DESCRIPTION: 

The Education Specialist will serve as classroom teacher in both special education and general education settings at the elementary level, leading a learning center to support students with IEPs in the least restrictive environment. Case management, professionalism, communication, parent engagement and partnerships, and ability to collaborate with colleagues are cornerstones to this position.

?????The Interventionist is committed to rigorous and equitable learning outcomes for all students through a commitment to data driven instructional practices, high expectations for all students, and a collaborative partnership with teachers. The Interventionist will be an instrumental part of the school’s Tier 2 intervention team working with the school team to accelerate achievement for identified students. 

SPECIAL JOB REQUIREMENTS - EDUCATION SPECIALIST:

• Demonstrated expertise in designing and delivering professional development to special education and general education staff on effective/evidence-based interventions to increase student skills in the areas of behavior, academic achievement, and social-emotional development.

• Applicants MUST possess experience working with K-5 students with a variety of learning styles including students with Autism, a range of communication abilities, and behavioral needs.

• Proven success to support students to meet and exceed annual IEP goals.

• Ability to work collaboratively with general education teams, special education teams, paraeducators, and parents to work in the best interest of students.

• Demonstrated success in researching and implementing new programs, both instructional technology and traditional, to accelerate learning in low-performing students.

• Demonstrated expertise in using data to inform instructional decision making.

• Demonstrated expertise in communicating effectively with parents.

• Success in collaborative planning with school committees and school administration.

• Demonstrated expertise in consulting with and supporting general education teachers, special education teams, and school/district-level administrators in order to meet the needs of students with disabilities in general education settings.

• Demonstrated expertise in using data to inform instructional decision making, including the ability to accurately evaluate student academic and social/emotional progress, maintain records of such progress, prepare IEP paperwork, and effectively communicate student progress in IEP meetings.

• Demonstrated knowledge of appropriate supports and accommodations to meet individual student needs and the ability to work effectively with general education teachers to ensure that accommodations are consistently provided in general education settings for successful inclusion.

• Demonstrated knowledge of positive behavioral interventions/supports to meet social/emotional needs of students.

• Knowledge of Assistive Technology.

SPECIAL JOB REQUIREMENTS - MTSS AND PRE-REFERRAL INTERVENTIONIST:

Under the direction of the Site Principal, the Interventionist will:

• Partner with classroom teachers to empower, lead, and support students with a mind toward systemic equity;

• Understand and respond to a variety of student data (in class work, benchmark assessments, observations, and interviews, for example) to develop a program tailored to individual student needs;

• Understand and respond to a variety of student needs, using formative and summative assessments on a continuous basis to gather evidence of learning, inform instruction, and provide actionable feedback to students;

• Develop personal and collective ownership over the accelerated progress of students who are not yet meeting grade level standards (especially in math); 

• Engage high-leverage instructional strategies that “raise all boats” and direct attention and efforts to those students not achieving or at risk of not achieving grade level standards.

• Evaluate a variety of intervention curriculum and methodologies to determine research based best practices for intervention support;

• Design meaningful formative and summative assessment and analyze and effectively respond to the data that result; 

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Interventionist will be responsible for fulfilling the following specific duties related to the aforementioned goals.

Instruction and Partnership

• Regularly visit classrooms during instruction to provide coaching support, share meaningful feedback, and engage in empathy. 

• In partnership with site administration and Tier 2 specialists (Reading & EL) to engage in data protocols and data analysis and identify students who are most at-risk because of slow progress;

• Deliver consistent, targeted, research based interventions, with a growth mindset and a flexible mindset.

• Participates Student Study Team Meetings

• Collaborates and communicates with the Special Education support team

• Models general education accommodations and supports to general education teachers

• Employ a child-centered approach to understanding that all students are unique, with their individual strengths and needs; and

• Other duties as assigned by the Principal.

Equity

• Participate in one’s own personal growth and development around the implicit and explicit biases that impact the educational environment as a way to inform your own leadership and perspective on the need to focus on equity in the classroom and school;

• Do whatever it takes to build positive & collaborative relationships with the children, the parents/caregivers, and the classroom teachers and school team.

• In partnership with the site administration, identify successes and challenges related to ensuring equitable learning environments and mindsets; support all site staff as they increase their own understanding of equity and bias;

• Collaborate and partner with classroom teachers and the school-based specialists to accelerate the growth of students not yet meeting standards, including those students who fall into at least one of the “College Bound” target groups. 

• Continue to learn more about understanding the implications of disproportionate identification for Special Education of particular student groups, and strive to ensure the work of the Interventionist disrupts predictable and inequitable pathways for students of color.

Curriculum

• Serve as the assigned school site’s “go-to” resource on intervention curriculum and methodologies, in particular in the area of mathematics.

• Remain apprised of the core curriculum in the classroom across all grade levels, so the intervention program supports student progress toward standards and power standards.

Instructional Strategies

• Assist the site leadership in developing a vision for what first-best-instruction in each respective context should look, sound, and feel like for teachers and students; work each day to see that the vision can be realized.

• Remain personally adept at practicing research-supported instructional strategies. Train, model, and provide regular feedback to teachers, site administrators, and instructional aides on the use of those strategies in daily instruction. 

• Support the development and communication of short and long term intervention programs, considering how to best integrate and prioritize efforts with the assigned school site’s specific culture, values, and needs. Participate in the evaluation of progress toward those goals.  

• Explore new and highly effective teaching and learning strategies, methodologies, and assessments; support teachers, site administrators, and instructional aides through coaching to improve current practices and the delivery of high-leverage instructional methods.

Data & Assessment

• Collaborate with teachers to use data to inform instruction and guide intervention and extension planning and support teachers to embrace data as an essential tool that can serve them and their students well. 

• Support teachers in the implementation of effective evidence-based grading strategies and practices that focus student reporting and growth around clear learning targets. 

Future-of-Learning

• Support the development and implementation of inquiry-based learning units (PBL, Design Thinking, and/or Problem-Based Learning) to effectively support students’ success in cross-curricular content.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY

• Laserlike focus on equity, inclusion, access, and progress for all students.

• Knowledge of Universal Accommodations for All.

• Collaborative, innovative, and creative.  Strong leadership skills. 

• Strong problem solver and risk taker, willing to grow as an instructor in order to support others in doing the same.

• Skilled integrator of technology as a tool to collect and analyze short term and longitudinal data sets.

• Effective communicator, both orally and in writing. 

• Willing designer of assessments who can interpret results and facilitate teams to analyze results in order to inform instruction and promote student growth.

• Positive team player committed to district mission, vision, core values, and strategic directions.

• Works independently with minimal direction.

• Develops a schedule and manages time effectively.

• Instructor with experience in and appreciation for: inquiry/project-based learning, evidenced-based grading, standards deconstruction, assessment design, and PLC facilitation, and educational technology.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Stamina sufficient to sit and stand for extended periods of time.

• Physical strength to lift and carry up to 20 pounds.

• Physical ability and stamina to travel between sites.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING

• Bilingual Spanish skills are desirable, but not required. 

• Five years teaching experience in the elementary school setting with positive evaluations.

• Demonstrated instructional coaching of teachers and school wide  leadership experience.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and communicate with colleagues and administrators for positive outcomes.

• Demonstrated ability to plan and deliver engaging professional development, lead team meetings, speak publically, and move groups of individuals through a decision-making/problem-solving process.

• Familiar and comfortable with using digital tools for teaching and learning including but not limited to Google Apps for Education, in particular Google Sheets or Excel.

• Familiar and comfortable with using Illuminate and data information to inform teaching.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher

• Valid Special Education California Teaching Credential (Mild/Moderate Credential and Autism Authorization) or meet the qualifications for credential authorization.  CLAD or BCLAD Certificate is required.

CALENDAR

• The Education Specialist/Interventionist role will work the 189 MPEA contracted days.