Quality Education Specialist

Job Function:

To promote community awareness of and support for equal access to high-quality early care and education opportunity for all children, specifically those with disabilities and special health care needs.

General Goals:

• To identify community needs and resources related to developmental screening and referral
• To identify community needs and resources related to the inclusion of children with disabilities and special health care needs.
• To promote community awareness of the need for and benefits of early detection, early intervention, and inclusion.
• To analyze the training needs of the community.
• To develop and implement strategies to meet identified training needs.
• To model best practices in early childhood inclusive education to early care and education programs and family childcare homes
• To coordinate with other agencies, organizations, and programs engaged in related activities and service provision.

Specific Responsibilities:

• To collaborate with early care and education partners using tools for ongoing self-reflection that identify strengths and needs around inclusive practices
• Use the Marathon office as a base and cover a minimum of 1 day a week to support the needs of clients
• Assists the Monroe Manager with special projects, including community outreach activities and events as needed
• To identify areas of strength and areas of need in assigned programs with the goal of improving the quality of services, instruction, and support for all young children and their families
• To build rapport with early care and education partners and the families they serve
• To recommend individualized accommodations/supports in high-quality settings that promote the academic and functional success of all children, specifically children with identified developmental delays or disabilities.
• To provide consultation and on-site technical assistance that strengthen inclusive environments through environmental program design, accommodations, adaptations, and quality enhancement.
• To respond to partners accessing the Warm Line and, to the extent that time and resources permit, provide on-site technical assistance when requested or as part of a service delivery model;
• To develop and facilitate professional development opportunities to early care and education partners and families on topics related to screening, assessment, intervention and resources and referral through a variety of mediums (i.e., face-to-face, virtual, etc.).
• To complete on-site observations of children and programs
• To develop individualized support for children with disabilities participating in local early learning programs
• To maintain records of all materials created and activities performed.
• To collaborate with Monroe providers to provide targeted coaching based on the unique and evolving needs of the program.
• Demonstrates the ability to manage multiple projects and deliver technical assistance and coaching to multiple providers
• Demonstrates ability to work effectively with adult learners, especially in the areas of training and application of motivational strategies.
• Conducts classrooms observations, informal assessments, and provides meaningful feedback to teachers and staff on interactions, curriculum instruction, lesson planning, classroom management, developmentally appropriate activities and daily routine.
• Displays knowledge of DCF Child Care Licensing Rules and Regulations for Monroe programs.
• Demonstrates content awareness of the NAEYC Code of Ethics, Florida Early Learning Standards, child development, curriculum, child assessment and working with families.
• Demonstrates leadership in the field through ongoing professional development and participation in workgroups and professional organizations at the community level and/or state level
• Ability to work independently and organize activities is essential to the position.
• Assists with eligibility screening and parent support for the School Readiness and Voluntary Pre-K program as needed.
• Performs related duties as required.

Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work under minimal supervision
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse populations in a culturally appropriate manner
• Ability to work independently and follow through on assigned tasks
• Excellent organizational skills to meet demanding timelines
• Ability to maintain all confidentiality requirements
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work with a diverse population
• Ability to work with staff, service agencies, and the public
• 50% or more travel will be required if needed
• Bi-lingual preferred

Qualifications (minimum):

Bachelor's degree in Education required

• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred
• Knowledge of child development and developmental milestones (birth to age 5)
• Experience working with children with disabilities and special health care needs in early care and education setting
• Ability to design developmentally appropriate classroom accommodations/adaptations, strategies, and activities for children with disabilities and special health care needs
• Experience working with learners of all ages and abilities

Relevant Training/ Credentials:

• Voluntary PreK Specialized Intervention Services (VPK-SIS)
• Autism Navigator
• Department of Children and Families 10-hour Special Needs Module
• Department of Education Grow to 5 series
• Virtual Learning Platforms (i.e., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Google Meet)

Relevant Knowledge and Experience:

• Knowledge of federal, state, and local laws and regulations pertinent to children with disabilities and special health care needs (i.e. Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, etc.) and the ability to communicate that knowledge to early care and education partners and community stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the Best Practices in Inclusive Early Childhood Education
• Knowledge of social and environmental barriers to inclusion and how to assist individuals, early care and education partners, and other entities in overcoming them.
• Knowledge of and ability to perform on-site observations in family childcare homes and early care and education programs
• Knowledge of Florida Performance Standards.
• Knowledge of other community agencies and organizations to maximize efforts and avoid duplicative services.
• Knowledge of relevant sources of information regarding inclusion and ability to interpret and communicate that information

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to Commute:

• Marathon, FL 33050 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Marathon, FL 33050: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person