twice Exceptional Specialist for Gifted & Talented Education is responsible for improving student achievement for twice exceptional learners by serving as a district wide consultant and subject matter expert to school based teams. Provides targeted, consultative support to schools to facilitate the integration of Gifted Education and Special Education services.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Gifted or Special Education is required
3+ years of Special Education experience is required
Special Education Teacher CDE License is required with an endorsement in Gifted Education Core or Specialist endorsement preferred
Aptitude for variety and changing expectations and fast-paced environment
Knowledge of effective specialized instruction
Ability to travel to sites throughout the District
Aptitude for variety and changing expectations and fast-paced environment
Understanding of IDEA and all current laws/court decisions related to special education
Understanding of ECEA and all current laws related to gifted education
Ability to solve problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists
Ability to apply complex thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems and to deal with difficult concepts or situations
Understanding of IDEA and all current laws/court decisions related to special education
Understanding of ECEA and all current laws related to gifted education
Ability to solve problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists
Ability to apply complex thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems and to deal with difficult concepts or situations
Lead for racial and educational excellence and work to dismantle systems of oppression and inequity in our community, along with believing in and supporting all students so they feel seen and heard with access to high quality education.
Live and work with a permanent home address in Colorado while working with us.
Have the ability with or without accommodations to meet the physical demands of the position.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree in Gifted or Special Education is preferred
Specialist endorsement preferred

Responsibilities

Lead professional learning communities for educators and school leaders to scale capacity for the identification and programming of students with co-occurring giftedness and disabilities.
Design and facilitate district wide professional learning to mitigate the lack of support for twice exceptional students, particularly those from historically marginalized populations, by infusing the District vision for Culturally Responsive Education (CRE).
Consult with school teams to foster meaningful family partnership, ensuring families are empowered collaborators in the integrated Advanced Learning Plan (ALP), Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and 504 plan processes.
Partner with Exceptional Student Services leadership to advise on effective specialized instruction and consults on legal requirements related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Exceptional Children’s Educational Act (ECEA).
Consults weekly with educators, school based leadership, and instructional teams to facilitate the integration of gifted programming and special education services, ensuring that Advanced Learning Plans (ALP) and Individualized Education Programs (IEP) or 504 plans are mutually aligned to support both student strengths and supplemental needs
Designs and delivers district wide professional learning and ongoing PDU opportunities for teachers and SSPs to scale instructional capacity, specifically focusing on identifying and supporting twice exceptional learners from historically marginalized populations in accordance with Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) standards
Analyzes student performance and identification data quarterly to identify systemic gaps in service delivery, providing school teams with evidence based strategies to mitigate the "masking effect" and improve achievement outcomes for students with dual exceptionalities
Advises school teams and families on an ongoing basis to foster collaborative partnerships, ensuring parents are empowered participants in the multi-disciplinary team process and that all programming meets the legal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Exceptional Children’s Educational Act (ECEA)
Coordinates with the Exceptional Student Services (ESS) departments to develop standardized toolkits and transition protocols, ensuring consistent application of twice exceptional identification and support across all grade levels and service settings throughout the district
Other duties as assigned