EC Instructional Coach

Job Summary 

The EC Curriculum Leader is a hands-on instructional leader responsible for overseeing special education programs, ensuring curricula are aligned with NCDPI standards and school-wide expectations. This role focuses on driving high-quality, inclusive core instruction and improving student outcomes through evidence-based, high-leverage practices (HLPs). The leader models best practices, provides rigorous feedback, and ensures strict adherence to IEP compliance and IDEA regulations.

Key Responsibilities

Instructional Leadership and Modeling

• Hands-on Instruction: Model and teach each day to demonstrate best practices; maintain a daily model schedule and submit weekly schedules to supervisors.
• Evidence-Based Practices: Lead the transition from simple accommodations to meaningful, data-driven modifications and research-based strategies.
• Mentorship: Provide direct coaching and mentorship to teachers to improve instructional delivery and implement HLPs.

Coaching, Feedback, and Professional Development

• Observation and Feedback: Conduct weekly observation and feedback meetings driven by the instructional cycle and performance data.
• Actionable Goals: Assign specific action steps and weekly goals to teachers, ensuring they meet school-wide and performance targets.
• Documentation: Record all coaching actions including meeting scripts, informal observations, and reteach plans in Grow Level Data.
• PD Facilitation: Create and lead Department PDs and clinics based on identified trends in performance and weekly goal data.
• Leadership Training: Attend and successfully complete the "Want More? Do More." instructional leadership cohort training.

Data-Driven Decision Making and Compliance

• Data Meetings: Lead weekly data meetings by grade level and subject to analyze student performance and adjust instruction.
• Compliance Oversight: Ensure absolute adherence to state (NCDPI) and federal (IDEA) policies, specifically focusing on IEP compliance.
• Monitoring Progress: Use student performance data to plan, implement, and evaluate special education programs according to Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) standards.
• Weekly Huddles: Host a weekly huddle to review goals, showcase assessment data (power rankings), and share school-specific updates.

Collaboration and Strategic Planning

• Inclusive Practices: Facilitate active collaboration between special education and general education teachers to support inclusion and reduce unnecessary pull-out services.
• Vertical Alignment: Lead weekly department meetings to ensure vertical alignment and discuss data trends across the department.
• Co-Observations: Complete co-observations with school-level and district-level instructional leaders to ensure coaching consistency.
• Professional Goal Setting: Conduct quarterly check-in meetings with teachers to reflect on progress and create new professional goals.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Education or a related field; a Master’s level license in Special Education or School Administration is preferred.
• Licensure: Valid NC Continuing Teaching License; advanced (sixth-year) licensure in special education or school administration is often required for this level of leadership.
• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of teaching experience with proven instructional leadership skills and expertise in curriculum development.
• Competencies: Strong data analysis skills, proficiency in educational technology and data management systems (e.g., Whetstone), and excellent interpersonal communication