Assistant in Research, 12 Month Salaried (FIN Facilitator - Region 3)

About the role

Through FIN, the FSU Learning Systems Institute collaborates with districts and schools to provide customized services and supports ensuring that all students with disabilities have the same educational, social, and future opportunities as their peers. FIN services and resources include district capacity-building, school-based planning, implementation and support, on-demand web-based resources and products, and family support and information.

Responsibilities

• Serve as liaison to plan, develop, and provide training and technical assistance to districts, schools, families, institutes of higher education, and communities to facilitate the implementation of policies and research-based practices to improve the achievement of all students with disabilities in the general education curriculum.
• Collaborate with FIN State and regional colleagues in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of services and support to districts and schools.
• Collaborate with families and school/district staff, other IDEA-Funded State Projects, and State Department of Education staff to support structural change and strategic planning efforts for education of students with disabilities in all schools, including public and private schools, serving students with disabilities in preschool, elementary, middle, and/or high school general education environments.
• Guide district and school teams in data analysis and data-based decision-making to increase and improve effective best practices for educating students with disabilities across the district and schools.
• Engage teams, including district and school-level leaders, other education personnel, and families in activities that build capacity to increase, improve, and sustain the implementation of best practices for students with disabilities in all districts and schools.
• Use multiple sources of data to establish educational goals and deliver professional learning and technical assistance resulting in increased achievement of students with disabilities in their Least Restrictive Environment, including:
  • Professional Learning: Creating Supportive Environments for Students with Disabilities; Collaborative Teaching Partnerships; Family Involvement; Supporting Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities in a General Education Setting; Peers as Partners in Learning; Paraprofessional Supports; Specially Designed Instruction in Collaborative Teaching Partnerships; Instructional Strategies for Students with Disabilities in General Education
  • Technical Assistance: Instructional coaching, demonstration, observations, and feedback; Scheduling for In-Class Supports; Least Restrictive Environment Calculation for State Performance Plan Indicator 5; Integration of a variety of instructional practices for students, teachers, professional staff, and family members for students with disabilities in general education settings; Data chats and conferences; Instructional planning facilitation of Professional Learning Communities, study groups, and other job-embedded professional learning; Problem-solving and ongoing action planning
• Plan, develop, and provide professional learning and technical assistance using alternate delivery methods such as teleconference, video conference, online presentations, online collaboration, and other web-based formats.
• Provide resources and consultation on best practices for students with disabilities to families of students with disabilities.
• Disseminate materials and resources to educators that support the continuous implementation and improvement of best practices for educating students with disabilities in general education environments.
• Represent FIN on committees, councils, etc. at the state, district, and/or school levels as needed.
• Identify and develop steps to meet individual professional development goals based on the FIN Leadership Competencies self-assessment.

Qualifications

• Academic master’s degree or highest-level terminal degree from an accredited institution in an appropriate field of specialization or equivalent qualifications based on professional experience and otherwise qualified to perform assigned duties.
• Must hold a current K–12 educator’s certificate in the field of Exceptional Student Education.
• Must reside in Florida.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrates knowledge of and experience conducting district and school needs assessments using the BPIE assessment instrument and process.
• Uses critical thinking skills to make decisions.
• Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in the decision-making process; makes timely decisions.
• Demonstrates a working knowledge and application of the 8-Step Problem-solving Process to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to maintain ongoing documentation of all project activities including weekly, monthly, and quarterly accountability based on project objectives, schedule of deliverables, a professional calendar, district, and school service plans.
• Expresses ideas and thoughts verbally and in written form; exhibits good listening and comprehension skills; keeps others adequately informed; selects and uses appropriate communication methods.
• Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; integrates changes smoothly; sets goals and objectives; works in an organized manner.

Schedule

This position requires 80% travel within the region served. Serving local educational agencies in Region 3: Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Putnam, Seminole, Sumter, Florida Virtual School, Odyssey Charter, UCP Charter and Volusia.