POSITION: Education Specialist, Alpha Public Schools

REPORTS TO: Director of Special Education

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Alpha Public Schools teachers, students, parents
• Alpha office staff, School Leaders, and CMO Team

LOCATION: San Jose, CA

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

Alpha Public Schools is a network of public charter schools serving the students of East San Jose.  Alpha’s mission is to provide children from high- poverty communities with an education that effectively develops the academic skills and character competencies to overcome the achievement gap and graduate from college.

ROLE SUMMARY

Alpha Education Specialists have high expectations for all students and a willingness to work hard, doing whatever is necessary to ensure the success of every student. They possess a growth mindset, strong character, and a consistent track record of high performance that is results-oriented. They are hard working, punctual, urgent, energetic, and embrace a spirit of self-reflection, with a constant desire to improve.  Finally, Alpha’s Education Specialists hold a deep belief that all students can succeed in college, and that it is the responsibility of teachers to ensure that success.

QUALIFICATIONS

• EXPERIENCED: Alpha Education Specialists have 1-3 years of providing specialized academic instruction to students with disabilities in multiple grades and must hold a valid California Mild/Moderate Education Specialist credential.
• DRIVEN: Alpha Education Specialists have a relentless drive to advance the minds and lives of students with disabilities in and out of the classrooms.  They have a strong sense of personal responsibility.
• ENTREPRENEURIAL: Alpha Education Specialists are risk takers who innovate in the classroom to best suit the needs of students. They learn from data, and act on constructive criticism to improve their craft.
• COLLABORATIVE: Alpha Education Specialists engage in regular problem solving and curriculum construction in grade level teams.  They demonstrate strong communication and relationship building with students, families, and colleagues.
• FLEXIBLE: Alpha Education Specialists adapt to meet the needs of students and a startup work environment, and maintain a calm and inviting presence.
• Conversational Spanish or Vietnamese a plus.

Education Specialist Responsibilities

• Under the direction and supervision of the principal and Director of Special Education, the Education Specialist will provide specialized academic instruction to identified students with disabilities who meet eligibility criteria established by federal and state law
• Provide push in, pull out, and/or consultative specialized academic instruction for students with disabilities
• Provide legally defensible implementation of services, supports, accommodations, and modifications as provided by students’ IEPs
• Demonstrate knowledge of and compliance with special education laws, as well as school policies and procedures
• Collaborate with general education teachers to ensure consistent implementation of IEPs across all school environments
• Manage behaviors within resource room, and support school community in managing larger-scale Tier 2 behavior interventions
• Prepare daily lesson plans utilizing a variety of instructional strategies and techniques based on individual need
• Utilize assessment results, both formal and informal, to develop legally defensible and data-driven IEPs
• Collect data on and monitor individual student performance, adjusting instruction and supports as necessary to ensure progress toward IEP goals
• Provide timely feedback to and facilitate collaboration and communication between students, parents, and general education teachers

What Alpha Offers Its Education Specialists

As a teacher at Alpha, you will change the educational and economic trajectory of students who otherwise would not attend college. You will significantly and directly impact the success and direction of a startup charter school, and have the opportunity to advance into a leadership role within a rapidly growing organization.

Alpha Offers

• Competitive starting salaries
• Excellent medical benefits
• Targeted professional development
• A safe, engaging, dynamic work environment
• A remarkably supportive staff and mission-driven organization  

Apply to work at Alpha: 

Please send the following items to Russ Michaud, Director of Special Education at jobs@alphapublicschools.org:

1. Resume
2. A cover letter that includes the following:
   1. Summary of your experience working in education (250 words or less).
   2. What is your philosophy on Special Education? (250 words or less).

Incomplete applications or those with errors will not be considered. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability. We are strongly committed to hiring a diverse and multicultural staff and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented backgrounds.