Early Childhood Special Education/Section 619 Coordinator

Description

• We support a healthy work/life balance by offering flexible/alternative work schedules and mobile and telework options. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We have a tuition assistance policy and support employees seeking tuition waiver through participating higher education organizations.
• We have an Infant at Work Program that is based on long-term values of newborns and infant-parent bonding. Eligible employees who are new parents or legal guardians can bring their infant (six weeks to six months) when returning to work. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We value and are actively involved in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within OSPI by way of cross-divisional, collaborative committee. The focus of the committee includes employee engagement and education; reinforcing OSPI values; and maximizing the value of diversity and identifying strategies for inclusion.

• Goes beyond equality; it requires education leaders to examine the ways current policies and practices result in disparate outcomes for our students of color, students living in poverty, students receiving special education and English Learner services, students who identify as LGBTQ , and highly mobile student populations.
• Requires education leaders to develop an understanding of historical contexts; engage students, families, and community representatives as partners in decision-making; and actively dismantle systemic barriers, replacing them with policies and practices that ensure all students have access to the instruction and support they need to succeed in our schools.

• Development and implementation of the State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report submitted to the federal Office of Special Education Programs.
• Coordination and oversight of the State Systemic Improvement Plan, including implementation of the Theory of Action and evaluation of systems impact and child outcomes, using the approved Cascading Logic Model.
• Developing annual state reports of status of assigned initiatives and analysis of state-wide data obtained from early childhood special education-related activities outlined in the Washington State Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Plan, as appropriate.

Key Responsibilities
This position will serve as the ECSE Program Coordinator in the Program Improvement unit within the OSPI Special Education division. This position will:

• Identify and represent the interests of regions and local school districts on early childhood special education/IDEA Section 619 issues at the state level.
• Responsible for the identification and state-wide implementation, in collaboration with other members of the Program Improvement unit, of evidence-based, high-leverage, early childhood practices that promote quality services to special education eligible students ages birth through Grade 3 and their families.
• Provide universal, targeted, and intensive technical assistance to strengthen and foster leadership in early childhood special education at the local, regional, state, and national levels.
• In collaboration with internal agency representatives and external community stakeholders, actively engage in evaluating and improving meaningful family engagement in all system-wide early childhood initiatives.
• Seek and support opportunities for collaborating with other state agencies and community-based partners to identify cross-sector braided funding strategies across all early care and education initiatives in accordance with the Washington State Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Plan.
• Continuously use qualitative information and quantifiable data to identify fiscal and human resource needs for system implementation and oversight of early childhood special education services (i.e. personnel needs, data systems, monitoring, quality standards, and finance).
• Responsible for assisting Educational Service Districts and local school districts to problem-solve and identify creative strategies to address fiscal, human resource, and instructional challenges to promote implementation of strategies and other priorities identified by the Executive Director of Special Education and Assistant Superintendent of Special Education.
• Identify, implement, and promote strategies that facilitate clear communication and collaboration, and build and maintain relationships between and among IDEA Part C and IDEA Part B Section 619 stakeholders and partners in addition with collaboration across the Special Education Division and partnering divisions in the State Education AGency.
• Write or contribute to the final reports of the monitoring reviews of the selected WISM districts in an accurate and timely manner.
• Serve as OSPI liaison to an assigned Education Service District (ESDs) to provide support and technical assistance related to the identification and services for students with disabilities.
• Compile data and/or narratives as necessary, for the accurate and timely submission of the State Performance Plan and subsequent Annual Performance Reports, as necessary.
• Verify, approve, and monitor compliance and district performance with district program improvement and/or corrective action plans as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Assistant Superintendent/Executive Director of Special Education

• Bachelor's degree in special education or related early childhood field.
• Three or more years’ experience in the field of early childhood special education at the local, regional, or state level.

• Master's degree in special education or related early childhood field.
• Four years of administrative experience in special education, at the local, state, or federal level; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience working with diverse and underserved populations.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to make clear presentations to diverse groups.
• Teamwork: Strong commitment to quality collaboration, customer service, teamwork and trust. Strong work ethic and high levels of engagement in the work place.
• Self-Management: Effective and efficient use of work time, exhibiting integrity and honesty, and working effectively in a diverse work environment.

• A letter of interest specifically addressing the qualifications listed in this announcement;
• A current résumé, and;
• A list of three or more professional references.