Behavior Support Specialist

Behavior Support Specialist (Temporary/Seasonal)

Positions Report to: Director of Inclusive Learning

Start Date: Immediate

End Date: June 26, 2026

Hours: 8:15am - 2:15pm EDT on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; 8:15am - 1:15pm EDT on Wednesdays

Compensation: $25 per hour

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Founded in 1958 as a children’s reading group, East Harlem Tutorial Program (EHTP) has grown into a dynamic multi‑site after‑school program for students in traditional public schools and a network of public charter schools dedicated to dramatically increasing the college graduation rate in East Harlem. We believe that all young people deserve access to an excellent education without having to leave their community.

East Harlem is a vibrant neighborhood that has long faced systemic educational inequities, and we work in close partnership with students and families to help them unlock their limitless potential. Our schools and programs provide rigorous, engaging academics combined with holistic support, ensuring that students develop the critical thinking skills, confidence, and knowledge necessary to excel in college and beyond.

At EHTP, we strive to be an agent of change in the fight for racial equity, recognizing that education is a powerful tool for transformation. Through a rigorous, student‑centered curriculum, we prepare our scholars to challenge the status quo, think critically, and become leaders who shape a more just world. Our commitment to anti‑racism is woven into every aspect of our work—from our instructional practices and professional development to our organizational policies and community engagement.

As educators and staff, we continually examine our own biases and identities, ensuring that our classrooms and programs are spaces of inclusion, empowerment, and academic excellence.

The Behavior Support Specialist at East Harlem Scholars Academy provides direct, proactive behavioral and social‑emotional support to students with disabilities and students with identified behavioral needs in order to promote safe, inclusive, and equitable access to learning. The specialist works in close collaboration with classroom teachers, case managers, and the Inclusive Learning team to implement individualized behavior supports, reinforce positive behaviors, collect data, and support students with regulation and engagement across school settings.

This role requires a strong commitment to trauma‑informed practices, culturally responsive support, and the belief that all students can grow when provided with consistent, compassionate, and structured interventions.

• Provide 1:1 and small‑group behavioral support to students with disabilities or identified behavioral needs.
• Implement Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs), IEP accommodations, safety plans, and MTSS interventions with fidelity.
• Support students during instructional and non‑instructional times, including classrooms, hallways, arrival/dismissal, lunch, recess, and transitions.
• Provide sensory breaks, regulation strategies, and emotional support aligned with individual student plans.

• Use proactive, preventative strategies to reduce escalation and increase student engagement and independence.
• Provide real‑time de‑escalation support during moments of student dysregulation.
• Apply crisis intervention strategies, including physical assistance or restraint only if trained, required, and permitted by policy, prioritizing student safety, dignity, and documentation.
• Reinforce school‑wide expectations and PBIS‑aligned behavioral systems.

• Observe, collect, record, and summarize behavioral data aligned to IEP goals, BIPs, and intervention plans.
• Maintain accurate documentation to support progress monitoring, team decision‑making, and IEP meetings.
• Share behavioral trends and observations with the Inclusive Learning team and instructional staff.

• Assist teachers with implementing behavioral supports, accommodations, and modifications during instruction.
• Support students individually or in…