Child Development and Special Needs Manager

Position Summary

The Child Development and Special Needs Manager (CDSNM) provides leadership and oversight of meeting the licensed centers' school readiness goals and continuous quality improvement efforts to ensure children achieve their highest potential through providing high-quality, culturally relevant, and inclusive preschool programs. The CDSNM will monitor and use data to assist with allocating resources, pursue and manage partnership opportunities to enhance professional development for all staff, coordinate and partners with families to directly support children who may need behavioral or special needs support and interventions, ensure compliance with all contract requirements, including licensing and federal, state, and city quality standards. The CDSNM supervises all relevant staff such as education coach, the special needs coordinator, etc.

This is a fully on-site position requiring travel to various DLEC locations in King County.

Essential Functions

• Establish School Readiness Goals with the Education Team that align with the data and program goals
• Use data to manage the support for classrooms through the deployment of coaching, special needs intervention and resources, and contractual and other program funding
• Support teachers and education supervisors to implement curriculum, screenings, assessments, observations, documentation, and reporting to fidelity.
• Provide consultation as needed for teachers on all child development opportunities, concerns, and questions.
• Identify and implement continuous improvements (processes, procedures, etc.)
• Facilitate and support the process by which children with identified and/or suspected special needs/mental health concerns can be assessed and receive services. This includes partnership with the education team in prereferral work, working with families on child find, attending evaluation meetings, coordinating bus support when necessary, obtaining completed evaluations, and supporting the implementations of strategies in the classroom.
• Establish a working relationship with early intervention service providers and Seattle Public Schools (SPS) to establish a process for assessment referrals and monthly reporting on intervention services provided.
• Assist staff and families in on-going education and training in areas of child development, special needs, and parenting education. Provide current educational materials, respond to training / mentoring requests.
• Coordinate with the mental health consultant for mental health evaluations and classroom observations. Establish a regular schedule of follow up to identify and refer children with developmental or behavioral concerns.
• Provide technical assistance and feedback to teachers and education supervisors in the delivery of individualized, developmentally and linguistically appropriate child development services through teacher observations, file reviews, center meetings, data analysis, and ongoing monitoring
• Work in partnership with the relevant staff members to arrange for trainers to conduct professional development opportunities needed by staff and respond to training needs identified in staff evaluations and ongoing monitoring.
• Ensure consistency in service delivery across the program with attention to inclusive practices and integration of component areas; encourage continuous improvement of systems.
• Responsible for hiring, training, and supervising assigned staff.

Additional Responsibilities

• Facilitate or coordinate parent meetings and training classes as needed.
• Support teachers in using child outcomes data to individualize for the child/family.
• Assist in selecting, formulating, and disseminating materials related to child development.
• Participate in supporting recruiting efforts.
• Support for classroom coverages.

Note: The job duties listed here are not intended to be an exhaustive list. Incumbents may be required to perform other duties to meet the needs of DLEC.