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Posted: January 7, 2026 (8 days ago)

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Program Specialist 2 - Special Education

State of Washington

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Recent

Location

Washington, 98504

Salary

$45,024 - $60,132

per year

Closes

January 22, 2026More State jobs →

Job Description

Summary

This job involves supporting early childhood special education programs by providing guidance, resources, and technical assistance to schools and districts in Washington state to ensure young children with disabilities receive quality education.

A good fit would be someone passionate about equity in education, with experience in special education or early childhood development, who enjoys collaborating with educators and families to improve outcomes for students.

The role offers a mix of office work in Olympia and flexible telework, making it suitable for those who value work-life balance while residing in Washington.

Key Requirements

  • Washington state residency required
  • Experience in early childhood special education or related field
  • Knowledge of special education laws, policies, and best practices
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills for working with schools, families, and communities
  • Ability to provide technical assistance and resources to educators
  • Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in education
  • Flexibility for initial in-office training (3 days/week) with partial telework eligibility thereafter

Full Job Description





GENERAL SERVICE

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT


Program Specialist 2 - Early Childhood Special Education


$45,024 - $60,132 annually


Closes January 21,2026


The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) seeks to fill Early Childhood Special Education Program Specialist - 2.

This full-time permanent position is based in Olympia, Washington. This position may be eligible for partial to near full-time telework. Telework is a combination of in-building and off-site days.

During your initial training period you will be required to be in the office 3 days a week.

After you’ve completed your initial training, you may have the option to work from home on a flexible telework schedule.

While we’re happy to offer this balance of in-office connection and telework flexibility, this isn’t a fully remote position. To be eligible, you’ll also need to reside in the state of Washington.

We encourage interested candidates to visit the OSPI website to gain insight into our agency.


About OSPI and our initiatives

OSPI is the primary agency charged with overseeing public K–12 education in Washington state.

Working with the state's 295 public school districts and 7 state-tribal education compact schools, OSPI allocates funding and provides tools, resources, and technical assistance so every student in Washington is provided a high-quality public education.


At OSPI, we recognize that our employees are the key to the success of the agency. We are committed to our work but value the balance with our personal lives.

We demonstrate our commitment to employees by providing an environment that stimulates professional growth and values them for their expertise.

OSPI is a great place to work and has several initiatives to help create a great working environment, including:


  • We support a healthy work/life balance by offering flexible/alternative work schedules and mobile and telework options. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
  • We have an Infant at Work Program that is based on long-term values of newborns and infant-parent bonding. Eligible employees who are new parents or legal guardians can bring their infant (six weeks to six months) when returning to work. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
  • We value and are actively involved in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within OSPI by way of cross-divisional, collaborative committee.

    The focus of the committee includes employee engagement and education; reinforcing OSPI values; and maximizing the value of diversity and identifying strategies for inclusion.


Vision, Mission, and Values Vision: All students prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement.

Mission: Transform K-12 education to a system that is centered on closing opportunity gaps and is characterized by high expectations for all students and educators.

We achieve this by developing equity-based policies and supports that empower educators, families, and communities.


Values: Ensuring Equity, Collaboration and Service, Achieving Excellence through Continuous Improvement, Focus on the Whole Child


Equity

Each student, family, and community possesses strengths and cultural knowledge that benefits their peers, educators, and schools. Ensuring educational equity:

  • Goes beyond equality; it requires education leaders to examine the ways current policies and practices result in disparate outcomes for our students of color, students living in poverty, students receiving special education and English Learner services, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and highly mobile student populations.
  • Requires education leaders to develop an understanding of historical contexts; engage students, families, and community representatives as partners in decision-making; and actively dismantle systemic barriers, replacing them with policies and practices that ensure all students have access to the instruction and support they need to succeed in our schools.


Position Overview

The Program Specialist supports cross-system coordination between Early Learning and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE).

This position aligns early learning, special education, and K–12 systems to promote statewide inclusionary practices, seamless PreK–3 transitions, and improvement efforts.

The role ensures ECSE/EL initiatives are integrated into Washington’s Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, improving outcomes for children and families.


Key Responsibilities

  • Coordination & Communication
  • Plan and schedule cross-agency meetings between ECSE and EL by scheduling virtual and in-person sessions, reserving meeting spaces, assisting in preparing and maintaining agendas, sending invitations, and distributing materials.
  • Document meetings and statewide initiatives by capturing notes, tracking action items, and maintaining project documentation in SharePoint/OneDrive.
  • Manage communication channels (email lists, Teams) to ensure consistent messaging, timely updates, and aligned resource sharing between OSPI divisions, ESDs, and community partners.
  • Data Management & Reporting
  • Enter program data into PIDS, and organization spreadsheets, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
  • Assist in administration of the PIDS platform.
  • Prepare data visualizations and reports from PIDS and other pertinent platforms, to inform the ECSE/EL teams in their continuous improvement efforts.
  • Implementation Support
  • Support professional development events by coordinating logistics such as registration, training materials, technology setup, and participant communication.
  • Maintaining records of training participation and coaching cycles.
  • Assist program staff with program monitoring by preparing documentation, organizing evidence, and following up with districts and partners.
  • Collaboration & Representation
  • Represent ECSE/EL priorities by actively participating in statewide workgroups, advisory councils, and interagency initiatives.
  • Develop shared resources (guidance documents, toolkits, communication templates) in collaboration with state agencies, districts, and ESD teams.
  • Serve as a liaison between OSPI and local partners by answering questions, clarifying guidance, and escalating issues as appropriate.
  • Other Duties
  • Contribute to division-wide projects such as cross-office initiatives.
  • Engage in professional learning (e.g., trainings, conferences, webinars) to strengthen knowledge of MTSS, inclusionary practices, and early childhood frameworks.
  • Support supervisor-directed assignments such as drafting correspondence, reviewing materials, or preparing briefing notes.


Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in early childhood special education (ECSE), Special Education, or a directly related field; OR 4+ years of Early Childhood Special Education experience.
  • Knowledge of IDEA Part B Section 619 and early learning systems.
  • Experience managing/analyzing education-related data.
  • Strong organizational and logistical coordination skills.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication.
  • Commitment to equity-centered and anti-racist practices.


Desired Qualifications:

  • Experience supporting statewide/regional initiatives.
  • Familiarity with WAPM, BB4B, MTSS, and UDL frameworks.
  • Experience using data for continuous improvement.
  • Bilingual/multilingual skills (Spanish, Somali, Russian, Vietnamese, Marshallese.


CompensationThe annual compensation for the position is $45,024 - $60,132 per year and depends upon experience, educational background and qualifications.

Geographic differentials may be applied based on work location of successful candidate.

Washington State offers a generous benefit package including health, dental and life insurance, retirement and an optional deferred compensation program.

Please visit Health Care Authority for information regarding health benefits and the Department of Retirement Systems for retirement plan information. This is a general service position.

This position is not represented by a bargaining unit.


Application Process

Those interested in this position must apply through Careers.wa.gov. Applications must include the following documents in MS Word or PDF format:


  • A letter of interest specifically addressing the qualifications listed in this announcement;
  • A current résumé, and;
  • A list of three or more professional references.


NOTE: Your resume and letter of interest must be attached to your application. Please confirm they are attached before you submit.


Please address any questions to:

Sal Salazar, Human Resources

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
600 Washington Street Southeast
Olympia, Washington 98504-7200

360-725-6278: sal.salazar@k12.wa.us

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact the Human Resources Office at (360) 725-6270 or (360) 725-6066, or e-mail hroffice@k12.wa.us.


New Jobs Alert Service

OSPI offers a subscription service, which regularly notifies subscribers of new OSPI employment opportunities on careers.wa.gov. Subscribers are notified via text or email alert. If you are interested in this service, then please subscribe at this location.


OSPI is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from job seekers who will contribute to our diversity.

OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.

If you would like, please include your name and gender pronouns in your application, to ensure we address you appropriately throughout the application process.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact the human resource consultant listed in “Application Process.”

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Posted on NEOGOV: 1/7/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/8/2026

Source: NEOGOV | ID: neogov-washington-5188500