PROGRAM SPECIALIST IV-DOE - 48003019

Requisition No: 830526 

Agency: Department of Education

Working Title: PROGRAM SPECIALIST IV-DOE - 48003019

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 48003019 

Salary:  $48,140.52 - $57,768.62 

Posting Closing Date: 12/23/2024 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

Florida Department of Education

Division of Finance and Operations

Office of School Transportation Management

Location: Tallahassee Turlington Building

Program Specialist IV-DOE-CS

Salary Range: $48,140.52-$57,768.62

Our Mission of the Department of Education

Every day the Department of Education works hand in hand with parents, teachers, educators, and community members to improve Florida's education system for students of all backgrounds and abilities. Our site reflects this cooperative relationship and the role that so many Floridians play in ensuring student success.

Job Description

This position provides time for consulting and providing technical assistance for exceptional student education and school transportation programs. The incumbent would administer and seek Federal and State grants for projects to improve services provided in the area of transportation to students with disabilities, including infants and toddlers. The position also provides leadership and coordination through training seminars, studies, and direct assistance in ESE (Exceptional Student Education) driver and attendant recruiting, employment, training, testing, and evaluation. This position as is responsible for coordinating the annual statewide leadership conference for school district transportation personnel, providing professional development to all levels of school district staff in the latest safety and leadership techniques.

Duties and Responsibilities

(Note: The omission of specific job duties does not preclude management from assigning specific duties not listed herein if such duties are a logical assignment to the position.)

The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has an open position that is responsible for executing the following functions:

This position provides 100% time to consulting and providing technical assistance in the following exceptional student education and school transportation programs:

Administers and seeks Federal and Satet grants for projects to improve services provided in the area of transportation provided to students with disabilities, including infants and toddlers.
Coordinates the development and implementation of changes to and/or provides interpretation of Public Law 105-17 (the Individuals with Disabilities Education of 1997, or IDEA) and its implementing regulations, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and its implementing regulations, Chapter 1006, FS, and Chapters 6A-1, 6A-3, 6A-6 and 6A-7, FAC, including rules relating to transportation safety, procedural safeguards, and funding for students with disabilities, including infants and toddlers.
Promotes safety of transportation provided to students with special needs covered under IDEA by:
Assisting school districts in conducting developmentally appropriate ride safety programs for students with disabilities that will assure the highest degree of safety while they are in or around the school bus.
Consulting with districts on state and federal statutes and State Board Rules which relate specifically to school transportation safety and economy and assisting districts, if necessary, in complying with such.
Developing educational media and providing instructional materials for districts to utilize in safety programs, including materials on safe loading, unloading, and evacuation of students with disabilities, including infants and toddlers.
Assigned as quality control coordinator for all documents and published communications from the School Transportation Management Section. Assists with office and district computer applications, including ESE transportation related content and updates for Department Internet site.  
Provides training and assistance on ESE transportation funding issues.
Consults with school districts, parents, and other parties regarding safety, efficiency, and procedural issues in providing transportation to students with disabilities, including infants, toddlers, and other pre-school age children, including bus utilization, routing and scheduling, and location of school bus stops to ensure students access to a free and appropriate public education, comparability of service, and compliance with each student’s Individual Educational Plan (IEP).
Develop, organizes, staffs, directs, and/or participates exceptional student education monitoring performance criteria to ensure school districts maintain and exceed regulatory compliance levels and industry best practices in all aspects of related transportation services for students with disabilities. Writes, edits, and prepares an oral and written report, or segment of the report, of the findings and recommendations to the monitoring team and others as appropriate.
Reviews management of local transportation programs and prepares written and verbal recommendations to improve safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of ESE transportation provided by local programs as requested. Conducts operations facilities studies as requested.
Provides leadership and coordination through training seminars, studies, and direct assistance in ESE driver and attendant recruiting, employment, training, testing, and evaluation.
Provides training and assistance on transportation of ESE students to charter schools, schools of choice and other special programs.
Provides liaison and assistance to other agencies and safety groups and responds to parents, legislators, media, and others on ESE student transportation issues.
Develops and revises the manual of curriculum for bus drivers and attendants for students with special transportation needs.
Assists in planning and organizing various ESE transportation-related workshops, including annual Driver Trainers/Leadership Workshop and the summer ESE transportation workshop.
Compiles and communicates best practices and provides technical assistance in the following areas:
Techniques for promoting cooperative working relationships between ESE and transportation program personnel at the state and local levels.
Appropriate materials and methods for safe and efficient emergency evacuation of students with special needs from school buses.
Techniques for safe loading and unloading of students with special transportation needs.
Techniques for safe seating and securement of students with special transportation needs, including infants, toddlers and other pre-school age children, and securement of assistive devices during transit.
Guidance in providing transportation to students who are medically fragile, including provision of special medication or medical equipment and procedures while in transit.
Other aspects and issues specific to transportation of students with special needs, as identified.
Coordinator of the annual statewide leadership conference for school district transportation personnel, providing professional development to all levels of school district staff in the latest safety and leadership techniques. Approximately 200 school transportation professionals, including assistant superintendents, transportation directors, route managers, Exceptional Student Education (ESE) specialist, and school bus instructors and operators, receive this annual four-day training.
Ensures all school transportation related legislative bill analyses and committee meeting assignments are coordinated among selected staff and that follow-up reports are completed per department requirements.
Coordinates comprehensive customer feedback survey of all transportation clients to determine relative effectiveness of current section services and their priorities for current and additional services that might be offered.
Approves or processes vendors’ invoices, receives goods, and distributes warrants to vendors.
The employee must be productive under tight timeframes, balance multiple and competing priorities and maintain goal-directed behavior and performance sometimes under stressful conditions.
The employee must interact courteously with others.
The employee’s performance and behavior must demonstrate consideration of the workload concerns of others and must not negatively affect productivity and morale of the unit.
Performs other tasks as assigned.
Attendance is an essential function for this position.

Who We’re Looking For

The ideal incumbent must be productive under tight timeframes, balance multiple and competing priorities and maintain goal-directed behavior and performance sometimes under stressful conditions. The incumbent must interact courteously with others. The performance and behavior of all employees must demonstrate consideration of the workload concerns of others and must not negatively affect productivity and morale of the unity. Attendance is an essential function.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of Exception Student education programs and clients
Knowledge of school transportation programs and operations
Knowledge of techniques of planning, implementing, and/or evaluating transportation programs
Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments
Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others
Ability to deal effectively with a variety of people
Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures
Ability to analyze data
 

Minimum Qualifications:

Commercial Drivers License (Title 49 CFR, Part 383) with P and S endorsements
Minimum 2 years active Third-Party CDL Tester
FLDOE Certified Instructor with 2 years minimum experience
5 years of commercial vehicle training experience
 

APPLICATION INFORMATION & REQUIREMENTS

Work History (entered with the most recent/current listed first):
Any and all State of Florida jobs
Any and all Florida University jobs
All periods of unemployment from high school graduation
Periods of unemployment
Gaps 3 months or more*
Education
Volunteer Experience
Include supervisor names and phone numbers including current place of employment.
*Gaps 3 months or more must be addressed – you will need to account for and explain any gaps in employment including unemployment. You can either list these in your application under Period of Employment or attach a word document listing your gaps.
Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.  
It is unacceptable to use the statement “See Resume” in place of entering work history. Your candidate profile will convert to your official application.
If claiming Veteran’s Preference, candidate MUST attach supporting documentation (DD214).
If claiming Right to First Interview, candidate MUST attach a copy of your official layoff letter when applying. This only applies to employees laid off from Career Service positions.
All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.

If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at (877) 562-7287

WORKING FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS BENEFITS!
 * State Group Insurance coverage options+
(health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental option)

 * Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (www.myfrs.com)

 * Nine paid holidays and a Personal Holiday each year

* Annual and Sick Leave Benefits

 * Student Loan Forgiveness Program (Eligibility required)

* Flexible Spending Accounts

 * Tuition Fee Waivers (Accepted by major Florida colleges/universities)

* Ongoing comprehensive training provided

* Career Growth      

* Highly skilled, professional environment

*Maternity and Parental Leave Benefits

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.
 * We care about the success of our employees.

* We care about the success of our clients.

 * We are always improving our technology, our tools, our customer’s experiences and ourselves.

* A rewarding experience for reliable, compassionate and professional employees.

LEAVE INFORMATION: (CS)

Annual Leave - All full-time Career Service employees filling established positions earn annual leave in varying increments dependent upon years of creditable service. Employees with up to 5 years of creditable service earn 8.667 hours per month, with 5 to 10 years earn 10.833 hours per month and those with over 10 years of service earn 13 hours per month. Employees in Senior Management Service and Selected Exempt Service positions are credited to 176 hours on annual leave upon appointment. In subsequent years, the annual allotment is created on the anniversary date of the initial appointment.
Sick Leave - Career Service employees earn 8.667 hours of sick leave credits per month.

BACKGROUND SCREENING REQUIREMENT

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Education that applicants for employment/volunteer undergo Level 2 background screening in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, as a condition of employment or being permitted to serve as a volunteer. You will be required to provide your Social Security Number to conduct required verifications. No applicant for a designated position will be employed or permitted to volunteer until the level 2 screening results are received, reviewed, and approved by the Department. Level 2 background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for all purposes and checks under this requirement, statewide criminal and juvenile records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and federal criminal records checks through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local criminal records checks through local law enforcement agencies.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: 

Selective Services System (SSS)

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962 will not be eligible for hire or promotion in the Other Personal Services (OPS) or Career Service, or appointment in the Selected Exempt Service (SES) or Senior Management Service (SMS) unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire.  For more information, please visit the Social Security website. 

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.