Executive Director of Inclusion

REPORTS TO : Chief of Office of Specialized Services or designee

Description

Boston Public Schools is the largest urban school district in New England and has launched an ambitious district-wide inclusive education initiative that will provide strategic support and resources that promote access to inclusive learning opportunities for students with disabilities throughout the district.

The Office of Specialized Services (OSS) is committed to working collaboratively with school leaders, educators, students and families to ensure interventions for students with disabilities are evidenced based strategies that maximize services to accelerate the best education experiences.

The Executive Director will lead this initiative to promote excellent and equitable rigorous learning environments for students with disabilities in every school and classroom in the city.

The Executive Director for Inclusion will analyze data and coordinate targeted professional development for school leaders and regional superintendents to expand inclusive practices within all schools across the district.

The key focus of this role will ensure coherence of this work alongside district and department leadership teams given ongoing support from various stakeholders and inclusion coaches.

OSS Inclusion coaches will be assigned by regions to work directly with a caseload of schools given targeted goals and initiatives which are implemented through priority areas of each schools Inclusive Planning Team (IPT) and Quality School Plan (QSP) that embeds outcome targets that promote access and equity.

Oversight and evaluation of the inclusion coaches will also be a key responsibility of this position driven by district goals and each school’s Quality School Plan (QSP) with an emphasis to leverage the following key priorities areas :

Duties and Responsibilities

Vision

• Refine vision for this inclusive education initiative in schools across the district and provide coaching and technical assistance of inclusive practices within schools over a three year period
• Work with the team of inclusion coaches to develop processes to support schools in defining their visions of inclusion
• Alignment of resources that promotes and shifts mindsets of inclusivity given high expectations
• Deepen understanding in collaboration with OSS Assistant Directors of state and federal mandates i.e., LRE, FAPE and IDEA to provide technical assistance to the legal aspects of inclusion

Coaching

• Design and develop a needs assessment with the coaches to implement with school leaders and staff to understand specific models of coaching and support that is necessary in order to support schools
• Develop and supervise coaching sessions with school staff to follow-up on professional development so that there is a documented improvement of practices which could include modeling best practices
• Support coaches in developing short and long term strategies for classrooms and schools that are working on improving inclusive strategies instructional, behavioral, and social
• Manage and supervise OSS Inclusion Coaches who are assigned to support and provide assistance to schools within each regions given targeted professional development and coaching to promote coherence of operational systemic and structural change
• Collaborate with the Inclusion Coaches to develop inclusive professional development for schools
• Working collaboratively, design and deliver professional learning experiences for school leaders, teachers and paraprofessionals based upon an understanding of the areas of support needed in each school
• Engage in professional development with regard to MTSS, Universal Design for Learning and collaboratively determine the best practices of evidenced based practices that fosters principles of UDL content to all schools

Structural Change

• Collaborate with coaches and school leaders to look for and document patterns across schools to generate effective inclusion models and sustainable funding and enrollment structures
• Work with the coaches, school leaders and School Site Councils to understand the different models to address a continuum of Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Practices (CLSP) within our school communities
• Collaborate with coaches, school leaders and staff to determine how to implement their vision and model through the budget process, culminating in Probable Organization meetings

Strategy for Implementation

• Create playbook for ongoing implementation in future years
• Facilitate alignment of coherence amongst central office departments and schools to ensure accountability and resources that accelerate specially designed instruction and high leverage practices
• Assist in the management of assisting schools during the budget process;
• Recruit and manage selection process for schools in each cycle
• Manage a number of projects within a large bureaucracy, working with senior leadership
• Perform other tasks as requested by the Chief of Specialized Services, Chief of OMME, Deputy Superintendent of Academics and Equity, Family and Community Advancement and OSS Deputy Chiefs in needed areas.

Qualifications - Required :

• Three plus years of experience as a principal and / or a school leader
• Knowledge of successful inclusive learning models and practices that promotes access and learning opportunities in a least learning environment
• Supervisor and evaluation skills to capitalize on effective teaching and learning strategies to engage diverse learners
• Experience running professional development for teachers, paras and support staff
• Understanding of the equity issues facing special education and english language learners with disabilities in a large urban school district
• Experience leading change to successfully transitioned a school to a more inclusive design

Qualifications - Preferred :

• Masters in Education.
• Experience as a school leader in Boston Public Schools
• Five years teaching experience with an emphasis on diverse and english language learners

TERMS : Managerial, E81.

This position involves steady extra time with many deadlines. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Please refer to (under "Employee Benefits and Policies") for more information on salary and compensation. Salaries are listed by Unions and Grade / Step.

The Boston Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, criminal record (inquiries only), disability, homelessness, sex / gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals’ dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.