Job Details
Title: Coordinator (Complex Needs Programs)
Department: Specialized Services
Reports To: Administrative Superior
For forward-thinking administrators and educators, opportunities abound in the School District of Philadelphia. The School District of Philadelphia is committed to transforming the education opportunities it offers the city's more than 203,000 school-aged children. The District seeks leaders who have a passion for working with schools, principals and communities who are committed to ensuring all students achieve. Serving a population as diverse as ours requires creativity, commitment and vision. Will you join us?
Job Summary
Coordinates the elements involved in providing an appropriate educational program for students with disabilities in curriculum and instruction in the least restrictive environment. Provides direct and ongoing leadership to District and school personnel through participation in consultation, collaboration, professional learning activities, staff evaluation/assessment process, and curriculum planning and development of specialized instructional strategies and programs. Ensures that communication, functional academics and functional skills for daily living are merged with core standards. Utilizes level of service and enrollment data to inform equitable deployment of resources. Establishes and maintains partnerships and linkages with external public and private organizations, governmental agencies and other stakeholders as well as serving as a liaison to both internal and external parties on a variety of issues.
This is a full-time, 12-month CASA represented role. The salary grade for this role is 0652, which starts at 90,333 for new CASA members.
Essential Functions
For All Specialties
- Oversees, coordinates, and monitors the activities and programs in the assigned area of specialization; monitors the implementation of new and existing programs and initiatives designed to address the needs of schools and students.
- Ensures adherence to any mandated guidelines governing activities in the assigned area.
- Acts in a consultative role for field and central office based staff; provides consultative services in the planning, development, and implementation of services.
- Identifies effective practices for delivery of services within the assigned areas of concentration.
- Ensures the implementation of programs and practices that support the goals and objectives of the District
- Stays abreast of current developments and trends within the different specialties.
- Participates in training and professional development opportunities offered by Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)/Bureau of Special Education (BSE) in order to develop train-the-trainer models.
- Serves in a liaison capacity; establishes and maintains partnerships with various public and private organizations, and governmental agencies; interacts and works collaboratively with other offices within the District as well as with external entities.
- Participates in the development of grant requests and proposals; implements and monitors grants pertaining to all areas of the Intermediate Unit (IU) Plan.
- Works collaboratively with other staff in the office.
- Provides support for and ensures compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and PDE mandates such as, but not limited to training and data collection.
- Works collaboratively with personnel in other District offices to ensure the provision of training for both special and regular education teachers in the areas of curriculum and instruction, progress monitoring, compliance, and reading.
- Provides technical assistance in the areas of special education and compliance.
- Implements and evaluates training and professional development activities; provides training directly to staff members or through staff trainers.
- Assists the Executive Director with implementing the training and technical assistance areas of the IU Plan.
Additional Functions for the Complex Needs Programs Specialty - Assists schools with opening new classes, including identifying space, required facilities needs and equipment.
- Orders materials for Life Skills Support (LSS) and Multiple Disabilities Support (MDS) programs as needed.
- Travel to District sites; provides on-site support to school staff in IEP development, data collection and positive behavior support planning; provides support to new teachers in LSS and MDS programs.
- Oversees community-based instruction, including review and approval of site requests submitted by Life Skills Itinerants.
- Coordinates planning for Extended School Year, including identification of sites, registration process for students, ordering of materials and supplies, and working with Transportation and Grants.
- Collaborates with other District personnel in planning and placement for students transitioning to school-age programs through the Early Intervention process.
- Collaborates with other District personnel to assist special education teachers by recommending activities, strategies, remediation procedures and resources for specified students through ongoing school visits, classroom observation, and data collection.
- Develops procedures for measuring student achievement; analyzes data and facilitates improving student achievement through the program strategic plan.
- Coordinates the development and implementation of specialized curriculum and appropriate instructional strategies based on student achievement data, current literature, and research.
- Oversees the development of training programs and/or modules based in research validated approaches and best practices in the area of Intellectual Disabilities and complex disabilities.
- Assists in the development and implementation of program guidelines in response to federal, state, and local policies and procedures, including state mandated assessments.
- Collaborates with school and District personnel to develop solutions to support student participation in educational programming and outcomes for students with intellectual disabilities.
- Coordinates the budget for complex disability classes by assessing and prioritizing program needs, procuring materials, supplies and equipment, communicating needs to appropriate personnel, and monitoring allotted funds.
- Works effectively with students, parents, teachers, District and school staff, and community agencies.
- Monitors class sizes; requests personnel allotments as needed and assists in collecting and verifying student data for complex disability classes.
- Collaborates with other Office of Specialized Services (OSS) team members to ensure transition related programs for both low incidence and high incidence students.
- Provides support to classroom assistants and other non-teaching personnel working in low incidence programs.
- Assesses submitted invoices for appropriateness with program demand.
Minimum RequirementsFor the Complex Needs Programs Specialty - Master's degree from an accredited college or university.
- Five years of full-time, paid, professional experience in the field of special education which has involved developing and/or implementing support systems and services to children with intellectual disabilities and their families in a large urban setting, and has included coordinating efforts with varied resources as well as designing and implementing training activities.
Certificates/LicensesComplex Needs Programs Specialty - Possession of a valid Commonwealth of Pennsylvania instructional certificate for special education.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities For All Specialties - Demonstrated knowledge of:
- the psychological, physiological, emotional and cognitive development of children and their impact on the educational process.
- the principles and practices in the area of specialization.
- the current social and economic problems affecting urban families and children.
- the methods and techniques for effective program administration.
- training principles and practices.
- research methods and data analysis.
- Demonstrated ability to:
- coordinate and monitor the work of other staff.
- plan, coordinate and implement programmatic activities.
- work collaboratively with internal and external personnel in the development and implementation of a variety of programmatic activities.
- communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
- establish and maintain effective working relationships.
For the Complex Needs Specialty - Demonstrated knowledge of:
- performance standards and best practice in teaching.
- academic standards requirements.
- federal and state laws/regulations related to the provision of educational and special education services.
- mandated eligibility criteria.
- formal and informal assessment procedures for all learners, especially low incidence special education students.
- requirements and best practices for writing, implementing and enforcing IEPs, Behavior Intervention Plans, Functional Behavioral Assessments and the provision of services to special education students, including mandated process documentation.
- methods, procedures and strategies for instructional leadership, special education instructional strategies and school curriculum.
- academic and behavioral program for students with complex (low Incidence) disabilities.
- Demonstrated ability to:
- multi-task and be efficient in managing multiple programs and sites.
- manage educational programs to meet the needs of special education students, particularly the unique communication/sensory/physical needs of low incidence populations.
Disclaimer The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.
Nondiscrimination The School District of Philadelphia provides to all persons equal access to all categories of employment in this district, regardless of race, color, age, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin or handicap/disability, gender identity, or genetic information. Please refer to Board Policy 104 for further information regarding the District's commitment to Nondiscrimination in Employment Practices.