Interim Education Specialist: Extensive Needs

Description

This position is an interim 1 year role until the end of the school year.

ABOUT ASPIRE

Aspire Public Schools operates a network of high-performing, college preparatory charter schools serving TK-12 scholars in communities across California. Founded in 1998—in an effort to transform the inequitable racial, social, and gender outcomes that our communities persist through—Aspire is one of the largest and most forward-thinking open-enrollment public charter school systems in the nation.

Our purpose is to prepare our scholars for success in college, career, and life. At Aspire, we set a foundation for our scholars to gain knowledge, skills, and power to access and make choices for their families and post-secondary lives. Every day, our community of students, families, teachers and staff comes together to learn, work, and play in an environment grounded in our values of Bienestar (Well-Being), Culture of Belonging, Community Partnership, Agency & Self-Determination, and Joy.

JOB SUMMARY

The Education Specialist Extensive Support Needs instructs students with Individualized Education Plans in an inclusive environment. This role works directly within a school site and collaborates regularly with Special Education staff and may work with outside consultants and district personnel as needed.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Administer academic assessments, write the academic assessment report and present at IEP meetings

• Consult and communicate with faculty and parents via meetings, phone, and email regarding the needs and progress of students

• Maintain knowledge of current regulations pertaining to special education

• Collaborate with faculty to ensure that students modifications and accommodations are being appropriately implemented in the general education classroom

• Assist with the development of the master schedule to plan for all student IEP needs

• Meet the minimum IDEA requirements related to case management

• Maintain a high level or rigor for students with disabilities in order to ensure equitable access to common core and/or alternate curriculum standards 

• Regularly collaborates with team members for the purposes of: reviewing student data,  ensuring  IEP implementation, co-planning and/or co-teaching

• Develop, provide and oversee alternate curriculum and testing for eligible students

• Implement health and mobility supports (i.e. provide 1:1 support to student in classroom, support student/s with toileting needs, assist with health-related needs (g-tube, feeding, administration of medication) (under supervision of school nurse) and assist with the physical needs of students (lifting/ assisting with mobility, implementing student stretching/exercise routines.)

• Oversee, teach and implement a student’s behavior intervention plan, including gathering and analyzing relevant data on a regular basis, and collaborating with staff members around student plan and progress

• Input weekly IEP service tracking and meet all IEP timelines 

• Create and maintain notifications, records, files, and reports as required by federal, state, and SELPA regulations

• Coordinate the development and implementation of a student’s Individualized Transition Program, especially students in the 16-22 program

• Be able to effectively run a program for students with extensive needs with specially designed instruction to meet their IEP goals, and support students’ progress within the general education class with appropriately modified/accommodated work 

• Collaborate with related service providers to ensure the proper implementation of AAC/functional communication, behavior intervention plans, physical/mobility needs, etc. 

• Utilizes Aspire’s Alternate Curriculum guidelines to inform student programming

• Daily oversight of paraprofessional support, including the staff schedule and implementation of IEP services

• Develop a thorough progress monitoring tool for students, that is regularly shared with staff and parents and used for team decision-making

• Communicate on a frequent basis with parents of students around student progress, and collaborate to gain parent input 

• Collaborate with outside providers as needed and appropriate, with parent consent

• Perform other related duties as required and assigned

Additional:

• Demonstrate knowledge of, and support, the Aspire Public Schools mission, vision, value statements including antiracism, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality standards, and the code of ethical behavior. 

• Knowledge of special education principles, concepts, methodologies, and documentation requirements

• Knowledge of special education assessment, planning, instruction, and evaluation

• Knowledge of child cognitive development and different learning styles

• Ability and willingness to implement students’ IEPs

• Belief in inclusion and Aspire’s Equity Belief Statements and demonstrates high expectations for students with diverse learning needs

• Ability and willingness to reflect and improve

• Ability to follow and meet mandated deadlines and due dates

• Flexibility and ability to adapt to changing conditions; ability and good judgment to take initiative to modify activities

• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to collaborate with general education and special education colleagues, parents and community

• Ability to excel as a member of a team and implement new learnings from professional development

• Ability to work with an ethnically and economically diverse student body

• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• CA Special Education Teaching Credential (Moderate-Severe Education Specialist, Education Specialist-Extensive Needs) required

• Bridge Authorizations for Moderate-Severe credentials received prior to June of 2022

• Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree preferred

Competencies:

• Expertise in applicable grade-level Common Core State Standards and Academic IEP goal development 

• Knowledge around the models of co-teaching and serving students with disabilities in an inclusive model

• Ability to learn quickly and to be effective in a fast-paced, dynamic, entrepreneurial environment: able to work autonomously and thoroughly with independent self-reflection, as well as take direction as needed

• Alignment to and urgency around Aspire’s mission, vision and values

Minimum educational level:

• Bachelor’s Degree required in a related field.

Experience preferred:

• 2+ years working with students with special needs in an educational setting 

Physical requirements:

• Moving self in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and confined spaces.

•  Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.

• Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another.

• Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned.

• Communicating with others to exchange information.

• Repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.

Work authorization requirements: 

• Clear the Department of Justice background screening.

• Authorized to work in the United States.

• Provide health (TB) clearance (renewed every four years). 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The work environment characteristics are representative of those in a normal office, classroom/school setting which one might encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

 This position may also require periodic travel to school sites in order to interact with school leaders.

• Work indoors in a standard office environment, computer lab, and/or classroom environment.

• Work is performed in indoor and outdoor environments.

• Exposure to dust, oils, and cleaning chemicals.

• Some exposure to childhood and other diseases in a school environment.

• May be required to work outside of typical work days and office hours to meet operational deadlines.

The salary schedule for this role is $73,137- $134,212 depending on years of experience.