Special Education Instructional Specialist
2024-2025
Classification
Exempt, 12-Month Employee
Reports to
Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Overview
The Special Education Instructional Specialist will support our diverse population of students in grades 6 to 12 to navigate our curriculum. This person will design and lead programming to serve students in partnership with faculty and families in our school community, with an emphasis on students with learning differences, and students who have yet to develop a full complement of organizational and study skills.
Responsibilities
Program Design and Management

• Codify the the special education practices for grades 6-12, ensuring cohesion and coherence
• Develop and oversee all special education initiatives, including MTSS programming for academics and IXL differentiated supports, using student and teacher performance data
• Ensure all teachers are following the curriculum scope and sequence with fidelity, supporting them in their differentiation planning and intellectual prep to fully align to the program and materials the school sets forth
• Work collaboratively with the DCIA team and special education coordinator to standardize best practices for special education instruction in the school

Data Systems

• Support teachers in analyzing student data from exit tickets, quizzes and unit tests to more formal to assessments such as NWEA MAP results and NYS exam outcomes in order to determine instructional action plans for tier 2 and tier 3 students, as well as students with IEPs
• Create and manage a system for sharing assessment data results and analyses with the teacher and leader community that focus specifically on our special education student population
• Design and implement support for computer-based testing to maximize special education students’ performance
• Create and implement a communication system with teachers, families, and outside professionals regarding the performance and needs of students - including the distribution of assessment reports and MTSS identification throughout the year
• Create a clear and consistent progress monitoring system for student progress on goals to ensure we are growing students in their proficiency over time

Teacher Support

• Observe instructional practices in schools with a specific lens towards fidelity to the curriculum to evaluate changes and determine next steps for instructional design and teacher support
• Providing training and support to classroom teachers in differentiation and inclusive practices
• Support in continually evaluating the effectiveness of the special education program overall based on our existing data systems
• Work with all special education teachers to ensure planning and preparation are at the highest levels and aligned to our curriculum
• Ensure full compliance with teacher reports for students with IEPs by supporting teachers in their high quality and accurate completion in a timely fashion
• Collaborate with teachers to implement systems, routines, and expectations for providing accommodations and supports to students

Professional Development

• Provide targeted coaching and professional development experiences for teachers to support content knowledge development and best practice implementation
• Meet with the DCIA team regularly to determine areas of improvement for the school and ways that the team can support teachers in achieving the best outcomes for students
• Complete all duties as assigned by the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment and other school leaders

Professionalism and Work Day Expectations

• Participate in meetings, designated school functions outside of school hours, and opportunities for individual and school-wide professional development
• Supervise out of classroom settings such as arrival, transitions, lunch, recess, dismissal, and field trips when appropriate
• Complete all duties as assigned by the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment and other school leaders

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in special education preferred
• Minimum 4 years exemplary special education teaching experience with strong student achievement results
• A valid NYS teaching certificate in special education at the middle/high school level preferred
• Deep knowledge of special education best practices current educational trends, blended learning practices, methods, research, and technology, and program planning and implementation
• Commitment to DEI practices and willingness to evolve curricula to be more culturally responsive and sustaining
• Experience planning and leading engaging and effective professional development for adults
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop productive working relationships with multiple stakeholders across the organization
• Experience into leading others through influence rather than formal managerial relationships
• Meticulous attention to detail with an ability to produce high quality work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred

Supervisory Responsibilities
None
Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time 12-month position. The regular hours and workdays are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm in addition to any special events to which all staff are expected to attend.
Salary Range
$85,000-$125,000 annually (Based on Experience)
Travel
Minimum to no travel required
EEO Statement
Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health and Science Charter School provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, and transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.