NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION



DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND TALENT

JOB DESCRIPTION FORM

Job Title: Achievement Coach, Special Education, Mental Health Services, D79

Civil Service Title/License: Education Administrator – Senior Special Education Professional Development Program and Instruction Management Specialist – Instruction Specialist (EA62/PD8S)

Organization: District 79, Alternative Schools and Programs

Office: Division of Equity and Access

Position Summary: New York City’s special education reforms focus on ensuring that schools accommodate all students with disabilities (SWD) who are eligible to attend the school, through zoning or application, by providing an educational program and other supports as described in each student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). The reforms also focus on providing access to the general education curriculum for SWD through flexible programming, designing access to the general education curriculum for SWD through Universal Design for Learning, and creating access for each SWD by developing meaningful IEPs. These reforms began in September 2010 with ten networks, and all 60 networks fully participated beginning in September 2012.

School-based mental health services play a vital role in addressing behavioral and emotional difficulties that threaten to interfere with a child’s ability to perform academically. When left untreated, children’s mental health problems may interfere with their readiness and motivation to learn. The Department of Education (DOE) facilitates partnerships with mental health providers by enhancing the accessibility of mental health resources and programs in our schools. The DOE’s goal is to implement and create effective ways of increasing school-based access to mental health services for underserved youth populations.

The Achievement Coach, Special Education, Mental Health Services in District 79 (D79) will be a critical part of an integrated team of instructional and youth development staff that serves approximately 60 administrators and 500 teachers at approximately 150 sites. The Achievement Coach, Special Education, Mental Health Services is responsible for ensuring that D79 programs are providing high quality services that include addressing the mental health needs of students with disabilities and that such service also meets all state, federal and local litigation requirements. The Achievement Coach, Special Education, Mental Health Services will provide strategic support to further the District’s mission of providing a quality education for all students in New York City schools. Performs related work.

Reports to: Executive Director of School Support

Direct Reports: N/A

Key Relationships: Executive Director of School Support, D79 Principals and Assistant Principals, District Network Leaders and the Division of Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners (DSwDELL), Office of School Health (OSH), other school practitioners, e.g., general and special education teachers, related service providers, and IEP team members and mental health/behavioral health service providers.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Advocacy

• Be familiar with all of the special education laws and pertinent local litigation surrounding D79; work with District leadership to develop appropriate special education and behavioral health service delivery models unique to D79.

• Meet with school leaders and staff, conduct classroom observations, observe IEP meetings and audit current special education documentation to ensure proper alignment to behavioral health service models within D79.

• Use research based best practices to design and develop effective behavioral health service delivery models that are student centered and in compliance with D79’s specific requirements.

• Support the Executive Director of School Support Services and DSwDELL in designing district-wide special education policy that is responsive to behavioral health needs and otherwise meets the specific needs of the D79 population.

• Advocate, support and promote the development of systems and structures that support the creation of an inclusive school culture and an inclusive pedagogy.

Problem Solving

• Provide overall directions and resources to school based communities to increase capacity and autonomy of each school.

• Conduct school visits to trouble-shoot and provide one-on-one support as necessary.

• Provide technical assistance in the planning and preparation of materials related to policy recommendations and program implementation with particular attention to the needs assessment and provision of behavioral health services.

• Facilitate teacher teams as they surface issues and engage in collaborative consultancy, promote robust special and general education partnerships, develop teacher facilitators and coaches, and assist school communities in developing problem-solving strategies.

Strategic Coaching

• Identify professional development needs within each program to develop and deliver high quality professional development to D79 administrators, teachers, service providers, and other support staff.

• Develop coaching strategies for principals and school based personnel regarding effective instructional practices, provision of high quality special education and behavioral health services, resources optimization and talent management.

• Provide school based personnel with an understanding of navigating compliance requirements for special needs students, including the compliance requirements pertaining specifically to behavioral health services.

• Engage in a collaborative inquiry process with the cluster team, other achievement coaches within the network team, and the Professional Development Institute staff to learn collaboratively and create new knowledge.

Communications and Strategic Accountability

• Oversee District-related compliance functions, including staffing of reviews and evaluations, issuance of Related Service Authorizations (RSAs), management of transportation requests and non-public school student placements.

• Manage data systems related to special education across the District, including the roll out and implementation of the Special Education Student Information System (SESIS), Automate the Schools (ATS), and the Child Assistance Program (CAP).

• Develop reports on standards, innovations and strategies in service model implementation.

• Engage in a collaborative inquiry process with the cluster team, other achievement coaches within the network team, and the Professional Development Institute staff to learn collaboratively and create new knowledge.

• Manage the development of multiple school-based professional teams with trained facilitators so that they become the vehicle through which the key aspects of the special education reforms become part of the school’s practice.

Qualification Requirements:

Minimum

Applicants must possess a valid New York State certificate in School Administration/Supervision (SAS), School District Administrator (SDA) or in School Building Leadership (SBL) as well as a Certificate of Eligibility for Supervisory Placement or a valid New York City license in the specific area for which they are applying. Please visit to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility.

Preferred

• Five years of experience working with students in an inclusive setting as a general or special educator, with a leadership role to support SWD and/or ELLs.

• Advanced degree in education or field related to the provision of mental health services.

• Strong Microsoft Office, Excel, and PowerPoint skills.

• Ability to work on a team and with students in an alternative setting.

• Deeply passionate about the work of District 79.

• Detail- oriented with excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Strong customer service orientation.

• Experience in the oversight of the delivery of behavioral health services to D79 schools.

• Advocate for change to support the performance of students with disabilities.

• Experience in facilitating teacher teams and building professional collaborations.

• Experience in collaboratively designing and facilitating professional development.

• Knowledge of best practices that support ELLs, Universal Design for Learning, Response to Intervention, Positive Behavioral Supports and/or differentiated instruction.

• Knowledge of the Common Core Standards.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download