EDUCATION SPECIALIST

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

Created in 2009, the Norris and Dorothy Haring Center for Research and Training in Inclusive Education grew out of 40 years of groundbreaking work in special education at the Experimental Education Unit. At the Haring Center, families, researchers, and students work closely on their shared mission of providing high quality inclusive early learning services for children with and without disabilities, for children of many social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and for their families. The Haring Center is proud to be a leader in developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating strategies to help children of all abilities and backgrounds succeed, all teachers to be effective, and all caregivers feel confident and competent. The Haring Center’s commitment to inclusion leads us to invest in recruiting colleagues who demonstrate experience with, knowledge of, and sensitivity to the needs of culturally diverse and oppressed populations.

The Haring Center (HC) conducts research, service and training that continually advance inclusive education. The Professional Development and Training (PDU) team within the Haring Center advances best practices in inclusive education by working with the current and next generation of professionals in special education, early learning, administration, applied behavior analysis, and related disciplines, providing hands-on experience and expert coaching in any educational context with an emphasis on how to build more inclusive settings. The Professional Development and Training team offers a variety of services, such as consultation, coaching, on-site training, workshops, supervision to graduate students in applied behavior analysis, and customized professional development.

The Haring Center has an outstanding opportunity for THREE Education Specialists. 

Reporting to the Senior Director of the PDU, the Education Specialist will work as part of a dynamic team to implement a variety of professional development activities in the area of inclusive education. This position will provide training, coaching, and consultation to teachers, coaches, leaders and other professionals in early learning and primary education. The Education Specialist will work with a wide variety of organizations and institutions, collaborating with a diverse group of teachers and service providers, coaches and leaders.
Additionally, this position will develop, design and facilitate professional development activities and curricular materials. Successful candidates will have a demonstrated commitment to work with communities and students holding a range of worldviews. The Education Specialist continuously reviews current research and pertinent literature and completes continuing education.

• There are THREE positions available, with flexible FTEs of 50%, 60% and 100%, depending on employee availability.
• These are a 10.5 month positions from August 16 through June 30 each year, with possible summer work depending on funding and employee availability.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Partner Relationship Management:

• Build strong relationships with Partners by acting a trusted advisor.
• Proactively maintain regular communication with Partners.
• Work with Partners to identify support approach, scope of work and proposals (with support from the HC team) based on Partner’s goals, using the Inclusion Framework and evidence based best practices.

Team Lead responsibilities as assigned:

• Collaborate with the Partner and PD Team and to create Professional Development Plan, including scope, goals, communication cadence and metrics of the professional development to be delivered to Partners.
• Build relationships with Partners and the Haring Center Professional Development Team.
• Maintain frequent contact with Partner and PD Team to ensure the Professional Development Plan is being followed, progress is being made and adjustments are made if needed.
• Monitor on-going fidelity and quality of the professional development provided on contracts (Fidelity: did we do what we said we were going to do; Quality: was the Partner satisfied and did we make progress on our goals).
• Review monthly contract hours and deliverable metrics from PDU Operations Manager.
• Provide Project Close-out report with a summary based on: progress on goals, recommendations for future professional development, feedback received from Partner.

Contract delivery:

• Build relationships with teachers and staff to provide on-site coaching, training, and technical assistance on evidence-based practices based on the PD Plan.
• Develop goals and action plans for individual teachers as outlined in the contract and PD Plan.
• Collect data, develop and support implementation of behavior support plans.
• Coordinate scheduling trainings, site visits, and meetings with partners.
• Work with HC PD Team and Partner to monitor PD plan and adjustments.
• Provide deliverables based on contract requirements and post-visit documentation.

Non-contract responsibilities:

• Develop and/or deliver trainings sponsored by the Haring Center.
• Attend Haring Center Professional Development and Training Team meetings as required.
• Provide documentation based on professional development and HC expectations.
• Follow all HC PD Team policies and procedures for billing and project reviews.
• Support the creation, development and implementation of PDU processes, roles and responsibilities definition and organizational structure changes as needed.

Other duties as assigned

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Master’s degree in special education or related field, to include a minimum of 3 years working with children in a group setting.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Experience as education coach, consultant, mentor and trainer.
• Experience in early intervention or special education.
• Experience managing a team in an educational setting.
• Experience in working with educational leadership.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE

• Demonstrated ability to work across diverse groups and contribute to an inclusive community.
• Commitment to solving problems through a reflective lens and with respect to differences and equitable solutions.
• Seek feedback and utilize suggestions to improve performance.

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Workforce Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.