Special Education Advisor

Are you searching for an opportunity to serve students and families alongside other highly professional educators working in the field of Special Education? Achieve your goals as a Special Education Advisor with the Bureau of Special Education, Division of Monitoring and Improvement! This position serves eastern Pennsylvania counties Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Chester. With our team, you will be responsible for working with 31 local education agencies (LEAs), including eight cyber charter schools, and reviewing new charter school applications to help schools provide our state's students with a thorough and efficient education system. If you are well read on federal and state special education law, policy, procedures, and guidelines; have a passion for supporting schools in providing services to students with disabilities; and have strong analytical and writing skills, this position is for you!

In this role, you will serve as a single point of contact with your assigned intermediate unit(s) and member districts. Primary responsibilities involve managing a system for conducting cyclical monitoring of LEAs, investigating consumer complaints, and reviewing and approving intermediate unit and school district special education plans to ensure that a full range of services are being provided for students with disabilities. You will support assigned schools and districts by providing technical assistance, following up on inquiries, and presenting at training sessions and conferences as needed. Monitoring involves conducting visits; preparing monitoring reports; and negotiating, approving, and verifying Corrective Action Plans. Your investigations and follow up will include the development of Complaint Investigation Reports within established timelines, as well as follow up on Restraint Reports.

Our team will rely on you to utilize your current knowledge of education standards, laws, and best practices; make independent decisions that support the best interest of all learners in Pennsylvania; and collaborate effectively with other divisions, bureaus, departments, and agencies as required to respond to concerns regarding special education services. Take the next step in your career and make a lasting, positive impact on education in Pennsylvania with us!

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 60-minute lunch.
• Telework: This position is home headquartered. In order to be home headquartered, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania.
• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Five years of professional experience in special education including two years as an administrator of a special education program; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training, which includes two years as an administrator of a special education program.

Other Requirements:

• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

How to Apply:

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Veterans:

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. *7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.