ANSWER:

The role of the central office teacher for Alternative Programs, under the direction of the supervisor, assists in the planning and implementation of comprehensive programming to meet the unique and intense needs of students who have been referred from comprehensive schools or placed through the disciplinary process. In this capacity, the central office teacher applies knowledge of research in the area of alternative programs to develop and assist in implementing a strong instructional program to engage students in learning. The teacher supports staff in the seven alternative programs in guiding students through the learning process to meet their academic and behavior goals. In this capacity, the central office teacher applies knowledge and research to design intervention plans to address academic, truancy, and behavioral needs. Through the collaborative problem solving process and team meetings, the central office teacher leads interdisciplinary teams to develop and monitor intervention plans. The teacher works closely with the supervisor to analyze data, including the development, implementation, and monitoring of the Program Improvement Plan (PIP). The central office teacher also serves as the school test coordinator (STC) and student service learning (SSL) coordinator for the middle and high school alternative programs. The teacher also manages the budget and financial monitoring, including grants that support the programs. Critical to alternative programs are the responsibilities within the professional growth system, which include designing and providing staff development and staff observation and supervision.

Changing 2.0 12-month instructional specialist positions to 10-month central office teacher positions will not impact the ability to provide consistent support to students in the seven programs throughout the school year and during the summer. To ensure that there will be no impact, professional part-time funds are available to provide additional support. This recommendation was reviewed by the Associations, Deputy Superintendent, and Chief Operating Officer (ADC) committee and the committee agrees that the change is appropriate.