Educational Specialist II - Low Incidence Supports

About the role

The Educational Specialist for Low Incidence Supports provides instructional leadership, coaching, and technical assistance to school-based staff serving students with disabilities in specialized Citywide Programs, including Program for Autistic Learners (PAL), Life Skills, PRIDE (Emotional Disability), Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH), and Vision programs.

Essential Functions

• Plans, coordinates, and implements instructional, behavioral, communication, adaptive, and social-emotional supports to assist teachers, paraeducators, related service providers, and school-based staff in effectively serving students with disabilities in Citywide Programs.
• Provides regular site-based support, coaching, consultation, technical assistance, and direct in-class modeling through classroom visits, observations, feedback, collaborative problem-solving, and follow-up coaching to improve instructional and behavioral outcomes for students with disabilities.
• Develops individualized support plans and provides ongoing coaching to ensure the implementation of evidence-based instructional practices, structured teaching methodologies, behavior supports, communication systems, classroom management strategies, and specially designed instruction aligned to student needs.
• Designs, facilitates, and evaluates professional learning opportunities for teachers, paraeducators, administrators, and related service providers related to special education programming, instructional practices, behavior intervention, communication supports, structured teaching, inclusion, compliance requirements, and specialized instructional methodologies.
• Develops, disseminates, and maintains guidance documents, resources, implementation tools, and technical assistance materials to ensure consistent application of federal and state regulations, district policies, special education procedures, and program requirements across schools.
• Collaborates with the Coordinator of Citywide Programs, central office staff, school teams, and IEP teams to support the development, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of high-quality, standards-based IEPs and specially designed instruction that address academic, functional, behavioral, communication, and transition needs.
• Conducts classroom observations, instructional walkthroughs, program reviews, and site-based coaching visits to monitor implementation fidelity of specialized instructional models, provide actionable feedback, and support continuous improvement efforts.
• Reviews and analyzes student progress data, assessment results, IEP documentation, classroom performance measures, and program implementation data to support instructional decision-making, monitor student outcomes, and improve program effectiveness.
• Consults with administrators, teachers, IEP teams, paraeducators, and related service providers regarding curriculum access, accommodations, modifications, behavior intervention planning, inclusive practices, transition planning, assistive technology, and appropriate supports for students with disabilities.
• Serves as a liaison among schools, families, community agencies, the Nonpublic Schools Office, nonpublic schools, district departments, and other stakeholders to coordinate services, address concerns, facilitate communication, and support collaborative problem-solving to meet student needs.
• Serves as a resource for schools in implementing evidence-based practices and specialized programming for students with autism, intellectual disabilities, emotional disabilities, deaf/hard of hearing needs, vision impairments, and other low-incidence disabilities while promoting meaningful participation in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
• Supports staffing, program development, classroom readiness, implementation of district initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts; maintains required records, reports, and documentation; participates in district, school-based, family, and community meetings; and performs all responsibilities in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, district policies, professional standards, and nondiscrimination requirements.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in education or a related field from an accredited college or institution.
• Four years of teaching experience in the area of Special Education.
• Valid Maryland State Department of Education Advanced Professional Certificate.
• Knowledge of federal and state legislation and guidelines governing the education of students with disabilities.
• Knowledge of the Alternative Framework and Maryland School Assessment (ALT-MSA) process.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills that encourage effective teambuilding.
• Effective organization and leadership skills.
• Ability to prepare resource materials and provide guidance and professional development to teachers and school-based staff.
• Proficient in the knowledge and use of technical computer applications including Microsoft Office and Excel.

Benefits

This position is eligible for benefits. To review the available options please see the information relevant to the union for this position by viewing the following link: http://www.baltimorecityschools.org

Some examples of discrimination include acts of hate, violence, harassment, bullying, or retaliation. For more information, see Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners Policies JBA (Nondiscrimination - Students), JBB (Sex-Based Discrimination - Students), JICK (Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation of Students), ACA (Nondiscrimination - Employees and Third Parties), ACB (Sexual Harassment - Employees and Third Parties), ACD (ADA Reasonable Accommodations), and ADA (Equity), and the accompanying City Schools Administrative Regulations.

This position is affiliated with the Public School Administrators and Supervisors Association (PSASA) bargaining union. This position is affiliated with the State Retirement System.