Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree necessary; master degree or higher preferred
• Knowledge of a range of PK-12 instructional frameworks and curriculum, as well as a range of Special Education program models

• California Teaching Credential or equivalent (Mild to Moderate Support Needs (MMSN) or Extensive Support Needs (ESN))
• At least five (5) years of special education experience in a public-school setting
• Minimum of four (4) years of inclusion teaching experience; Special Day Class (SDC) setting experience preferred.
• Experience creating or working with alternative curriculums

• Experience or commitment working on a team as well as across teams
• Ability to demonstrate leadership and project management skills
• Ability to work with students and staff to motivate positively

Special Education Alternate Curriculum Specialist

The Organization

Camino Nuevo Charter Academy (CNCA) is a network of charter schools serving students across the PK-Post Secondary continuum in the Greater MacArthur Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.  Pueblo Nuevo Education Development Group (PNEDG) is CNCA’s resource development and capacity building arm.   PNEDG invests in young people to foster personal transformation and generational social change.  PNEDG staff support and build capacity for CNCA schools in achieving their vision.  The organizations are grounded in the beliefs that public education is a civil right and all students deserve an excellent education that will prepare them for success in life. At CNCA/PNEDG, we recognize that lower income and immigrant communities often face institutional and cultural barriers that create impediments to students’ success, and that an excellent education must eliminate these barriers. We integrate a strong focus on progressive, research-based academics with a holistic, place-based approach to serving our students. Since opening its doors in 2001, CNCA has grown to six schools and nearly 3,500 students.  Our goal is that CNCA graduates will be equipped with the skills, knowledge, and worldview necessary to be literate, critical thinkers and independent problem solvers.

Organizational Leadership Capacities

We believe that every individual who works at the Camino Nuevo Charter Academy Home Support Office must embody key mindsets and possess foundational skills to contribute to the organizational leadership of the organization.

Mindsets

• Commitment to and belief in CNCA’s mission and vision
• Belief in and embodiment the CNCA Anchors in all aspects of the work
• Commitment to the vision of a progressive, socially-just education and is able to inspire others towards that vision
• Solution orientation and belief in supporting others to be the same
• Commitment to an asset-based, capacity-building approach
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

 Skills

• Ability to support an inclusive, positive and high performing culture
• Ability to take ownership in the day-to-day and overall success of the organization
• Ability to think critically, use sound judgment and problem solve
• Ability to work independently and proactively and to seek support and guidance when appropriate
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with an ability to prioritize competing projects in a fast-paced, fluid environment
• Effective collaboration with individuals at all levels of the organization
• Respect, humility and discretion to work effectively with all stakeholders, including colleagues, families and members of the community
• Strong self-awareness and ability to reflect

Location: Hybrid (Home Support Office, school sites, virtual)

Supervisor: Director of Special Education

Work Periods: Full Time, 12 Month

Direct Supervision Exercised: As Assigned

Class: Certificated, Exempt

The Opportunity

The Special Education Alternate Curriculum Specialist, in partnership with the Home Support Office Central Special Education Team, supports the implementation of a socially just, research-based, innovative instructional approach across our Dynamic Blended Inclusion model to ensure success in CNCA’s mission. The Special Education Alternate Curriculum Specialist maintains knowledge of current research, best practices and trends on a national and state level to provide direction and guidance to the central special education team, as well as teachers and special education administrators. Ultimately, the Special Education Alternate Curriculum Specialist works strategically at a systems level to implement structures and strategies to close the opportunity and achievement gap.

Responsibilities:

Strategy and Vision Setting Responsibilities

• Strategically monitor, track, and ensure the ongoing development and growth of identified students across the organization on alternate curriculum.
• Consistently analyze access to students’ LRE through ongoing classroom observation, data analysis, and examination of students’ work

Teams and Performance Management Responsibilities

• Inspire internal and external stakeholders to believe in the possibility and eventual reality of CNCA’s mission
• Represent the organization, academic team, and home office staff professionally, respectfully, and collaboratively
• Approach work from an asset based, capacity-building approach
• Partner with the academic team, home office staff, and school site staff to effectively accomplish the goals of the organization to drive towards our mission
• Be problem-solution oriented and support others to be the same
• Participate in all Central Special Education team meetings
• Participate in all Home Support Office meetings
• Support the building of a positive, high-performing culture on the academic team and home office
• Set ambitious personal and professional goals and take ownership of developing capacity to achieve these goals

• Support site teachers in appropriately modifying the curriculum for the academic needs for students with the most significant impact of disabilities
• Provide individualized classroom-based modeling/support for identified teachers with students on alternate curriculum to support them in strengthening instructional practices for students on alternate curriculum.
• Provide content knowledge and resources to teachers and leaders about learning and teaching including alternate curriculum instructional best practices, alternate curriculum development, creation of alternate curriculum formative and summative assessments, and analysis of alternate curriculum assessment results.
• Assist general education and special education teachers in aligning their teaching and instruction with appropriate standards and IEP goals, curriculum, and assessments
• Provide relevant professional learning opportunities and training for school site staff

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

Camino Nuevo Charter Academy (CNCA) prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying in educational programs, activities, or employment on the basis of actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, parental, pregnancy, family or marital status, military status or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. Camino Nuevo Charter Academy requires that school personnel take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so when he or she witnesses an act of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying. 

Questions or complaints of alleged discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying, equity or Title IX equity and compliance concerns should be directed to Margarita Domingo, Vice President of Human Resources. She can be reached at (213) 417-3410 or by mail at 3435 W Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90026.