Exceptional Children Behavior and Autism Specialist

Summary

Serves as designee of the EC Director in providing direct contact with schools and staff in the county to facilitate the provision of effective and evidence-based instructional practices to meet the individual needs of students with disabilities. 10 months per year

Required education, training, and experience

Minimum Bachelor’s Degree with 4 years of experience working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and those with challenging behaviors. Experience completing functional behavioral assessments and creating individualized behavior intervention plans.

Master’s degree in a related field or mental health, counseling, BCBA or BCaBA certifications preferred.

Classification

Licensed

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Provide staff training, supervision, and coaching as well as direct student services of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) interventions to benefit students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Provide staff training, supervision and coaching in social-emotional curriculum and trauma-informed practices.
• Working collaboratively with other district Behavior Specialists and as part of a team to address the behavior and mental health needs of students in our district.
• Support schools by: providing supervision and support to the school-based programs; providing support and training for school personnel in behavioral supports and interventions.
• Work directly with students with challenging behavioral needs, providing research-based interventions, including social-emotional curriculum.
• Monitor specialized curriculum programs assigned to EC teachers for students qualifying for Extend 1 and report usage and progress monitoring data to EC teachers, school administrators and EC Director.
• Supports the PRC 029 and LEA Self-Assessment Mental Health initiatives by: responding to students in behavioral crisis, completing social/emotional and behavioral training with the student, providing follow-up support with the student; assist in data collection and analysis, conduct behavioral assessments, design behavioral programs, monitor behavioral plans and make recommendations.
• Monitors data submitted by schools regarding use of seclusion and restraint with Exceptional Children and providing recommendations to follow up with staff training, student behavioral assessments or interventions.
• Submit quarterly reports listing students with behavioral concerns and plans of action/results
• Assists staff in: completing classroom behavioral observations; creating individual behavior plans; defining and measuring behavior; understanding principles of reinforcement; teaching new behavior; implementing strategies for weakening behavior, and identifying antecedents.
• Physically responds to students who are engaging in unsafe behavior, which includes student elopement, physically aggressive behavior to self, peers, and/or adults, and exercising threats to commit harm.
• Support teachers by: Using the coaching model to establish a safe environment in which teachers can strive to improve their practices; Helping teachers implement new methodology and new practices into their classrooms; Observing classroom instruction to assist teachers; Providing classroom demonstration lessons of research based strategies as needed
• Assist in leading staff development in the areas of EC Curriculum and Instruction
• Attend and participate in: EC training, staff development,
• Attend and participate in district and community behavioral and mental health committees
• Facilitate communication between Exceptional Children and Regular Education teachers and personnel regarding language arts and math instruction of students with disabilities
• Assist teachers with the effective use of multiple types of assessment data to guide instruction through appropriate IEP development and implementation, progress monitoring and data driven instructional decision-making
• Write PRC 029 district goals and manage grant budget expenditures
• Attend staff, parent, or IEP meetings as requested by school staff, administration or EC Director.
• Serve in other capacities as assigned:
• • EC IA Training and Monitoring
  • • Develop and monitor an EC Instructional Assistants Training program by: providing clear expectations and basic training requirements; observe and monitor EC IA student interactions; provide observations and recommendations to direct certified EC teacher, school administrator and EC Director.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with all pertinent federal, state, and district regulations and policies.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Understanding of behavior management techniques and methods
• Extensive knowledge of positive behavior interventions and supports
• Ability to establish positive, flexible, and cooperative relationships with administrators, teachers, students, parents, and the community.
• Willingness to be trained, to accept supervision from multiple sources, and to self-initiate
• Ability to work both independently and collegially
• Ability to communicate clearly in verbal and written formats
• Effective written and verbal communication skills including presentation skills
• Excellent time and material management skills
• Achieve and maintain certification in district-approved behavior intervention training program that requires the demonstration of proper physical and verbal de-escalation techniques used during a potential crisis situation
• Demonstrate an understanding of behavior intervention programs for students with severe behavioral challenges by implementing individualized programs
• Keep and maintain reliable and valid data on behavioral programs and interventions
• Demonstrate an understanding of research based instructional strategies for students with severe behavioral challenges

Physical Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Must be physically able to operate a variety of equipment including computers, copiers, etc.
• Must be able to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally; and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

Work environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with emergency situations. There may be changing priorities and interruptions during the workday.
• Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or composite characteristics of data, people, or things.
• Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments, or directions to subordinates or assistants.
• Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, forms, articles, proposals, contracts, etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, evaluations, policies, etc. using prescribed formats.
• Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form.
• Requires the ability to record and deliver information, explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages including medical, legal, and counseling terminology.

DISCLAIMER: The above statements are intended to describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this position. They are not intended to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and skills that may be required of the employees assigned to this position. This description may be revised by the supervisor, with HR review and approval, at any time.