Duties

APPLICATION LIMIT: This vacancy announcement is limited to the first 100 applications received and will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the day that we receive the 100th application, or at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date, whichever occurs first.
We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application.
As an Education Program Specialist, GS-1720-13, you will be responsible for:

• Responsible (as a member of a team) for the quality control of thousands of data files submitted by the States related to infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.
• Conduct critical data management functions that relate to the Department meeting the statutory requirements in Section 618 of IDEA.
• Provide ongoing critical technical, statistical, and significant data management support to Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Monitoring and State Improvement Planning Division's State Performance Plan/ Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR), Results Driven Accountability, and Differentiated Monitoring and Support (DMS) activities and processes.
• Develop data products to meet the needs of internal and external data users.
• Participate in data governance activities and processes at varying levels within the Department (i.e., at the RTP division level, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) office level, Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) office level, and Department level).
• Provide input into the development of discretionary grant priorities, policies, procedures, and guidance based on knowledge of theories, research, issues and practices for children with disabilities and their families to ensure they advance the use of evidence-based practices and are responsive to the needs of the field as it relates to special education and early intervention.
• Conduct critical data management functions that relate to the Department meeting the statutory requirements in Section 618 of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
• Handle complex features of the operational aspects of Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
  Services (OSERS) program, providing coordination, leadership, and technical assistance where necessary to other colleagues or representatives from other organizations.
• Contribute to improved accountability for Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) programs by overseeing the performance of assigned grants and/or contracts (e.g., reviews performance reports, products, and/or deliverables; provides feedback to enhance the quality, relevance, and usefulness of grantees/contractors’ products and services; and monitors and takes appropriate actions so that grantees achieve objectives; assists awardees in executing a corrective action plan to resolve problems) consistent with established procedures.
• Handle complex features of the operational aspects of Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) discretionary grants program, providing, with supervisory support, coordination, leadership, and technical assistance where necessary to other colleagues or representatives from other organizations.
• Administer programs and services for children with disabilities sufficient to plan, evaluate, and advise on funded educational Department of Education/Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)/Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) programs, their requirements and how they can address problem issues in the field.
• Represent the Division and delivers presentations in a variety of meetings and conferences and maintains effective relationships with professional organizations and education officials at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Make recommendations relating to data collection, data management, data analysis, data publication, and data use as it relates to special education, early childhood special education and early intervention data to support the delivery of special education instruction and services and early intervention services for children with disabilities.
• Actively engages in intra/interagency work to ensure infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families and IDEA services and programs are appropriately included within initiatives, priorities, policies, program budgets and guidance.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a US Citizen
• You may be subject to serve a one-year probationary period.
• Males 18 and over must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Relocation will not be paid.
• Must Complete a Background Investigation and Fingerprint check.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills, and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience.

Conditions of Employment

TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY:

• You may be eligible for occasional telework in which you are required to report to the office on a regular basis. Participation must be requested and approved by the supervisor and there must be a signed telework agreement. The number of telework days approved is determined by the agency policy, emergency situations, the approval of your immediate supervisor. You must have access to high speed internet and cell phone service meeting current Agency policy from the approved work location.

How You Will Be Evaluated

• Benefits

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

  As an ED employee, you will also benefit from our family-friendly work environment. As part of our commitment to maintain a productive balance between work and home, we offer excused leave for Parent/Teacher Conferences (3 hours); excused leave for annual health screenings (4 hours); and matching leave for community volunteer service. Other flexibilities that may be available to you include telework and alternative work schedules. You may be eligible to receive a recruitment incentive for this position. To receive this incentive payment, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon. You may be eligible to receive a relocation incentive for this position. To receive this incentive payment, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon. You may be eligible to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program as a recruitment incentive for this position. To receive student loan repayments, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon.

  Review our benefits

  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

  You must submit (REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS):
  A resume demonstrating your education, experience, training, and accomplishments as it relates to the qualifications for this position and substantiating your responses to the occupational questionnaire.
  Transcript: If you meet the qualification requirements based on education you must submit an unofficial transcript that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, major(s), grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts. This also applies to ED employees.
  If you are claiming Veteran's Preference, you must submit:
  A copy of your DD-214 that shows active service and character of discharge (Separated Members only); OR
  A certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days from the date of application (Current Active Duty Members only); AND/OR
  The Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) AND all documents indicated on the form as proof of type of preference; AND/OR
  Proof of Sole Survivorship Preference (e.g., certificate of death or 100% disability as a result of serving in the armed forces).
  Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the https://www2.ed.gov/about/jobs/open/edhires/ictap.html or https://www2.ed.gov/about/jobs/open/edhires/ctap.html for information on how to apply as a CTAP, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

• How to Apply

  Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov.
  Step 2: Create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Ensure that your resume demonstrates your education, experience, training, and accomplishments as it relates to the qualifications for this position and substantiates your responses to the occupational questionnaire.
  Step 3: Upload any required documents into your USAJOBS account (must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX)).
  Step 4: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire and attach any required documents. Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the agency's hiring system. You will have the opportunity to upload any additional required documents in the agency's hiring system. Click “Finish” to submit your application.
  NOTE: You may update your application or required documents at any time while the announcement is open by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking on "Application Status," clicking on the position title, clicking "Update Application,” and following the prompts.
  In order to receive consideration for this position, you must submit your complete application, including all required documents, by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If the vacancy announcement has an application limit, we recommend that you submit your complete application at the time of initial application. We will not accept any required documentation after the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
  If you have any questions regarding submitting your application, please contact the HR Specialist listed under the Agency Contact Information.

  Agency contact information

  La Shawn Charles

  Phone

  2022885690

  Email

  lashawn.charles@ed.gov

  Address

  EDUCATION-OFFICE OF SPECIAL ED & REHAB SERVICES
  400 Maryland Ave. S.W.
  Attn: Human Resources Services
  Washington, District of Columbia 20202
  United States

  Next steps

  As an applicant, you may check your application status through your USAJOBS account at any time. We will also notify you via email of your application status at three key stages in the recruitment process.
  1. Once the vacancy announcement closes, we will inform you that your application has been received.
  2. After we review your submitted resume and supporting documentation, we will inform you if you are eligible and qualified, if your application was referred to a subject matter expert or panel of subject matter experts for further evaluation, and if you were amongst the most highly qualified candidates referred to the selecting official.
  3. Finally, we will inform you of your final disposition for this announcement (e.g., if/when a selection is made, if/when the announcement is cancelled).

• Fair and Transparent

  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens If you are a current or former federal employee or are eligible under a special hiring authority (VEOA, Schedule A, etc.), you may be eligible to apply under the concurrently advertised merit promotion vacancy announcement: OSERS-2024-0010.