Education Specialist I - Early Childhood Special Education (Ecse) - Early To Exit IEP Supports

This position is fully funded through the Texas Education Agency Child Find and Early to Exit IEP Supports Grant. Employment is contingent on annual grant funding.

Classification: Admin/Prof

Exemption Status/Test: Exempt/Professional

Job Grade: 4

Department: Special Education

Reports To: Director

Job Goal:

Develop resources and products, participate in special project and grant-related activities, and provide professional development, technical assistance, and services in the area(s) of Early Childhood Special Education for students with disabilities that support the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and Region 4 Education Service Center's core purpose and strategic goals.

Qualifications:

Education

• Master's degree

Certification/Licensure

• Valid Texas educator certificate with required special education endorsement appropriate (e.g., Early Childhood, Educational Diagnostician) or professional license/certificate in a related field (e.g., School Psychology, Speech Language Pathology).

Experience

• Three (3) years of district and/or campus-level leadership in special education programming related to Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) for students with disabilities and/or evaluation of young children (e.g., Special Education Director, Coordinator, Supervisor, Lead Evaluation Specialist)

• Five (5) years of experience in providing and/or leading the provision of programs and services for ECSE students with disabilities

• Experience in developing presentation and training and/or technical assistance materials, technical writing, and presenting professional development

Special Knowledge and Skills

• Knowledge of Child Find, evaluation, Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) to ECSE transition, and provision of services for early childhood students with disabilities

• Experience in coordination among general education and special education programs to ensure cohesive services for students with disabilities

• Exemplary technical writing and verbal communication skills

• Demonstrated ability to analyze data effectively to identify trends, inform decision-making, and make recommendations about necessary change

• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage the implementation of complex, multi-phase projects

• Experience providing coaching in the educational setting

• Knowledge of rules and regulations related to special education including experience with ECSE accountability indicators (e.g., State Performance Plan Indicators [SPPI] 5 Least Restrictive Environment, 7 Early Childhood Outcomes, 12 Early Childhood Transition)

• Knowledge of data elements, standards, and coding (e.g., Public Education Information Management System [PEIMS], Texas Student Data System [TSDS]) and attendance accounting system (e.g., Student Attendance Accounting Handbook [SAAH]) as related to special education

• Experience in research, gathering, analyzing, and working with state and federal resources (i.e., US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, TEA) and peer-reviewed literature

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctorate

• Principalship or Superintendent Certificate

Major Responsibilities:

• Develop, present, and facilitate effective technical assistance materials and resources, technical writing for state grant-related project activities, and present professional development.

• Curate and develop resources for ECSE educators, evaluation personnel, and administrators based on changes in federal and state law, commissioner's rule, and other critical factors (e.g., ECI to ECSE Transition, ECSE accountability indicators such as early childhood outcomes and/or timely evaluation, evaluation of young children, and data elements and coding related to the SAAH, TSDS, PEIMS).

• Curate and develop a variety of resources that can be packaged for families of ECSE students (e.g., flowcharts, timelines, flyers) based on changes in federal and state law, commissioner's rule, and other critical factors.

• Serve as a team member supporting the state grant-related project activities related to Child Find and Early to Exit Individualized Education Program Supports including providing resources, training, and coaching related to ECSE.

• Support the logistics and facilitation of a variety of stakeholder engagements including, but not limited to, conferences, focus groups, advisory groups, and other types of professional learning.

• Review data and develop and submit reports based on project metrics and other necessary data as determined by the ESC and TEA.

• Provide coaching that adheres to TEA coaching standards and supports the development and recertification of ESC trainers and coaches for grant-related activities.

• Participate in state-level functions related to area(s) of responsibility including, but not limited to, supporting, developing, and presenting networking meetings to stakeholders (e.g., Regional ESC staff).

• Collaborate in statewide professional learning and conference planning, reviewing proposals and session materials, organizing, and presenting.

• Participate in developing communication networks between the Texas Education Agency, Regional Education Service Centers, and Local Education Agencies.

• Assist in planning and developing special project activities (e.g., grant proposals), interdepartmental services, demonstration sites, research studies, and other customer-based projects.

• Engage in professional development to maintain knowledge and skills in area(s) of responsibility.

Supervision/Personnel Management

None

Physical Demands/Environmental Factors/ Mental Demands:

Frequent use of standard office equipment; prolonged sitting; occasional bending/stooping, pushing/pulling, and twisting; repetitive hand motions (keyboarding and use of mouse); occasional light lifting and carrying (less than 20 pounds); may work prolonged and irregular hours; occasional statewide travel; work with frequent interruptions; maintain emotional control under pressure.