Instructional Behavior Specialist

Job Description 

Job Title: Instructional Behavior Specialist 

Job Classification: Exempt 

Supervisor: TCSEA Executive Director 

Pay: Commensurate with experience within central Illinois 

Contract Length: 180 Days 

This position is responsible for supporting and guiding administrators, teachers, and school-based teams in identifying and implementing evidence-based practices in providing positive behavior supports for students with and without disabilities who exhibit challenging behaviors. The Instructional Behavior Specialist will collaborate with school-based teams to assist in developing and implementing classroom and individual behavior intervention plans, develop and provide in-service training for school staff, perform classroom observations, provide feedback, and guide the implementation of student-specific behavior interventions through in-class instruction or co-teaching. 

Essential Duties 

1. Assist building administrators in identifying appropriate evidence-based practices to support positive behaviors for students with disabilities across multiple settings.


2. Monitor and analyze division-wide discipline data to recommend evidence-based strategies and plan and conduct in-service training based on school-specific needs.


3. Assist school-based teams in developing classroom and individual behavior intervention plans for providing a safe and effective educational environment using evidence-based strategies for students with challenging behaviors that have been resistant to classroom systems of support.


4. Lead and coordinate division-wide efforts to train school-based teams in the development of Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) for students. Provide coaching support to IEP teams in the development, implementation, and monitoring of the effectiveness of BIP.


5. Maintain certification as an instructor in de-escalation and crisis intervention training and provide division-wide training.


6. Identify appropriate curriculum and instructional resources for students with social/emotional deficits and provide ongoing in-service training and monitoring to ensure fidelity of implementation and monitor effectiveness of selected curriculum and resources.


7. Collaborates with the supervisor of special education-behavior to provide consultative support to TCSEA member district staff on implementation and progress monitoring of behavioral interventions and supports for students with disabilities.


8. Provide training to teachers in understanding and supporting positive behavior strategies for students with disabilities, including job coaching and demonstration of techniques and principles.


9. Assists Social Work staff or other appropriate staff in working with parents to ensure consistent behavior supports across settings.


10. Engage in ongoing professional development to increase knowledge and skills of positive student behavior support for all/targeted students, as well as those displaying a need for behavioral support.


11. Maintain abreast of current research on effective behavior interventions related to school and student-specific needs.


12. Perform other duties as assigned. 

(These are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.) 

Other Duties 

1. Performs any other related duties as assigned by the Executive Director of TCSEA or other appropriate administrators. 

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities Required) 

Must possess an Illinois teaching license, with 7 to 10 years of experience as a teacher or administrator providing special education services to students with significant behavior disorders or autism; or any equivalent combination of training and experience working with students with emotional disabilities and/or behavioral disorders, which would provide the acceptable knowledge, skills and support to teachers working with students who have Emotional Disabilities, Autism, Other Health Impairments or students not eligible under IDEA who have significant behavioral issues.

Must possess instructional knowledge of crisis intervention strategies, ability to apply a gradually progressive system of verbal and non-verbal strategies to effectively de-escalate potentially dangerous situations, knowledge of applied behavioral analysis, behavioral principles, and strategies. Demonstrate knowledge of various methods of data collection and subsequent analysis and interpretation for data to drive appropriate behavioral interventions. Ability to conduct and interpret functional behavioral assessments in the development of effective behavior intervention plans. Ability to develop and present ideas effectively, orally and in written form; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with school administrators, the School Board, and the general public. 

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Exhibit manual dexterity to dial a telephone, to enter data into a computer terminal; see and read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids; hear and understand speech at normal levels; speak in audible tones so that others may understand; physical agility to lift up to 50 pounds. 

The Instructional Behavior Specialist must have a reliable car and be able to drive to our 16 member districts and 40 schools.  Travel Reimbursement is provided from the first professional stop to the last professional stop. 

Work Environment 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Duties are normally performed in an office environment. 

Supervision Exercised: None 

Supervision Received: Executive Director, TCSEA 

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. The Instructional Behavior Specialist will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other related duties as assigned by the Supervisor of Special Education or other appropriate administrator. TCSEA reserves the right to update, revise or change this job description and related duties at any time.