Description

APPLICANTS MAY BE EDUCATIONAL OFFICERS, TEACHERS AND OTHER QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS

Examples of Duties

Under the general supervision of the Educational Specialist III of the Monitoring and Compliance Branch, the Educational Specialist II:
1. Provides oversight of formal IDEA state written complaints including, but not limited to, reviewing special education complaints; communicating with parents, complex areas and schools; conducting investigations; developing corrective action plans; reviewing policies, procedures, and practices of the complex areas and schools; and submitting investigative reports to the ES III for review prior to dissemination.
2. Provides oversight of special education inquiries/concerns/informal complaints including, but not limited to, reviewing such incidents (via phone, email, fax, etc.) and communicating with parents, complex areas, and schools regarding those complaints.
Provides oversight for verifying implementation of decisions and corrective actions resulting from due process hearings, state written complaints, mediation, or settlement agreements.
3. Provides leadership in the development, refinement and implementation of rules, guidelines, procedures, and reports related to monitoring and oversight in special education, and disseminates resources.
Conducts training and professional development activities to complex area and school staff related to IDEA compliance and dispute resolution.
4. Supports the preparation of the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report report, including developing and conducting presentations to internal and external stakeholders.
5. Maintains a database with a log of written complaints, mediation, and due process hearings and collects and analyzes the data from dispute resolution for federal reporting as well as for programmatic purposes. Researches, develops, and creates memoranda, reports, and presentations materials related to compliance and dispute resolution.
6. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master’s degree in education with specialization in a subject field appropriate to the area(s) of assignment.
Desired Education: Master’s degree in special education or law degree specializing in special education law.
Education Equivalence: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree or law degree plus three (3) additional years of relevant experience in a field appropriate to the area of assignment.
Experience: Six (6) years of responsible professional work experience in education of which four (4) years shall have been in teaching and two (2) years in curriculum or program planning, as appropriate.
Desired Experience:Expertise and experience in dispute resolution in special education, general education or postsecondary education. Experience at the school, complex area, or state level in supervising/monitoring for compliance with federal and state regulations.
Combined Education and Experience:An equivalent combination of education and experience may be acceptable as determined by the Department. Substitutions can be considered for the requirement of experience in an education program, agency, or system.
Knowledge: Foundations of curriculum and instruction; instructional media and computers; foundations of American education; tests and measurements; principles of learning and individual differences; curriculum design and development; educational statistics; purposes, methods, subject matter and materials pertinent to the area(s) of assignment; research developments, trends and current issues or problems pertinent to the area(s) of assignment; laws, rules, regulations and administrative procedures pertinent to the area(s) of assignment.
Desired Knowledge:Experience in evaluation, compliance monitoring, conducting and developing investigative reports for IDEA state written complaints, or related experience within or affiliated with an organization serving school-aged children with disabilities.
Ability to: Provide leadership, planning and coordination in the area(s) of assignment; develop, analyze and evaluate plans, programs and procedures; communicate effectively with others both orally and in writing; operate computer and other business machines; use tools, equipment, instruments or devices appropriate to the area(s) of assignment; maintain awareness of developments in curriculum or program areas.
Desired Ability to: Develop and implement training plans; adapt training principles to the learning situation; conduct in-service training applicable to special education and related services topics; cope effectively with crisis situations and proactively problem-solve challenges; coordinate and collaborate with school, complex area level staff; organize and prioritize work assignments.

Supplemental Information

Equal Opportunity

The Hawaii State Department of Education does not discriminate in its educational policies, programs, and activities on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991. The Department does not discriminate in its employment policies, programs, and activities on the basis of sexual orientation, arrest and court record, and National Guard participation, as well as on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability, in accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991, Equal Pay Act of 1963, and Chapter 378, Part I, Hawaii Revised Statutes.