Temporary Early Childhood Education Instructional Specialist (Substitute) 2026-2027

MiraCosta Portal; Oceanside, Carlsbad (CA, CA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 52,000; Part time

Job summary

MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA seeks a pool of substitute Early Childhood Education Instructional Specialists for the 2026-2027 cycle. Substitutes lead play-based, developmentally appropriate activities for children ages 18 months to 5 years at the Child Development Center and supervise student teachers and apprentices.

Interviews may be conducted by Zoom or in person. Applicants must meet a set of requirements, including tuberculosis clearance, work eligibility in the United States,

Qualifications

• Valid Child Development Master Teacher Permit issued by the California Commission of Teacher Credentialing.
• AA/AS degree or 60 units with at least 24 units in early childhood education/child development including child growth and development; six specialization units; and 350 days of related work experience with young children and their families.
• BA/BS degree or higher with at least 12 units in child development or early childhood education, and 3 units of supervised field experience in a child development/early childhood education setting.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design, implement, and maintain play-based, child-centered learning environments and a daily schedule of activities for young children; follow ITERS/ECERS guidelines in indoor and outdoor classrooms.
• Observe, mentor, coach, and evaluate student interns, apprentices, and student learning plan activities; provide feedback on interactions between apprentices and preschoolers.
• Develop emergent curriculum guided by the California Preschool Foundations and Frameworks.
• Plan and supervise groups of children in varied activities; coordinate classroom and outdoor activities with attention to safety and ratios.
• Provide written assessment of children’s growth; conduct parent-teacher conferences using current assessment methods.
• Partner with families to showcase children’s work and address special learning needs; refer to outside agencies as needed.
• Collaborate with outside agencies and service providers to support children with special needs.
• Assist staff and interns in developing effective adult-child relationships; model problem-solving and manage communication issues.

Education

Master Teacher Permit (CA)

AA/AS degree or 60 units with ECE courses

BA/BS degree or higher with ECE units

Job description

Temporary Early Childhood Education Instructional Specialist (Substitute) 2026-2027

Before applying, be sure to read the “Application Procedure” section below.

Posting Summary

Job Title

Job Title Temporary Early Childhood Education Instructional Specialist (Substitute) 2026-2027

Type of Assignment

Type of Assignment Classified/Staff

Assignment Category

Assignment Category Temporary Assignment

Job Description

MiraCosta College is building a pool of substitute Early Childhood Education Instructional Specialists. Substitute ECE Instructional Specialist assignments are on-call as needed, with working hours anytime between Mondays through Fridays, 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at MiraCosta College’s Child Development Center. The department will review applications and contact applicants either by phone or by email if selected for an interview. Interviews may be conducted via Zoom or in-person. Offer of employment to the person selected for this position is contingent upon 1) submission of a current tuberculosis test clearance; 2) proof of eligibility to work in the United States; 3) fingerprint clearance; and 4) approval by the Board of Trustees. Applications are valid through June 30, 2027, at which time they will expire. A new posting for this pool will be posted on July 1, 2027, and those still interested will need to reapply at that time. RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT : MiraCosta College Board Policy 7800: Employee Residency requires all classified staff, administrators, and temporary/hourly short-term employees to maintain and permanently reside in a principal place of residence in the state of California that is within two hundred (200) road miles from the employee’s regularly assigned district worksite.

Location City

Oceanside, Cardiff, and/or Carlsbad

Location State

California

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA)

MiraCosta College is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable learning and working environment. We welcome candidates who share our commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility ( IDEA ). Learn more about our values and initiatives on our IDEA website and in our IDEA policy. We are committed to creating a racially just campus climate where all identities and cultures are respected and affirmed. MiraCosta actively works to close equity gaps for disproportionately impacted communities, including: Latinx/Chicanx, Black/African American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Native American, LGBTQIA+, Veterans, Former Foster Youth, Adult Learners, and students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds. As a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) since 2013, MiraCosta supports the success of Latinx and first‑generation college students. We are also a veteran- and military‑supportive institution and an Achieving the Dream Leader College. The successful candidate will join a college that values community and equity, and offers robust, culturally responsive programming—including heritage month events and speaker series—through our Equity Centers. Short‑term, temporary employees may be eligible for Healthy Families Sick Leave, and enrollment in a retirement system.

Position Term in Months

varies

Basic Function

Under general direction, serve as lead teacher and plan and direct daily curriculum of play‑based, culturally sensitive, developmentally appropriate activities for young children (18 months to 5 years); provide supervision of children at all times, ensuring their safety and well‑being in compliance with all applicable regulations; provide student teacher and apprentice supervision, mentoring and serve as a model teacher for child development students; and perform related duties as assigned.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to this class.

• Plan, design, implement, and maintain play‑based, child‑centered learning environments and a daily schedule of activities for young children that include attention to cognitive development, creative expression, physical‑motor development, social and emotional development, and multicultural experiences; follow current Infant/Toddlers Environmental Rating Scale ( ITERS ) and Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale ( ECERS ) guidelines in both indoor and outdoor classrooms.
• Observe, train, mentor, coach, and evaluate student interns, apprentices, and student learning plan activities or college classes; serve as a role model for, interns, apprentices, service learners, and observers in demonstrating and providing mentoring on developmentally appropriate methods and practices; monitor and provide feedback on the quality of interactions between apprentices and preschoolers.
• Develop emergent curriculum, a continuous cycle of ongoing learning opportunities that emerge from teachers’ careful observations of children’s interests and thinking, guided by the California Preschool Foundations and Frameworks.
• Plan and supervise small to large groups of children in a variety of age and developmentally appropriate activities; coordinate activities both in the classroom and outdoor environment, being aware of safety factors and required adult‑child ratios.
• Provide written assessment and evaluation of children’s growth and development; plan and conduct parent‑teacher conferences using current assessment methods.
• Partner with families to showcase children’s work and to address children’s specialized learning needs including referring to outside agencies as needed.
• Collaborate with outside agencies and other service providers, including speech therapy Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and local school districts to support children with special needs.
• Assist Center staff, interns, and service learners in developing effective adult‑child relationships; model constructive problem‑solving and assist in managing intra‑staff or parent communication issues.
• Provide instruction and assist children with hygiene procedures, such as hand washing, toileting, and coughing, as necessary; observe and evaluate the health needs of children and take appropriate action.
• Serve nutritionally balanced snacks; maintain all adult and child working areas in a safe, sanitary, and orderly condition; repair and stock materials as needed.
• Prepare instructional materials; maintain a variety of records; assist in ordering instructional supplies and equipment, taking inventory, and preparing reports.

Other Duties

• Operate a variety of equipment as necessary, such as computers, projectors, laminating machines, and kitchen appliances.
• Attend staff and planning meetings and workshops; plan for own career growth and ongoing professional development.
• Maintains inventory for classroom supplies.
• Prepare various reports and forms in a timely manner.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of

• Principles and practices of child growth and development.
• Current concepts, strategies, and best practices in inclusive early childhood care and education.
• Developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive early childhood curriculum and associated development strategies.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children ( NAEYC ) Code of Ethics.
• State of California Title 5 and Title 22 licensing requirements and associated compliance requirements.
• Health, safety, and nutrition requirements of young children.
• Methods of observing, recording, and evaluating both child and adult behavior.
• Principles and practices of student‑teacher mentoring and staff supervision.
• Written and oral communication skills, including correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary.

Ability to

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with children, 0‑5 years of age.
• Design, develop, and implement developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, and inclusive learning activities with young children.
• Observe and reach sound conclusions regarding the skills and development of young children and apply these data skillfully and respectfully in providing feedback to apprentices and parents.
• Meet schedules and timelines.
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt effective courses of action.
• Maintain records and prepare reports.
• Train and provide work direction to others.
• Work confidentially and with discretion.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Operate a computer and standard business software.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to and understanding of diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, and disability issues.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with all those encountered in the course of work.

Education & Experience

To be eligible for this position, you must meet and provide evidence of the following minimum qualifications:

Valid Child Development Master Teacher Permit issued by the California Commission of Teacher Credentialing.

OR

Option 1: Any AA/AS degree or 60 units with at least 24 units of early childhood education/child development including child growth and development; child, family, and community, infant toddler; six specialization units; and two adult supervision units; and 350 days of 3+ hours per day of related work experience with young children and their families;

Option 2: Any BA/BS degree or higher, with at least 12 units in child development or early childhood education, and 3 units of supervised field experience in a child development/early childhood education setting.

Licenses & Other Requirements

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a Child Development Master Teacher Permit issued by the California Commission of Teacher Credentialing.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, Pediatric CPR and First Aid Certificates.

WORK DIRECTION , LEAD AND SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES :

Student interns, student teachers, student workers, assistant teachers, campus aides and substitute teaching staff.

CONTACTS :

Program children and families, student teachers, student workers/campus aides and child development program students, Child Development instructors, outside agency representatives, community partners, vendors, contracts, individual specialist; liaison across program classrooms with teaching staff.

Physical Effort

Moderate physical effort with frequent to constant standing and walking for extended periods; frequent bending, kneeling, and stooping; walking over rough or uneven surfaces; frequent lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling of equipment, objects and/or children weighing up to 35 pounds; ability to work at a computer, including repetitive use of a computer keyboard, mouse or other control devices; ability to travel to and from a variety of locations on and off campus as needed to conduct district business.

Emotional Effort

Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships involving appropriate interactions and communications (including negotiations and conflict resolution) personally, by phone, and in writing on a regular, ongoing basis with a variety of individuals and/or groups from diverse backgrounds including children; ability to work effectively on a variety of tasks concurrently while meeting established deadlines and changing priorities; ability to respond appropriately to emergency situations on an as-needed basis.

Working Conditions

Primarily works in outdoor/indoor Children’s Center environment; intermittent exposure to hazardous materials such as blood‑borne pathogens, bacteria, viruses and other substances that may require use of protective gloves; subject to constant personal contact with and interruption by students and children; majority of assignments worked during standard work hours.