Program Specialist - PES
Muscogee County School District
Columbus, GA, USA
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| POSITION TITLE: | Program Specialist | FLSA: | Exempt |
| SALARY: | Teacher Salary Schedule | WORK DAYS: | 190 |
| LOCATION: | Program for Exceptional Students/MCPEC | REPORTS TO: | School Administrator, Program for Exceptional Students Program Manager, and Regional Chief Officer, PreK-12 Education |
PRIMARY FUNCTION: The job of Program Specialist was designed for the purpose of addressing the duties and responsibilities that a large special education population creates within a school or group of schools. The role of the Program Specialist is to be an educational leader and advocate for students with disabilities within the school setting. He/she will actively support the assigned school(s) to ensure that a strong commitment to improving academic and social achievement of students with disabilities is evident. The Program Specialist collaborates with appropriate individuals so that the educational needs of students with disabilities are appropriately addressed and in compliance with district/division procedures as well as applicable federal and state laws.
| REQUIREMENTS: |
|
| 1. Educational Level: | Bachelor’s degree from an accredited educational institution is required. |
| 2. Certification/License: | Georgia certification in Exceptional Student Education; valid driver’s license. |
| 3. Experience: | Three years of successful teaching experience in the area of Exceptional Student Education. |
| 4. Physical Activities: | Routine physical activities that are required to fulfill job responsibilities |
| 5. Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities: | Excellent written and oral communication skills; Organizational skills, Basic Math |
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
- Demonstrates prompt and regular attendance
- School-Based Program Specialist should be present at their assigned school at least one day a week.
- Assists the lead special education teacher with coordinating a school-wide PES calendar at each assigned school.
- Compiles and shares biweekly data to include discipline behavioral data for SWDs.
- Attend the following meetings at the assigned schools:
- Initial / Re-eligibility
- Middle/High school Reevaluation Data Reviews (RDRs)
- Manifestation Determination Review (MDR)
- High-priority meetings as deemed appropriate by the Executive Director
- Attends and facilitates monthly PES department meetings at your assigned school location and provides targeted training based on the PES department's Compliance needs
- Assign incoming students to the appropriate case manager, ensure incoming documents are uploaded to Go-IEP, and ensure incoming students have consent for services
- Transportation liaison between the school and district coordinator for securing specialized transportation for Students with disabilities.
- Compiles district and state forms to include FTE, State Reporting, CPI, etc, for the purpose of meeting budgetary, staffing, and all state and federal reporting guidelines for SWDs.
- Reviews Student Information System for accuracy of data for all district, state, and federal reporting for the purpose of legal compliance.
- Monitor IEPs on a regular basis to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance to include the Present level of performance, IEP goals, transition plans and Progress Monitoring.
- Support schools in ensuring that students with disabilities receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) to maintain legal compliance
- Effectively communicate division procedures and best practices to site administration through monthly check-ins with the school's administration to review the school's compliance in the area of Students With Disabilities (SWDs).
- Communicate to schools with a bi-weekly dashboard review to include Overdue items SWD Discipline data, and Special Education staffing
- Attend weekly department meetings with the Program for Exceptional Students
- Support/train special education teachers in using the district's electronic IEP system for the purpose of ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.
- Monitoring and supporting the special education case manager in ensuring that all required information is available to make data-driven decisions.
- Performs other related duties, as assigned, for the purpose of ensuring the efficient, effective functioning of the work unit.
The Muscogee County School District provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age (40 or older), sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.