Statewide Low Vision Specialist/TVI Contract Manager

Aerbvi; Baltimore, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Maryland State Department of Education and The Maryland School for the Blind seek a Statewide Low Vision Specialist/TVI Contract Manager to lead statewide programs for students who are blind or VI, including those with multiple disabilities. You will develop comprehensive plans, provide technical assistance to LEAs, and coordinate accessibility initiatives across MSDE, MSB and partner centers.

This role requires advanced degrees and VI certification, with several years in education

Qualifications

• Master's degree in special education for blind/VI students; Doctorate preferred.
• Current TI/Vision impairment certification (TVI) required; O&M certification helpful.
• 4+ years teaching visually impaired students; 3+ years admin exp in VI programs preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate statewide professional learning for MSDE, MSB, LEAs and others.
• Provide technical assistance to LEAs, MSDE and MSB to improve learning accessibility.
• Develop staff development resources as joint MSB/MSDE products.
• Coordinate statewide parent support and resources; collaborate with LEAs and MSB.
• Enhance accessibility of learning materials for blind/VI, DeafBlind, and multiple disabilities.
• Respond to inquiries from LEAs, parents, and others in a timely manner.
• Assist LEAs and MSB to secure needed special education services.
• Serve as MSDE liaison to the State Steering Committee for VI and MIRC.
• Support census for Connections Beyond Sight and Sound; advise grant board.
• Facilitate AIM/DeafBlind census processes; coordinate AIM Coordinator duties for MD.
• Coordinate teacher of the blind/VI certification work group meetings.
• Support DCA on accessibility topics; review online courses.
• Demonstrate ability to use assistive tech for blind/VI students.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Collaboration

Technical assistance

Educational accessibility

Education

Master's degree in special education

TVI certification

Administration certification (preferred)

Tools

Assistive technology

Job description

Statewide Low Vision Specialist/TVI Contract Manager

Job Description

SUMMARY:

This position, which is jointly supervised by the Maryland StateDepartment of Education (MSDE) and The Maryland School for the Blind (MSB), has the statewide leadership responsibility to ensure quality programs and services for students who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities, by developing and implementing comprehensive plans and providing technical assistance to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and The Maryland School for the Blind (MSB).

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Essential Functions:

• Coordinates planning, design, implementation and evaluation of statewide professional learning opportunities that focus on improving student achievement and professional growth in collaboration with MSDE, MSB, LEAs, the Maryland Instructional Resource Center (MIRC), in-state and out-of-state colleges and universities, professional and consumer organizations.
• Provides technical assistance and consultation to LEAs, MSDE, MSB, and others to enhance professional learning, student achievement, accessibility of learning materials, and other identified needs.
• Develops staff development and technical assistance resources for MSDE, MSB and LEAs that will be the joint approved product of the partnership between MSB and MSDE.
• Coordinates statewide efforts of MSDE, MSB and LEAs to enhance parent support, training, and resources.
• Coordinates statewide efforts to enhance the accessibility of learning materials for students who are blind or have low vision including those who are DeafBlind and/or have multiple disabilities.
• Responds in a timely manner to a wide- variety of inquiries from LEAs, parents, and others.
• Collaborates with and assists the LEA and MSB to secure special education and related services to students when the LEA does not have the local capacity in terms of available qualified staff to provide the IEP required programs and services.
• Serves as the MSDE liaison to the Maryland State Steering Committee for Programs of the Visually Impaired and the MIRC.
• Provide support with the annual census for Connections Beyond Sight and Sound and participate in the Advisory Board for the grant.
• Facilitate the American Printing House for the Blind Federal Quota Registration Program process for all blind students; facilitate the federal DeafBlind census process for all students with DeafBlindness.
• Is accountable to the MSDE and MSB supervisors and develops annual jointly approved goals that include specific objectives with timelines.
• Maintains knowledge of state and national education and special education trends, issues, and opportunities related to assistive technology, curriculum, best practices, legislation, policy, regulations and professional standards.
• Works with the Division of Assessment, Accountability, and Performance Reporting regarding the production process of all large print and braille assessments for Statewide Assessments.
• Serves as National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) coordinator; state contact for questions, information, and dissemination; designate/assign State Accessible Media Producers; work with the National AIM Center at CAST regarding technical assistance to improve AIM inMaryland. (Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Coordinator for Maryland)
• Coordinates Certification for teachers of the blind and visually impaired work group meetings.
• Supports the Division of Curriculum and Assessment (DCA) related to all issues of accessibility; review online credit-bearing classes. (Accessibility)
• Demonstrates understanding, instructional capability, and use of assistive technology for students who are blind or VI.

CONDITIONS:

Equipment Used: Computer, phone, copier, scanner, cell phone, fax machine.

Performance Standard: Must stay abreast of national issues concerning the education of students who are blind/visually impaired, have multiple disabilities and low incidence disabilities and ensure effective coordination of statewide programs and resources to serve these students.

Work Environment: Multiple indoor and outdoor environments with varying sound, lighting and temperature conditions. May be exposed to childhood and other communicable diseases when providing direct care to students. This position requires regular travel within the State.

Work Schedule: 37 1/2 daytime hours, Monday through Friday with daily one hour unpaid lunch; position requires regular travel within the state; flextime and/or additional hours, including weekends and evenings, are occasionally required. This is a twelve-month position and will follow the State of Maryland employee schedule.

Qualifications

• Minimum requirement of a Master's Degree in special education of blind or visually impaired students; Doctorate, preferred.
• Current certification as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and/orOrientation and Mobility required. Special education administration orsupervision certificate preferred.
• A minimum of four years of teaching experience with students who areblind or visually impaired, including those who have multiple disabilities isrequired. A minimum of 3 years administration experience of programs forvisually impaired students is preferred.
• Comprehensive knowledge of assistive technology, common core and theexpanded core curriculum, best practices, legislation, policy, regulations,professional standards, education, special education trends, and statewidetesting.
• Experience in school improvement initiatives, program evaluation, staffdevelopment training, policy development, research, professionalpublications preferred.