Instructional Support Instructional Specialist, Special Education (SY 2020-21)
Job Description
About Us:
Since 1989 New Visions for Public Schools has served as a laboratory of innovation within NYC’s public schools, ensuring students have access to a high-quality education that prepares them for the rigors of college and the workforce and driving significant achievement gains for tens of thousands of students. We pioneered the small high schools model creating ~150 new public high schools across NYC, produce free open-source curriculum used by thousands of teachers in New York State and across the country, and run a nationally-recognized Urban Teacher Residency program to train new teachers. The New Visions network currently supports over 200,000 students across more than 400 district and charter schools across the city.
Position Summary:
- To design and facilitate professional learning workshops that develop practitioner understanding of Universal Design for Learning, explicit instruction, essential practices for students with learning differences, and literacy development.
- To provide school-based support in the areas of Special Education compliance, instruction, and literacy intervention in two transfer high schools, using resources and tools developed by the Student Support Team to increase quality of services to students with disabilities
- To provide on-site coaching to support school leaders and teachers in the areas of Special Education compliance and instruction, co-teaching, and literacy intervention.
- To ensure that the state and federal compliance requirements for students with disabilities are met in New Visions Charter High Schools
Core Duties and Responsibilities:
Meet regularly with school based teams in charter schools to:
- Develop educative instructional resources aligned with Universal Design for Learning, explicit instruction, essential practices for students with learning differences, and literacy development.
- Develop teacher and school leader expertise in high-impact instruction to support learner diversity and ensure that core instructional and co-teaching practices are implemented to serve all students
- Develop school-based systems and structures to use IEPs to inform instructional practices, and to develop authentic formative assessments for IEP goals and aligned teaching practices
- Lead the development of systems and structures at the school level to track progress of students with disabilities, including supporting schools to utilize resources and tools developed by the New Visions Student Support Team
- Design and facilitate professional learning workshops
- Support school-based Special Education leaders to ensure that all special services for students at a given school are being coordinated effectively and that schools are in compliance with IEPs
- Provide coaching support to co-teaching teams, general education teachers, and Special Education and ENL specialists in co-teaching and literacy instruction
- Liaise between schools and CSE to advocate for particular students when applicable.
Work with other New Visions staff to:
- Co-develop instructional resources to support learner diversity in partnership with New Visions curriculum managers and instructional specialists.
- Develop and improve the usage of SST resources and tools in the field (SPELL tool, IEP Genie, Classroom Data Profiles, SPELL Success Model, Equal Access for All Learners, the Portal, etc.)
- Coordinate with the Deputy Director of Student Support and Strategic Data Facilitator to support Special Education departments, ADSPED, and special education compliance
- Monitor the implementation of systems and structures for Special Education, particularly in New Visions transfer schools (alongside other NV transfer school network support staff)
- Analyze performance data using the Data Portal and special education data systems to track student progress
- Collaborate with the Teacher Residency and SPED Fellow programs to develop new teacher capacity in supporting students with disabilities
- Explore electronic platforms and virtual learning opportunities that promote and support special education compliance, instruction and advocacy
Education and Experience:
- Masters-level degree
- Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in public education, preferably urban schools and secondary level
- School Building Leader certification, or comparable leadership experience
- Prior experience working in or with transfer school preferred
Required Skill Sets and Knowledge Base:
- Expert knowledge in systems thinking and school leadership practices
- Expert knowledge of instructional design for special education students, including Universal Design for Learning, culturally responsive teaching, and literacy development for students with unfinished learning
- Demonstrated ability to work with data systems to inform instructional practices
- Leadership in providing professional development and coaching support to educators, including school leaders
- Excellent written, oral, organizational, and interpersonal skills including strong facilitation skills;
- Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with school and network level staff
Position starting in School Year 2020-21
New Visions for Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of New Visions that all employees and applicants for employment will be treated in all respects on the basis of their merit and qualifications and without regards to their race, color, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, gender, military status, marital status, ancestry, or any other reason prohibited by law.
New Visions believes that our teams should reflect the diverse communities we serve and that our culture and internal structures should be inclusive and equitable for all employees. We also recognize that perspectives from communities that have been historically marginalized are critical to the work we do. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from individuals living in the communities that we serve or who are members of historically marginalized communities.
New Visions provides a comprehensive and competitive compensation and benefits package in addition to the opportunity to make a significant impact on education reform and in the lives of urban youth.
