Literacy Focused Edu. Spec.

The mission of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission is to build the best prepared, best qualified, and most ethical workforce in the nation. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission sets and enforces high standards for the preparation, certification, and continued licensing of Georgia public educators. The Educator Preparation Division is responsible for establishing and enforcing standards used to prepare teachers, educational leaders, and service personnel; reviewing and approving educator preparation providers and preparation programs whose students receive state certification; notifying the public about the approval of providers and programs; and notifying the public about the quality of providers and programs.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Education Specialists are part of a team of professionals that report to either the Director of Program Approval for Traditional Preparation or the Director of Program Approval for Non-Traditional Preparation and, ultimately, to the Assistant Director and Director of the Educator Preparation Division. Literacy Focused Education Specialists will plan and implement policies and procedures for ensuring compliance with all literacy-related legislation and GaPSC rules implemented in educator preparation programs at either traditional program providers (institutions of higher education) or non-traditional program providers (regional educational service agencies, local education agencies, and  other educator preparation providers).

Individuals in this role will:

·         Develop policies and procedures for Literacy Compliance Reviews of all GaPSC-approved educator preparation providers (EPPs) and programs and facilitate those reviews for each EPP every four years.

·         Develop and implement training, support, and calibration procedures for Literacy Focused Reviewers.

·         Develop review reports and analyze findings.

·         Prepare for and facilitate the process whereby the Literacy Compliance Review Reports will be reviewed and acted upon by GaPSC decision-making bodies, including the Commission.

·         Provide support for the implementation, periodic evaluation, and ongoing monitoring of Literacy Coaching Endorsements.

Additional responsibilities of Literacy Focused Education Specialists will include:

·         Facilitation of Approval Reviews of EPPs and preparation programs leading to educator certification, and continuous improvement of related policies and procedures.

·         Development and evaluation of standards for traditional and non-traditional preparation programs.

·         Research and development of new programs and education initiatives for the Division.

·         Facilitation of policy development task forces or ad hoc committees.

·         Development of guidance and other technical assistance resources for EPPs.

·         Development and facilitation of technical assistance workshops, trainings, and other initiatives designed to promote and maintain awareness of standards, policies, and procedures among all stakeholders.

Although there are occasions when individuals in this role may be required or choose to work in the office in downtown Atlanta, currently the job is mostly remote with required periodic meetings in the office (currently a minimum of quarterly but subject to change). This job involves infrequent travel, including both day trips and overnight stays. The successful candidate for this position must reside in the state of Georgia, preferably in the Atlanta metropolitan area, and pass a criminal background check. Note that driving on business requires a successful motor vehicle check.

Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit along with the application and resume/CV, a cover letter expressing their interest in the work and highlighting skills that qualify them for the role.

STATE ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS:

High school diploma/GED and one (1) year of experience required at the lower-level Program Consultant 2 (GSP091) or any other combination of education and professional experience that provides the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the job.

AGENCY SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS:

·         A minimum of a master’s degree in education.

·         A minimum of five years of P-12 classroom teaching experience.

·         Experience in adult learning with post-secondary teaching experience.

·         Experience in the development, implementation, and assessment of professional learning or teacher education programs.

·         Knowledge of current laws (to include Georgia literacy requirements), issues, and trends related to educator preparation, recruitment, and retention.

·         Competency in collaboration and leadership, as demonstrated by the ability to work cooperatively with internal and external customers (e.g., state agencies, universities, RESAs, and local school systems) to achieve common goals.

·         Competency in reasoning as demonstrated by:

o    Ability to understand complex systems through knowledge, insight, and systematic analysis;

o    Ability to apply complicated sequences of rules to discern patterns, trends, and relationships and draw conclusions;

o    Ability to recognize relationships among multiple, parallel sequences of information or events; and

o    Ability to systematically analyze multifaceted problems and design effective solutions.

·         Competency in oral and written communication as demonstrated by:

o    Ability to generate compelling written documents using correct grammar and spelling, vocabulary appropriate to the audience, and writing style appropriate to the nature of the communication;

o    Ability to speak in a compelling manner with correct grammar, word usage, tone, and inflection; and

o    Ability to read, interpret, and apply advanced written materials for practical business purposes (e.g., laws, regulations and policies).

·         Proficient use of MS Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and other presentation software; and at a minimum, familiarity with the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

·         A Doctoral degree in Education (PhD or EdD), preferably with a prior degree or background in Elementary Education with a specialization in Reading/Literacy.

·         Recent P-12 classroom teaching experience (within the last eight to ten years) and particularly in a setting involving the teaching of evidence-based/structured literacy.

·         Dyslexia Endorsement.

·         Knowledge of reading and dyslexia screening tools.

·         Coaching Endorsement.

·         Knowledge of state and national teacher preparation content standards as measured by the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators™ (GACE™).

·         Knowledge of the Georgia Code of Ethics for Educators.

·         Successful telework/remote work experience.

·         Telework-ready home environment (furniture, privacy, high-speed Internet connection, reliable WiFi).