Specialist, Early Childhood

Job Summary

Serves as a 12-month teacher to support schools and teachers. The VPK Specialist provides leadership, coordination, and technical expertise to ensure the effective implementation of the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Education Program across the district. This position serves as an instructional coach and mentor to school teams by providing job-embedded coaching, modeling, feedback, and professional learning to strengthen instructional practices and improve classroom quality.

Essential Functions

• Program Compliance and Accountability - Coordinates and monitors district VPK programs to ensure compliance with Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), Florida Early Learning, and district requirements, including teacher qualifications, instructional hours, class size, required documentation, provider contracts, and state accountability measures.
• Instructional Coaching and Classroom Support - Provides job-embedded coaching, modeling, feedback, and technical assistance to principals, teachers, and paraprofessionals to strengthen instructional practices, curriculum implementation, classroom management, and developmentally appropriate instruction that improves student outcomes.
• Assessment and Data Analysis - Oversees implementation of required assessments, including FAST progress monitoring, ensures assessment security and compliance, analyzes student achievement data, identifies instructional trends, and collaborates with schools to develop and monitor improvement plans.
• Professional Learning and Capacity Building - Designs, coordinates, and facilitates professional learning aligned with early childhood best practices, curriculum implementation, literacy development, assessment, and state initiatives to build educator capacity across the district.
• Program Planning, Collaboration, and Communication - Collaborates with district departments, school administrators, state agencies, and community partners to support program implementation, communicate legislative and policy updates, coordinate district initiatives, and respond to stakeholder inquiries.
• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement - Conducts classroom observations, program reviews, and site visits to monitor instructional quality, implementation fidelity, and compliance; prepares reports and recommendations to support continuous program improvement.
• Administrative and Operational Responsibilities - Maintains accurate records, prepares required reports, assists with budgeting, grant implementation, resource management, annual program planning, and performs other duties as assigned in support of district early childhood initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Experience: Five (5) years' successful teaching experience in the relevant content area.
• Certifications & Licenses: Current Florida Department of Education Certificate in relevant content area.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSAs)

• Extensive knowledge of Florida VPK statutes, State Board Rules, and Florida Department of Education accountability requirements.
• Thorough understanding of the Florida B.E.S.T. Standards for Early Learning and Development.
• Deep knowledge of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®), including CLASS 2.0, with demonstrated ability to accurately interpret observation data, coach teachers using CLASS dimensions, develop improvement strategies, and support continuous improvement of teacher-child interactions.
• Knowledge of evidence-based early childhood instructional practices, early literacy, language development, mathematics, science, and social-emotional learning.
• Knowledge of VPK FAST assessment administration, data interpretation, and instructional planning.
• Ability to analyze multiple sources of student, classroom, and program data to drive instructional and programmatic decision-making.
• Strong instructional coaching, mentoring, facilitation, and adult learning skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Canva, student information systems, educational data platforms, and other instructional technology applications.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, work independently, and establish collaborative relationships with school and district personnel.
• Ability to interpret educational legislation, policies, and regulations and translate them into effective guidance and implementation strategies for schools.