Assessment Specialist

About This Role

VTAEYC is seeking an Assessment Specialist to join our team of passionate Early Childhood Educators in Franklin, Orleans, Lamoille, Caledonia, and Essex counties. The Assessment Specialist serves the Vermont System for Program Access to Resources for Quality Supports (SPARQS), providing technical assistance and professional development to support programs engaged in continuous quality improvement. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Early Childhood Education settings and a deep understanding of Vermont’s early childhood landscape.

Using direct experience with STARS standards and CLASS, the Assessment Specialist will deliver actionable feedback that strengthens instructional practice, program quality, and outcomes for young children. As a trusted expert, the Assessment Specialist will build and sustain strong relationships with educators, program leaders, and partners, providing high-quality support that fosters collective capacity across the field. With a strong passion for Early Childhood Education, the ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to VTAEYC’s mission, model professionalism and empathy in all interactions, and stay current on research, policy, and best practices to inform strategic recommendations.

The Assessment Specialist will also possess excellent communication and presentation skills, able to deliver clear and compelling messages to diverse stakeholders, and demonstrate a strong ability to analyze and interpret data, leading to actionable insights and strategic recommendations for leadership and policy alignment.

Vermont System for Program Access to Resources for Quality Supports (SPARQS)

• Conduct confidential, timely, valid, and reliable observations and scoring using the state-approved assessment tool for regulated ECE programs, ensuring fidelity and professionalism throughout the process.
• Proactively initiate and manage program outreach, clearly communicating the assessment purpose, process, and expectations, while exercising sound judgment and leadership in preparing programs for success.
• Coordinate, schedule, and confirm assessment timelines with program leadership, setting clear expectations and ensuring seamless follow-through.
• Author post-assessment feedback reports for educators and program directors, providing clear, actionable insights that strengthen instructional practice and advance overall program quality.
• Facilitate virtual follow-up meetings to review assessment results, guide interpretation of data, answer questions, and support program leaders in identifying next steps for continuous improvement.

• Deliver high-level technical assistance through phone and virtual consultation to all types of regulated ECE programs, exercising professional judgment to tailor guidance and address complex challenges.
• Analyze statewide assessment scores to identify priority trends and design targeted professional development sessions that respond to emerging needs and strengthen instructional practice.
• Serve as a strategic resource within peer-to-peer networks, providing expert consultation, fostering professional dialogue, and strengthening collective capacity across the field.

• Analyze and interpret regional scoring trends, translating findings into actionable insights and strategic recommendations for leadership and policy alignment.
• Lead internal data presentations and strategic discussions, synthesizing key findings and elevating insights to shape broader SPARQS strategy, planning, and resource allocation decisions.

• Demonstrate commitment to VTAEYC’s mission and model professionalism and empathy in all interactions.
• Apply deep ECE knowledge to inspire program participants and guide program improvement.
• Stay current on research, policy, and best practices to inform strategic recommendations.

• Independently manage schedules, site visits, reporting, and follow-up activities with minimal oversight.
• Prioritize competing demands while maintaining quality and meeting…