Classification: Certified                                                                                                    Location: District

Reports to: Director of Exceptional Programs/Building Principal                                 FLSA Status: Exempt

Bargaining Unit: Teacher (192 working days 6.5 hours per day)

Position Summary:

The IEP Specialist is primarily responsible for coordinating and assisting the special education teachers at their assigned school with all IEP caseloads. This includes scheduling meetings, attending meetings, gathering data, facilitating the completion of all FBA and BIP’s in their building. May fill in as the LEA at the IEP meetings, lead exceptional programs department meetings, and assigned caseloads. The IEP Specialist will review the IEPs for accuracy and completion. The IEP Specialist will also work with the diagnosticians and other ancillary staff servicing students with disabilities. The IEP Specialist will collaborate with the District IEP Coordinator and the Director of Exception Programs.

Supervision:

The specialist works with a high level of independence and professional discretion under the general supervision of the Director of Exceptional Programs and Building Principal. The specialist’s work is governed, controlled, and evaluated by acceptable professional practice, school and district policies and regulations, provisions of Taos Municipal Schools district policies and procedures, direction of the supervisor, and performance standards and expectations as set forth in the collective bargaining agreement.

Duties and Responsibilities listed may include, but are not limited to the following:

Assessments:

1. Collaborates with the IEP Coordinator in arranging for the initial IEP assessments after the IEP Coordinator has assigned the diagnostic team.
2. Assists Special Education Teachers in the development of an appropriate initial IEP to support students in the least restrictive environment.
3. Reviews assessment reports and analyzes student data as it relates to special education eligibility, goals, services, and support.
4. Supports the completion of Functional Assessments (FBA).
5. Serves as the Administrative Designee in initial IEP meetings.

IEP Compliance Meetings:

1. Attends and serves as the Administrative Designee to determine the continued eligibility of students enrolled in the special education program.
2. Reviews all IEP documentation for the meeting.
3. Provides feedback to managers regarding documentation.
4. Reviews the updated IEPs including notes and PWN.
5. Participates in the SAT process and views the SAT documentation with the SAT coordinator.
6. Assists Special Education Teachers in operating programs that support students in the least restrictive environment.
7. Assists assigned staff in the development of IEP instructional goals and objectives.
8. Assists assigned staff in the developing a Behavior Intervention Plan based on the FBA.
9. Assists assigned staff in identifying student eligibility in other related services.
10. Assists IEP teams in facilitating student placement in the special education program.
11. Conducts random semester IEP audits for assigned school.
12. Must have knowledge and understanding of laws and regulations governing the provision of special education services.

Staff Support:

1. Provides direct and indirect coaching to general and special education staff and parents.
2. Monitors new enrollment and assigns caseloads to Case Managers.
3. Conducts bi-weekly caseload checks with assigned teachers.
4. Tracks expiration dates for all IEPs and evaluations and ensures that all deadlines are met.
5. Monitors contact logs.
6. Reviews service logs to ensure that services are being provided.
7. Provides support to teachers and service providers using the IEP and Medicaid software.

Parent Support:

1. Assists the IEP Coordinator and Director of Exceptional Programs in providing training to parents.
2. Assists the IEP Coordinator and Director of Exceptional Programs in creating and distributing informational literature to parents.

Additional Duties:

1. Required to follow board policies and procedures and stay abreast of updates and changes.
2. Performs all other duties assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s and/or master’s degree
• Valid teaching certification in special education issued by NM PED
• Five (5) years of experience working in a special education classroom.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment with a demonstrated ability to shift responsibilities.
• Strong customer service orientation in approach to working with teachers, school administrators and families.
• Ability to effectively communicate with parents. Students. And staff verbally and in writing.

Physical and Environmental Requirements of the Position:

• The physical demand and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The employee must lift and/or move 25 to 50 pounds, and may assist, move, or restrain students with greater weight when required to intervene in student safety issues.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, lift, carry, move about, hear, and speak.
• Coordinators may require performing extensive work at a computer display terminal.
• While performing the duties of this job, the teacher may occasionally work in outside weather conditions and be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, temperature fluctuations, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals commonly used in instruction and/or cleaning. It may be expected that the individual could be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials during their duties. The Specialist may be exposed to infectious disease as carried by students.
• The teacher may be required to travel in school owned or leased vehicles while supervising and assisting students.

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American With Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.