Access and Inclusion Specialist

Who We Are: Shine Early Learning partners with states and local communities to accelerate child and family outcomes by providing professional development and other supports. Since its founding in 2011, Shine Early Learning has partnered with cities, states, and programs across the U.S. serving hundreds of thousands of students, families, and educators. Shine Early Learning’s experts have decades of experience in early child care education, training, and technical assistance.

The Montana based project, named SPARK Learning Lab Montana (SPARK), provides regulatory and quality technical assistance to child care programs and professionals across the state. We provide technical assistance and training with a focus on building relationships, using a practice-based model that includes self-directed, group, and one-on-one learning. We are seeking professionals who are eager to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young children by supporting quality improvement efforts for the child care providers who serve them.  We are building a local, Montana based team of leaders, technical assistance staff, and other specialists, housed in local offices and working remotely across the state to ensure continued regional and community knowledge and engagement.

Job Summary:

The Access & Inclusion Specialist is responsible for the development of universal support based on research-driven best practices in creating learning opportunities that support equitable access, inclusive environments, and a sense of belonging that authentically  represents children and families. The Access and Inclusion Specialist supports Montana providers with the goal of supporting all children to achieve school readiness. The Specialist collaborates with a team of content experts and  instructional designers to develop and deliver relevant products such as templates, job-aids, and resources,  as well as in-person, live webinar, on-demand, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. The Specialist also provides targeted support to tribal providers and providers that have identified children who may have a disability, assuring appropriate intervention and services are offered, and evaluating comprehensive programs for children with disabilities and their families. In addition, the  Access & Inclusion Specialist interfaces with SPARK Montana Technical Assistants to provide specialized support to meet individual program needs.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:  

• Provides Technical Assistance services to tribal child care programs; follows Shine’s protocols and Montana’s requirements to ensure consistent regional/statewide quality and access to services 

• Facilitates and hosts virtual and in-person learning opportunities, as needed and assigned  

• Develops and facilitates small group learning environments, including peer-to-peer opportunities and one-on-one mentoring

• Supports tribal teacher strengths, and areas of growth including teacher and child interactions, classroom instruction, and classroom management

• Recommends revisions and updates to the Program Growth Tool based on  relevant research and known best practices. The Program Growth Tool is SPARK Montana’s program-level,  rubric-based assessment tool composed of 50 quality items that offer a scope and sequence to  Montana’s early childhood education and care program leaders for program improvement  

• Makes recommendations based on research and best practices in access and inclusion, then collaborates on the development and maintenance of content relevant to benchmarks on the Program Growth Tool’s quality continuum. Content includes but is not limited to in-person, live webinar, on demand,  and peer-to-peer learning opportunities and resources.  

• Provides professional development to SPARK Montana’s Technical Assistants to support their  knowledge and expertise

• Engages in a community of practice with other subject matter experts on the Content Development  Team to innovate content delivery methods and collaborate in content creation  

• Participates in assigned meetings, events, training, and cross-functional teams as needed and  assigned.  

Job Specifications:  

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to carry out each essential duty in a satisfactory  manner. The job specifications listed are representative of the education and experience, the physical  requirements, as well as the knowledge, skill and/or ability (KSAs) that are generally necessary for the role.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential  functions.  

Job Requirements:  

• Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Adult Education, Special Education, Access and Inclusion Leadership or a related field; Master’s degree preferred  

• 5+ years’ experience in the early childhood field, including experience in teacher coaching,  supervision, and providing technical assistance 

• 2+ years’ experience authoring early childhood related content, developing, and facilitating professional development content in various formats  

• Previous experience supervising/coaching in an early childhood setting 

• Special Education Certification/Licensure  preferred 

• Physical exam and background checks are required for this position.  

• Travel required locally or long-distance, but mostly within Montana, up to 40% of the time for work related meetings and functions

• Montana residency required

• Must have a valid driver’s license and/or reliable transportation 

Application Closing Date : January 6, 2025
When/Where/How Much:
Start Date: Winter 2025
Location/Travel: Remote in Montana    
Salary: Up to $55,000

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:
Medical, Dental and Vision insurance  
HSA/FSA Accounts
Life/AD&D Benefits
Disability Benefits
401k with matching
PTO 
Wellness Programs
Additional voluntary benefits at no cost to you!

INTERESTED AND READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEPS? 
For more insights about our organization we encourage you to review our FAQs.
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Email Talent Acquisition partner : aisling@shineearly.com

We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and healthy workplace.