Evaluation Team Chairperson - Special Education 2024-2025

Worcester Public Schools - Worcester, MA

Worcester, MA

About the position

The Evaluation Team Chairperson is accountable for ensuring compliance standards are met for state and federal regulations that govern the rights of a student with a disability to ensure Free Appropriate Public Education [FAPE]. Responsibilities include the scheduling and facilitation of TEAM members to review and present comprehensive assessments necessary to determine eligibility which impacts the development of the student's Individualized Educational Program (IEP). Through the TEAM meeting process critical accountability measures must ensure that a student with a disability has access as well as receives specialized instruction services in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The Evaluation Team Chairperson represents the district as the designee of the Director of Special Education and is appointed to commit district resources while overseeing adherence to special education federal and state regulations which also includes compliance related matters.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrates keen understanding and implementation of IDEA, federal and state regulations that governs the rights of a student with a disability.
• Ensure guidance and technical assistance to Principals, Executive Directors and Coordinators to ensure compliance with federal and state mandates that promotes least restrictive placements and FAPE.
• Provide facilitation and support as a member of the school based team in the areas of prereferral, tiered interventions and eligibility determination process.
• Attendance at monthly scheduled ETC meetings and SPED Department meetings are mandatory given direct supervision and evaluation from Special Education Supervisor of Compliance.
• Responsible for working directly with school based evaluation and/or educational TEAM to ensure that students with disabilities who are eligible for specialized instruction are educated in the least restrictive environment.
• Maintain and monitor timelines throughout the IEP process by ensuring that the district maintains compliance in accordance with state and federal regulations.
• Guiding IEP TEAMs in the determination of eligibility for special education services by the identification of what a student will need in the area(s) of specialized services as required by state and federal regulations.
• Ensuring that students with disabilities have access to the general education curriculum in the Least Restrictive Environment.
• Review of student records to ensure compliance standards are met through the DESE Tiered Focus Monitoring process.
• Assisting schools in analyzing data to determine measurable goals and meaningful objectives as determined by the development of the student's individualized education program (IEP).
• Coordinating the facilitation of IEP meetings that promote parent engagement, participation and understanding of the eligibility process throughout the TEAM meeting process.
• Communicating with parents, school staff and community agencies to provide technical assistance and clarity regarding the IEP TEAM process.
• Collaborating and sharing knowledge of available resources with other Team members.
• Developing and overseeing the coordination of the IEP process which includes writing and entering the required documentation into SAGE-IEP and/or IEP Management System.
• Responsible for working with direct service providers/liaisons with the IEP process including sharing recommendations, completing assessments, and the documentation of student-specific goals and objectives in SAGE-IEP.
• Professional development training and technical support to district personnel including general and special education staff around the IEP TEAM process and best practices.
• Responsible for assuring equal educational opportunity to all individuals regardless of race, color, gender, age, marital status, religion, natural origin, sexual orientation, homelessness, or disability.
• Performance of other job-related duties as assigned by administration.

Requirements

• Certification as a Special Education Teacher or Related Service Provider.
• Master's Degree in Education.
• SEI Endorsement - Demonstrated experience with second language acquisition.
• Knowledge of the federal and state regulations that govern special education and the TEAM evaluation process including a strong understanding of language acquisition and determining language difference from language disorder.
• A minimum of five years of successful teaching experience.
• Excellent written and communication skills.
• Critical thinking given the ability to multi-task with exceptional organizational skills.

Nice-to-haves

• Advanced educational preparation in special education leadership.
• District knowledge of programs and service delivery options; including alternative, career and vocational technical programs and offerings within the district.
• Strong computer literacy skills.
• Teaching experience supporting students with disabilities and/or inclusion service delivery models.
• Administrative or supervisor experience, desirable.
• Ability to speak Spanish, Vietnamese, Albanian, Portuguese or an African language.

Benefits

• Appropriate step on Teachers' salary schedule, plus contractual stipend.