Special Education Specialist

The Special Education Specialist plays a vital role in designing and implementing high-quality educational programs tailored to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. This role focuses on developing individualized learning experiences, supporting educators in refining their teaching methods, and ensuring compliance with special education standards. The Specialist is also responsible for creating educational content for outreach, collaborating on event planning, and guiding the development of curriculum and behavior intervention plans. By working closely with multidisciplinary teams, parents, and the wider community, the Specialist helps ensure that every student’s academic, social, and emotional needs are met. In addition, the role involves content creation for educational materials, supporting internal and external communications to enhance community engagement and the visibility of programs.

**Key Responsibilities**:
1. **Program Development and Scheme of Work**
- Develop comprehensive **schemes of work **for all special education programs, ensuring alignment with the curriculum, learning objectives, and student needs.
- Collaborate with educators to ensure proper execution of the scheme of work through BIPs (Behavior Intervention Plans), MIPs (Movement Intervention Plans), and lesson plans.

2. **Vetting and Monitoring Plans**
- **Vet and Monitor**: Review and approve BIPs, MIPs, and lesson plans developed by educators, ensuring alignment with educational goals and best practices.
- **Classroom Observation**: Regularly observe classroom activities to ensure lessons are conducted according to the lesson plans and to identify areas where educators can improve.

3. **Mentorship and Educator Development**
- Provide continuous mentorship to educators, offering guidance, constructive feedback, and support to improve their teaching techniques and classroom management.
- Identify areas for improvement in educators’ performance and tailor mentoring sessions to address these gaps.
- **Teacher Training**: Conduct workshops and training sessions to upskill educators in effective teaching strategies, behavior management, and special education best practices.

4. **Support and Guidance on Student Issues**
- Act as a resource for educators when challenges arise with students, providing expert advice and strategies to manage behavior, improve engagement, or support learning.
- Facilitate meetings between educators and other specialists (therapists, counselors, etc.) to coordinate comprehensive student support.

5. **Content Vetting for Marketing and Communications**
- Vetting educational program materials, event-related content, and any marketing communications to ensure they align with the organization’s mission and standards
- Collaborate with the marketing team to promote key educational programs and initiatives.

6. **Internal and External Events**
- Play an active role in organizing and supporting internal and external events such as workshops, educational fairs, open houses, and community outreach programs.
- Represent the organization at events, delivering presentations and facilitating discussions on special education practices and the organization’s programs.
- Collaborate with the events team to ensure educational objectives are highlighted in public events and campaigns.

7. **Collaboration with Multidisciplinary Teams**
- Work closely with therapists, counselors, and other specialists to provide holistic support for students, ensuring that all educational and behavioral plans are aligned across teams.
- Communicate regularly with parents and caregivers to keep them informed of their child’s progress and collaborate on goal setting.

8. **Administrative and Compliance Tasks**
- Ensure all necessary documentation related to student progress, IEPs, and other special education services is completed accurately and on time.
- Oversee adherence to compliance with educational laws and regulations governing special education.
- Prepare reports and communicate updates on program performance to upper management.

9. **Data Collection and Program Evaluation**
- Collect and analyze data on student progress and program effectiveness to ensure continuous improvement of educational strategies.
- Make recommendations for program adjustments based on data-driven insights to meet student needs more effectively.
- Develop and maintain systems for tracking student performance in alignment with IEP objectives.

**Skills and Qualifications**:
**1. Educational Background**
- Diploma/Degree in Special Education, Educational Psychology, or a related field.
- Certification in special education, with additional credentials in areas like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), or other relevant fields preferred.

**2. Experience**
- At least 5 years of experience working in special education, with a strong background in developing and implementing IEPs.
- Proven ability to lead teams and