Certification Pathway Specialist

Job Title: Certification Pathway Specialist
Department: Human Resources
Reports To:Certification Pathway Manager
Compensation: $81,760
TRS Classification: Non-Classified
Summary:
Our Certification Pathway Specialist will play a primary role in the success of the UTeach teacher and any other Epic staff member seeking support for a Certification Pathway through the Oklahoma State Department of Oklahoma. This position will work hand in hand leading a cohort of individuals through a variety of activities from teaching the Special Education boot camp to helping staff prepare for certi?cation exams. Successful candidates should also have the following experiences and characteristics:

• Have a track record as a strong Special Education teacher and/or administrator Have a genuine passion to train degreed individuals to become e?ective teachers Hold exceptionally high standards for the quality of work,
• Have well-developed emotional intelligence and moral character;
• Possess an ability to build strong relationships, thoughtfully navigate challenging situations, and get excellent results from others; and
• Have problem-solving and clear communication skills.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

• Lead a cohort of UTeach teachers through the OSDE Alternative certi?cation program(s) and become familiar with the various assessment requirements for each pathway.
• Teach and/or assist teaching the OSDE SPED boot camp along with taking the lead in assessing the cohort's various assignments, projects, papers, ?eld experiences, etc.
• Assist UTeach teachers in preparing for the SPED (Mild/Mod) OSAT, the Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT), and the Content Area Exam.
• Assist in organizing all of the content in the OSDE online SPED boot camp learning management system prior to the start of boot camp to include: reviewing existing and creating new powerpoints and assignments; review speaker notes to determine areas of in-class presentation; review/Create Google Classroom Activities for In-class group activities; review/create handouts for In-class activities; Assist in Creating Agendas/Calendar Invites for Virtual Cohort Collaboration Meetings; Review Google Classroom Materials of Virtual Participation Components
• Assist in scheduling Guest Presenters for 6 Field Experience Interviews; Assist in Recording/Reviewing Video Submissions; Develop Leading Questions; Assist in Develop Collaboration Guidelines, etc
• Assist in organizing the certi?cation exam information and presentations of practice questions for certification exams in order to lead study groups.
• Teach UTeach teachers during the SPED boot camp and during content area certification study group cohorts using standards as defined by OSDE.
• Responsible for being available to teachers to answer any questions about all aspects certification requirements.
• Monitor the Google Classroom, discussion boards, assignments submissions and communicating missed work during UTeach department and certification cohort meetings.
• Attend weekly UTeach team meetings and monthly. Individual meetings with assigned teachers to evaluate progress on Certification Pathway
• Provide support for UTeach teachers ensuring all requirements for emergency and/or alternative certification are met, as set by the Oklahoma State Department of Education, prior to serving students
• When needed, assist in recruiting, interviewing, and scoring candidate's case interviews for future UTeach cohorts
• Assist in reviewing credentials of UTeach candidates and staff members with existing certifications, in order to determine eligibility for certification in additional content or areas or endorsement(s)
• Assist teachers with understanding university coursework requirements and with reviewing information about the programs available at each university that might meet those requirements
• Assist in maintaining relationships with Oklahoma universities about alternative education program offerings each year and partnering with them for staff members completing internships or practicum activities, as required for Certification Pathways.
• Maintain professional communications with the Oklahoma State Department of Education on certification requirements for individual teachers and status of applications, transcript submissions, background checks, and fingerprinting required for certification.
• Assist in the submission of certification requests on behalf of the school district to OSDE using the Oklahoma Educator Credential System and Certification Pathway information provided on the OSDE website.
• Partner with members of the instructional team by maintaining communication on the progress of teachers toward activities required for their Certification Pathway and resources available to assist them
• Set up, monitor progress, and maintain teacher access to certification exam prep materials in virtual platforms for study activities, benchmark exams and study course completion.
• Maintain certification information in Human Resource information systems for all stakeholders in the district. Update HR information as teachers achieve certification endorsements and complete certification renewals.
• Participate in sharing information regarding certification activities, celebrations of success, and resources demonstrating best practices for teaching for new teachers on internal staff communication platforms, such as the UTeach channel, UTeach Page and the UTeach calendar.
• Demonstrate best practices for virtual teaching, by modeling the lesson plan cycle, guided practice activities, encouragment of class participation in discussions, and demonstrating the ability to use virtual instruction tools (ex: Virtual Whiteboard, Math manipulatives, chat, polls, breakout rooms, etc) within class platforms (ex: Zoom, GoogleMeets, etc,)
• Maintain files for exam score reports for individual teachers and conduct error analysis to determine areas of strengths and weaknesses to develop targeted interventions and study skills for individuals and to determine department-wide trends in certification exam performance data.
• Assist teachers in understanding requirements of the Praxis Performance Assessment of Teachers (PPAT) exam, provide support and encouragement for completion of tasks by timeline, assist in reviewing provided artifact samples from PPAT, assist with in-person and virtual videography and submission of required artifacts, and tech support for the online assessment platform.
• Assist paraprofessionals at the Virtual Learning Centers with completion of the Tier 2 certification requirements in the Pepper system, CPR/First AId trainings and application for certification in the Oklahoma Educator Credential System.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• No supervisory responsibilities

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree preferred
• Recent supervisory experience preferred

Qualifications

• Passionate commitment to the mission of school choice Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree preferred Experience in Special Education
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; demonstrated ability to present e?ectively and persuasively.
• Relationship-building and relationship management skills. Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Ability to learn quickly, work independently and to be e?ective in a fast-paced, dynamic, entrepreneurial environment.
• Able to communicate e?ectively across all departments
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; demonstrated ability to present e?ectively and persuasively. Good negotiating skills
• Relationship-building and relationship management skills
• Excellent organization, project management, and time management skills
• Strong attention to detail, dependability, and follow-through

Computer Skills
To perform this job successfully, an individual should have computer pro?ciency in Windows, Microsoft O?ce and Google Tools. Must have an understanding of using the Google suite. Must also have the ability to learn new technology.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Current driver's license and valid car insurance
• Oklahoma Teaching certi?cate
• Oklahoma Administrative Certification preferred

Other Qualifications

• Must be able to pass a state-mandated background check
• Must have favorable employment references

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The person in this position works remotely from their home. Meetings in public places and at Epic offices are also required. The noise level is usually quiet to moderately loud (when students are present.)