Purpose Statement
To work collaboratively with school personnel to develop and implement positive support plans for students with challenging behavior; provide support and professional learning to teachers, school staff, and instructional assistants in appropriate behavior intervention techniques. The BCBA is required to adhere to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board Guidelines for Responsible Conduct.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Develop materials/resources and provide professional learning to administrators, educators, and instructional assistants in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and /or other evidence-based methodologies related to addressing the needs of students with challenging behavior.
Plan and oversee the development and implementation of programs, policies, and best practices related to instruction using the principles of ABA.
Conduct Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA) for individual students (as outlined by the assigned school division) and collaborate in the development of Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP).
Create and assist school staff with the development of behavior plans, ABA programs, and other appropriate programs for students that present skill deficits (e.g., communication and adaptive behavior) and problem behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injurious behavior), among others.
Assist in the management of behavior that is deemed unsafe.
Work directly with students who exhibit inappropriate behaviors and provide support and professional learning for staff that work with such students.
Design and implement data collection systems and assist in interpretation of data.
Provide training, professional development, and coaching on effective behavior interventions and strategies.
Cooperate with staff and administration to promote a positive organizational climate.
Work with classroom teachers and instructional assistants to model effective behavioral and instructional programming.
Other Functions as relevant
Provide necessary supervision BCBA and BCaBA candidates, as well as Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) within the school division, as deemed appropriate by the assigned division.
Provide necessary supervision for Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) to maintain certification as deemed appropriate by the assigned division.
Serve as a supervisor to assigned intern(s) from local universities as determined by the Director of SVRP and/or the Special Education Administrator of the assigned division.
Collect data and prepare a variety of reports for the purpose of documenting case history, assessments, and treatment.
Travel from site to site and participate in IEP meetings and other meetings as necessary.
Perform related duties as assigned.
Participate in and complete Competent Learner Model (CLM) coach certification as determined by the Director of SVRP and/or the Special Education Administrator of assigned division. This function may be considered an essential job responsibility depending on the assigned school division.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Possess ability to establish rapport and work constructively with staff, students, parents, and administration.
Possess knowledge of related assessments and their analysis/interpretation in regard to student behavior.
Demonstrate the ability to present analytical data in an articulate manner to a variety of audiences, including oral presentation and written reports.
Possess leadership qualities and effective organization skills.
Possess an understanding of various disabilities and best practices for working with such students.
Qualifications / Education and Experience
Masters level degree or higher in a Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) approved field
BCBA Certified / Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA)
Minimum of two years experience in a related field preferred
Demonstrate the leadership qualities and personal characteristics necessary for working effectively with students, teachers, administrators, and parents.
Other Qualification conditions
Superior candidates with requisite coursework and fieldwork near completion in addition to commensurate experience can be considered for this position. Candidates would be required to complete fieldwork, coursework, and exam eligibility within one calendar year of hire and would be considered a Behavior Specialist until licensure requirements have been met.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
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. While performing this job, the employee is regularly required to move; stand; run; walk; frequently change physical positions, stoop, or bend; sit on the floor and transition from the floor to standing; use hands to touch and grasp; reach with hand; and lift up to 40 pounds. The employee must have the ability to move quickly to keep pace with children and have the stamina to remain alert and energetic during interactions with students, teachers/staff, and parents. Daily personal and close contact with children to provide classroom management and learning environment support is required. Regular contact with staff members, administration, and parents is required. Movement of students by wheelchairs and other mechanical devices may be required. The employee is required to obtain and maintain MANDT certification.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Duties performed typically in school settings to include classrooms, gyms, cafeteria, auditorium and recreational areas. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. The BCBA will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other related duties as assigned by the appropriate administrator. Shenandoah Valley Regional Program for Special Education reserves the right to update, revise or change this job description and related duties at any time. This description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions; it does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.
Evaluation
Although an employee of SVRP, the school division’s special education administrator where the BCBA is assigned will complete necessary evaluations as outlined by that school division. The Director of SVRP may elicit feedback from other professionals in the assigned division to facilitate the evaluation process.