Description
Position at IDEA Public Schools

At IDEA Public Schools, we believe in college for ALL and we are committed to ensuring that all our students graduate from college. IDEA Public Schools has grown from a small school to the fastest-growing network of tuition-free Pre-K-12 public charter schools in the United States sending 100% of our students to college. 50% of our students graduate from college in 6 years - that's 8 times the national rate for students in our communities!

 

IDEA was founded in 2000 as a single school with 150 students in the Rio Grande Valley. When interest exceeded building capacity, to meet the demands, IDEA's co-founders committed to serving more students in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and beyond. We now serve over 65,000 students across Texas and Louisiana. Be on the lookout for IDEA schools opening near you-with continued growth in our current regions and new launches in Tampa Bay, FL (2021), Jacksonville, FL (2022), and Cincinnati, OH (2022)!

 

When you choose to work at IDEA, you are part of our IDEA Team and Family. You will work alongside team members who set and reach ambitious goals every day, are excited to continue to grow with IDEA, and work relentlessly to make college for all a reality.

 

To learn more about IDEA, check out this   video .

Role Mission: IDEA Public Schools works to ensure the success of all students and to address any barriers which may impact students from achieving incredible academic and social outcomes.   Licensed Specialists of School Psychology, key members of the Special Programs team partner with regional instructional leaders, a portfolio of campus leaders, and teachers to maximize student outcomes.

The IDEA Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) demonstrates knowledge and skill in assessment, determining Special Education eligibility, academic and behavioral interventions, state and federal legal frameworks for Special Education, and ensures compliance with all facets of Special Education. LSSPs will help a portfolio of campuses support students and parents through problem solving interventions with students, who may be struggling both academically and behaviorally. In addition, LSSPs will provide direct student behavioral supports and track student progress towards IEP goals.

Accountabilities

1. The Licensed Specialist in School Psychology will demonstrate knowledge of and aid in the development, completion, and monitoring of ARD (Admission, Review, Dismissal)/IEP (Individualized Education Program) for Special Education Services as per State and Federal Guidelines.  

• Supports the special education teachers in developing appropriate IEP academic, behavioral, and social goals.
• Ensure IEP services are being provided as indicated in the ARD.
• Meet 100% compliance in Annual ARDs and ensure all paperwork is submitted in a timely manner.
• Works in conjunction with Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and other related and Instructional Service Personnel (VI, AI, APE, PT) to ensure completion of all ARD paperwork in a timely manner.
• Follows correct procedures for maintaining records and services.

2. The LSSP will plan and complete 100% of individual and group Special Education counseling services for all eligible students as well as intervene with all students in emotional or behavioral crisis on an emergency basis.

• Ensure all counseling services are tracked
• Complete counseling service notes per session
• Be trained in Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI)
• Conduct crisis counseling when necessary
• Guide the campus in interventions for students who are in emotional and behavioral crisis

3. The LSSP will support campuses in implementation of 504, Critical Student Intervention (CSI), and Response to Intervention (RTI).

• Critical Student Instruction groups are established and instruction is executed with fidelity at campuses
• Provide support to 504 campus coordinator with 504 meeting requirements, 504 eligibility determination, Homebound services, and Manifestation Determination.
• Conduct dyslexia evaluations for 504 students.
• Guide campuses in tracking and documenting academic and behavioral interventions in TIER I, TIER II, and TIER III.

4. The IDEA LSSP will evaluate students with different disabilities and demonstrate knowledge of eligibility criteria for Special Education as per state and federal guidelines.

• Conducts multidisciplinary evaluations Full and Individual Evaluations for all Non-Speech only students who are referred for 1 or more eligibility categories (out of 11 eligibility categories).
• Ensures psychological evaluations for Autism and Emotional Disturbance are conducted in accordance with National Association of School Psychologists best practice recommendations.
• Adhere to most up to date evaluation tools and standards as stipulated in the American Psychological Association Testing Standards
• Conducts evaluations as needed for student College Board accommodations
• Helps the campus conduct a Functional Behavioral Assessment.

5. The LSSP will support the campus RTI (Response to Intervention) coordinator in tracking and monitoring students in Response to Intervention for academic and behavioral concerns.

• Ensure that campuses are employing a problem solving model for students in TIERS II and TIERS III
• Guides the campus in how to track and document academic and behavioral interventions
• Aids the campus in completing Functional Behavioral Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans in Response to Intervention
• Provides guidance on academic and behavioral interventions in TIERS II and TIER III
• When necessary ensures that students referred to Special Education have participated in TIER II and TIER III interventions for an appropriate amount of time prior to referral for Special Education evaluations.

6.   Live values of IDEA

• Believes and is committed to our mission: that all students are capable of getting to and through college
• Is driven by outcomes and results, and wants to be held accountable for them
• Has a propensity for action, willing to make mistakes by doing in order to learn and improve quickly
• Thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment; is comfortable with ambiguity and change
• Seeks and responds well to feedback, which is shared often and freely across all levels of the organization
• Works through silos and forges strong cross-departmental relationships in order to achieve outcomes
• Embodies IDEA's core values  

 

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Provide program support to special education teachers

Competencies:

• Demonstrate competence in the psychological evaluation, diagnoses, and in the formal report of evaluation results of school-aged children.
• Demonstrate competence in developing and implementing prevention techniques and interventions, including a variety of approaches to counseling students and families.
• Demonstrate competence in collaboration, consultation, relationship building with a wide variety of individuals and organizations.
• Demonstrate knowledge, competence, and sensitivity in understanding, interacting, collaborating, evaluating, counseling, consulting, advising, and implementing interventions and programs with colleagues, students, and families from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities; with minority populations; and with students from special circumstances.
• Demonstrate competence in presenting himself or herself as a knowledgeable psychological service professional.
• Demonstrate competence in the skills related to successful functioning as a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology

Qualifications:

• Master's degree in psychology from accredited college or university
• Valid Texas license as a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology granted by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
• LSSP interns accepted

Knowledge and Skills:

• Knowledge of procedures for assessing achievement and intellectual, emotional, and behavioral functions for education purposes, including cross-battery evaluation practices
• Knowledge of prevention and intervention strategies, including behavior management interventions  
• Knowledge of psycho-social development
• Strong consultation skills for conferencing with teachers, parents, and students
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage multiple requests, deadlines, and priorities

Compensation:

IDEA employees enjoy generous paid time off and family leave benefits that enable personal and professional balance and flexibility. Salaries for people entering this role are commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications. This role is also eligible for a performance bonus   based on individual and organizational performance and goal attainment. For more information about our total rewards, visit our   benefits page .

IDEA Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability, in admission or access to, or treatment of employment in its programs and activities. Any person having inquiries concerning the organization's compliance with the regulations implementing Title VI of Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), or Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), may contact IDEA Human Resources at (956) 377-8000.