Behavior Specialist

TITLE: Behavior Specialist

DEPARTMENT: School Support

REPORTS TO: Director of Student Services

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES: The Behavior Specialist serves as a professional learning facilitator, focused on staff implementation of effective and consistent behavior and social-emotional supports. This role provides professional learning and job-embedded coaching for teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school staff. Key responsibilities include delivering training on classroom management, de-escalation strategies, trauma-informed practices, and positive behavior supports; modeling effective strategies in authentic classroom settings; and offering actionable feedback to support reflection and continuous improvement. Ongoing coaching promotes fidelity and consistency of implementation across settings, ultimately improving outcomes for students.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES: (essential functions)

• Support functional behavior assessments (FBAs) and support staff in learning to identify root causes of behavior.

• Support the development, implementation, and progress monitoring of Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs).

• Use data to support school staff in adjusting interventions and measuring student progress.

• Partner with teachers, administrators, and support staff to implement consistent behavior supports.

• Build staff capacity to support students’ behavioral and social-emotional needs.

• Model and teach appropriate replacement behaviors and coping strategies

• Provide coaching and modeling of classroom management strategies

• Teach others to track and analyze behavioral data (frequency, duration, intensity)

• Support accurate documentation and progress-monitoring records.

• Use data to inform decision-making and share outcomes with teams

• Support de-escalation of student behaviors using approved strategies

• Respond to behavioral crises in a safe and professional manner.

• Help develop and implement safety and behavior response plans

• Stay current on best practices in behavior intervention and social-emotional learning

• Support compliance with district, state, and federal regulations

• Participate in ongoing professional development

• Support implementation of schoolwide behavior systems.

• Contribute to a positive, safe, and inclusive school climate

• Support staff in maintaining consistent expectations across settings

• Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Ability to travel to multiple work locations, as assigned.

• Proficiency with computers and applicable software.

• Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret behavioral and program data.

• Knowledge of Arizona state law and district policies and procedures.

• Knowledge of human growth and development.

• Knowledge of effective behavior supports discipline practices.

• Ability to effectively communicate and work with staff, families, and the community.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands 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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and color vision. The employee must be able to lift, move and carry up to 40 pounds.

REQUIRED LICENSE/CERTIFICATION:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, psychology, behavioral science, or related field

• Experience working with elementary-aged students with behavioral needs

• Knowledge of PBIS, MTSS, and trauma-informed practices

PREFERRED:

• Master’s degree in a related field

• Experience conducting FBAs and designing BIPs

• Behavior intervention training

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: Ten months. Salary and work year to be established by the Board (Certified Staff Placement Schedule). Telecommute eligibility established by the Governing Board in accordance to Policies GCC & GDD.

EVALUATION: Performance of this job will be evaluated annually in accordance with the provisions of the Board’s policy on evaluation.