Job Description
Job Title: Special Education Instructional Coach
Reports To: Director of Learning Supports
FLSA Status: Exempt
Prepared Date: 5/1/2015
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Special Education Instructional Coach will facilitate implementation of high quality programs and services for students with disabilities. This includes professional development in daily practice for continuous improvement of instruction and intervention. Overall, the job of the coach is to build the capacity of the school and its teachers to meet the learning and behavioral needs of all students with disabilities. The coach's goal is to ensure that school staff acquires the understanding and skills to enhance instructional practices at the classroom level and raise the level of student achievement.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:
Adheres to Board policies, district procedures, and contractual obligations.
Demonstrates professional and instructional leadership, models professional and ethical behavior, and maintains professional confidentiality.
Provides leadership for teachers by planning, collaborating, mentoring and facilitating change to improve specially designed instruction.
Assists principals in understanding, recognizing, and implementing effective programs for students with disabilities.
Assists in planning and implementation of district-based professional development. Collaborates with principals and teacher leaders to assist in planning and implementation of building-level professional development to support building-level goals and needs to support students with disabilities.
Assists special education teachers and para-educators through job-embedded professional development by identifying research-based interventions, demonstrating strategies and lessons, introducing materials, programs, and ideas, modeling effective teaching and intervention strategies, coaching, and assisting with individual and/or team planning and problem-solving.
Collaborates with teachers to understand the Iowa Core Curriculum in relationship to intensive instruction/intervention for students with IEPs and to differentiate courses, units, lessons, and assessments to meet individual student needs and to provide high quality, rigorous academic instruction for students with disabilities.
Develops and sustains trusting, productive relationships with teachers, administrators, para-educators, AEA staff, and other colleagues individually and in teams.
Assists teachers in identifying, acquiring, and organizing resources to support student achievement and to meet individual student needs.
Assists teachers in the collection, analysis, and use of varied data to identify student needs, to plan instruction and interventions to address the needs, to assess student progress toward expected outcomes, and to make instructional decisions based on this data.
Conducts peer observations and feedback in a non-evaluative role.
Collaborates with other special education coaches and general education consulting teachers to maximize resources.
Conveys enthusiasm about learning, models and supports the belief that all students can succeed, and fosters excellence in teaching and learning.
Completes other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, education and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
COMPETENCIES
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies as defined and approved by the Iowa Department of Education.
- Demonstrates ability to enhance academic performance and support for implementation of the Sioux City School District’s student achievement goals.
- Demonstrates competence in content knowledge appropriate to the teaching position.
- Demonstrates competence in planning and preparing for instruction.
- Uses strategies to deliver instruction that meets the multiple learning needs of students.
- Uses a variety of methods to monitor student learning.
- Demonstrates competence in classroom and resource management.
- Engages in professional growth.
- Fulfills professional responsibilities established by the school district.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Minimum qualifications include a valid Iowa teaching certificate with an endorsement in special education from an accredited college or university with a major in education or an appropriate content area, and a minimum of three years teaching experience. Must possess proper state certification and licensure for position. Employee is expected to demonstrate continued professional growth.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
The Special Education Instructional Coach retains the regular teaching contract issued in accordance with Iowa Code Chapter 279.
EVALUATION
Job performance will be evaluated according to the terms defined in the negotiated agreement.
KNOWLEDGE and EXPERIENCE in SPECIAL EDUCATION
Evidence of professional learning and implementation of best practice strategies and programs in special education. Evidence of student success through specially designed instruction and behavioral intervention. Familiarity with Iowa Core Curriculum and instructional strategies. Graduate work in special education preferred.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Strong written and verbal communication skills are critical to the success of this position. Must possess the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with a variety of individuals, including school staff, administrators, AEA staff, parents, and outside agency staff. Individual must have effective listening skills.
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP SKILLS
Promotes the District and special education programs through positive support, modeling, and conversations. The Special Education Instructional Coach will be a collaborative team member that speaks positively and in a supportive way about education, teaching, learning, and the District.
COACHING, PROBLEM-SOLVING, & FACILITATION SKILLS
Must be an effective coach and facilitator in a variety of situations. Position requires the ability to support educators and teams in enhancing skills and program planning for students with disabilities and at times when staff and parents may be dealing with intensive, challenging behavior. Position requires the ability to model, observe, and provide feedback in a non-evaluative way.
ANALYTICAL and REASONING SKILLS
Must have skills in observing, gathering, and analyzing data. Position requires assisting educators in data gathering and analysis to develop educational plans.
PLANNING SKILLS
Must have the ability to plan both long-term and short-term goals and for coordinating efforts for timely accomplishment of those goals.
INITIATIVE and SELF-DIRECTION SKILLS
Must have the ability to show initiative working independently and with groups and the ability to be self-directed. Position requires determining how to prioritize, allocate, and schedule time daily and weekly to address coaching and student needs across the district.
ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS
Position requires strong organizational skills. Must have the ability to organize and assimilate information, diagnostic data, scheduling, and other needs related to special education programming and individual student planning.
ATTENDANCE
Excellent attendance record is required.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
Normal office physical demands. May be required to lift up to 50 pounds infrequently. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Generally employee works inside.
OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED
Will perform other duties as may be assigned by the superintendent or designee, necessary and appropriate to achievement of the program and/or District goals and objectives