Supervisory Education Program Specialist

This position serves as the Director, Monitoring and State Improvement Division (MSIP), Office of Special Education Programs, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services located in Washington, DC. This position supervises supervisory and nonsupervisory professional staff and leads the MSIP Division, which is responsible for the administration of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B, Part C, and 619 formula grant programs.

APPLICATION LIMIT: This vacancy announcement is limited to the first 200 applications received and will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the day that we receive the 200 applications, or at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date, whichever occurs first. We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application.

As a Supervisory Education Program Specialist, GS-1720-15, you will be responsible for: Leading the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs, including formula grants, performance reporting, grant applications, and compliance activities. Providing professional leadership in developing, reviewing, and recommending policies, guidance, and procedures for administering special education programs.

Establishing organizational goals and priorities, develops strategies to improve program effectiveness, and supervises professional and technical staff. Collaborating with internal and external partners to resolve complex program issues and develop solutions consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. Representing Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) on matters involving IDEA monitoring and enforcement including presenting information to professional organizations and other stakeholders regarding OSEP requirements, responsibilities and enforcement activities.

Minimum Qualification Requirements You may meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-15, if you possess the specialize experience and education. Specialized Experience for the GS-15: One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-14 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:

1. Experience implementing and monitoring programs with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs including formula grants, compliance or recommending program improvements.
2. Experience managing major special education programs, including establishing priorities, developing guidance and overseeing program or gran activities.
3. Experience leading and directing a multi-disciplinary team managing workloads and directing strategic program execution.

EDUCATION

(see EDUCATION SECTION of the vacancy announcement) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).

1. Knowledge of the statutory and regulatory requirements of Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and their application to special education programs.
2. Knowledge of early intervention and special education programs to provide authoritative technical guidance and consultation.
3. Ability to lead professional staff, manage technical workloads, establish priorities, and promote continuous organizational improvement.
4. Skilled in collaborating, negotiating, and resolving issues involving grant programs and services for children with disabilities and their families.
5. Ability to effectively communicate specialized information tailored to a diverse of audiences.

This position has a positive education requirement. Basic Requirements: A. Degree: that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses. OR B. Combination of education and experience -- at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, of which at least 9 semester hours must have been in education courses, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

The experience must reflect the level and kind described in C below. OR C. Four years of experience that demonstrated a thorough understanding of the principles and practices underlying the work of this series. This experience must have been of such character and diversity to demonstrate that the applicant possesses an understanding of the field comparable to that normally acquired through successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university.

OR D. At least 1 full academic year of professional teaching experience. This experience is defined as full and primary responsibility, under general supervision, for instruction of assigned students in an accredited school or institution. This includes responsibility for preparing and presenting lessons and for evaluating students' progress, including a determination of the students' success or failure according to established criteria.

Serving in an assistant capacity to a professor without the authority to determine the students' success or failure to meet course requirements does not meet this criterion. Foreign Education : Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, please click Foreign Education .