Child Development and Special Needs Manager

Child Development and Special Needs Manager

About the Organization Since 1978, the Denise Louie Education Center has provided high-quality multicultural early learning and family support services to ensure that Seattle kids will be ready to succeed in school and life. We believe that children from low‑income families deserve to grow up in high-quality learning environments and we strive to close the "opportunity gap" so that all children can enter kindergarten ready to be successful.

Our Mission is to promote school and life readiness by providing multi‑cultural early learning services to children and families, especially those who need our services the most. We will respect and preserve each child and family's individuality, cultural heritage, and home language. We will promote personal and social responsibility with integrity and love in an environment defined by social justice and peace.

Our Vision is to educate and empower children and families to reach their full potential so they can advocate for themselves, our community and the world.

The Child Development and Special Needs Manager (CDSNM) provides leadership and oversight to meet the licensed centers' school readiness goals and continuous quality improvement efforts to ensure children achieve their highest potential through providing high‑quality, culturally relevant, and inclusive preschool programs. The CDSNM will monitor and use data to assist with allocating resources, pursue and manage partnership opportunities to enhance professional development for all staff, coordinate and partner with families to directly support children who may need behavioral or special needs support and interventions, and ensure compliance with all contract requirements, including licensing and federal, state, and city quality standards.

The CDSNM supervises all relevant staff such as education coach and the special needs coordinator.

This is a fully on‑site position requiring travel to various DLEC locations in King County.

• Establish school readiness goals with the education team that align with the data and program goals.
• Use data to manage classroom support through deployment of coaching, special needs intervention, resources, and contractual and other program funding.
• Support teachers and education supervisors to implement curriculum, screenings, assessments, observations, documentation, and reporting to fidelity.
• Provide consultation as needed for teachers on all child development opportunities, concerns, and questions.
• Identify and implement continuous improvements (processes, procedures, etc.).
• Facilitate and support the process by which children with identified and/or suspected special needs/mental health concerns can be assessed and receive services, including partnership with the education team in prereferral work, working with families on child fInd, attending evaluation meetings, coordinating bus support when necessary, obtaining completed evaluations, and supporting implementation of strategies in the classroom.
• Establish a working relationship with early intervention service providers and Seattle Public Schools (SPS) to establish a process for assessment referrals and monthly reporting on intervention services provided.
• Assist staff and families in ongoing education and training in areas of child development, special needs, and parenting education. Provide current educational materials and respond to training/mentoring requests.
• Coordinate with the mental health consultant for mental health evaluations and classroom observations, establishing a regular schedule of follow‑up to identify and refer children with developmental or behavioral concerns.
• Provide technical assistance and feedback to teachers and education supervisors in the delivery of individualized, developmentally and linguistically appropriate child development services through teacher observations, file reviews, center meetings, data analysis, and ongoing monitoring.
• Work in partnership with relevant staff members to arrange for trainers to conduct professional development opportunities needed by staff and respond to training needs identified in staff…