Location: School-based (1 or more locations)
Full Time Start Date: Immediate
About the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership:
While Massachusetts is consistently ranked as one of the top states for education results in the country, we have one of the highest and most persistent opportunity gaps. The Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership (SEZP) - established in 2015 as a collaboration between Springfield Public Schools (SPS), the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and the Springfield Education Association (SEA) – seeks to improve the longitudinal life outcomes of the more than 5,000 students in our 16 middle and high schools.
As a “zone” of schools within the city of Springfield, SEZP’s approach draws on a deep and embedded partnership with the school district and local teachers’ union, while harnessing the flexibility and innovation found in autonomous school models. As a result, each school within SEZP is accorded significant school-based autonomies - in curriculum, talent, calendar, schedule, and budget – while being held accountable for realizing achievement gains for historically marginalized students. In all of our work, SEZP is in pursuit of equity and anti-racism acknowledging the systemic oppression our students and families encounter daily and working to disrupt these provision gaps urgently and courageously.
Job Details
The Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership (SEZP) is committed to building anti-racist schools by ensuring the work of equity is fully inclusive of our students with disabilities and their families across all schools. Ensuring maximum equity and high expectations will drive change from within our schools by positioning leaders, special educators, MTSS teams, families, and students as experts, advocates, visionaries, and activists in anti-racism, equity, and empowerment. The SEZP calls upon skilled and passionate educators to support the development and evolution of systems, supports, oversight, and monitoring of Specialized Services.
- The SEZP ETL will be responsible to the Chief of Student Support and Services and building principals to insure federal and state compliance with special education regulations
- The SEZP ETL will coordinate and facilitate all aspects of M.G.L. 71B 603 CMR 28.00 (Special Education Regulations).
- The SEZP ETL will serve as an effective liaison with parents/families, building principals and staff and other offices and agencies within the community in order to facilitate effective specialized services to students.
- The SEZP ETL is responsible for the final version of all Individualized Educational Plans (IEPS) on their caseloads.
- SEZP ETLS will attend scheduled professional development sessions as designated by the SEZP Student Support & Services Senior Admin Team
- The SEZP ETL will coordinate transition planning from middle to high, HS to post HS - design and implement procedures to address regulations, facilitate development of student and parent programs.
- The SEZP ETL will coordinate the completion and submission of 688 referrals.
- The SEZP ETL will complete Summary of Performance forms for graduating high school students.
- The SEZP ETL will collaborate with the AP of Special Education to facilitate bi-weekly or monthly professional learning communities for special education teachers.
- The SEZP ETL will collaborate with the AP of Special Education to provide individualized coaching and support to teachers and paraprofessionals.
- The SEZP ETL will support the AP of Special Education with MCAS ALT implementation.
- The SEZP ETL will be responsible for maintaining a compliance log and all documentation related to the IEP process for assigned schools.
Position Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university required
- Certified as a Teacher for Students with Moderate Disabilites by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In lieu of special education certification, certification and/or licensure in another area may be considered.
- Professional study in such areas as special education, guidance, counseling and psychology
- Experience as an active anti-racist or advocate for equity preferred
- Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred
If you meet some of the qualifications above, we encourage you to apply or reach out for more information. We know that historically marginalized groups – including people of color, women, people from working class backgrounds, and people who identify as LGBTQ – are less likely to apply unless and until they meet every requirement for a job. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from educators with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.
We encourage you to reach out to Kisha Morgan at info@sezp.org if you have questions about the role or your qualifications. We are happy to help you feel ready to apply!
NONDISCRIMINATION EMPLOYMENT STATEMENT
The Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, sex characteristics, sex stereotypes and other sex-based conduct, genetic information, ancestry, age, disability or military service or marital status. The Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate in admission to, access or treatment in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, sex characteristics, sex stereotypes and other sex-based conduct, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation, disability or homelessness.
NOTICE OF SEX NONDISCRIMINATION
Springfield Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination, including sex-based harassment, in any education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and its regulations, including in admission and employment.
Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to the Springfield Public Schools’ Title IX Coordinator, titleix@springfieldpublicschools.com, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights at https://ocrcas.ed.gov/contact-ocr, or both.
The Springfield Public Schools Title IX Coordinator is Katie O’Sullivan, Senior Administrator of Human Resources, 1550 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103, 413-787-7100 ext. 55428, titleix@springfieldpublicschools.com.
Springfield Public School’s sex nondiscrimination policy and grievance procedures can be located on the Springfield Public Schools website, www.springfieldpublicschools.com/non-_discrimination
To report information about conduct that may constitute sex discrimination or make a complaint of sex discrimination under Title IX, please refer to titleix@springfieldpublicschools.com