Our Story
First Learning is one of North America's largest providers of high-quality, early education for children.
Starting in 1991, Care-a-lot opened its first childcare center in Greece, quickly earning a strong reputation for high-quality early childhood education. Over the years, this reputation fueled growth, leading to eight locations serving families across the Rochester community.
This growth continued in 2023 and 2024 with the addition of Generations Child Care and Storybook Academy.
Now operating under the parent company name First Learning, we celebrate a significant milestone in our journey. Our commitment to providing exceptional childcare services remains steadfast, earning us recognition among North America's top 50 for-profit childcare organizations by Exchange Magazine. As we continue to grow, we remain dedicated to maintaining the excellence that has defined our service to children and families for decades.
We care about YOU!
What we offer:
- Paid time off and paid holidays
- Discounted childcare
- Health insurance – including telehealth!
- Dental insurance
- Education assistance
- 401k
- Life insurance
- Employee referral program
- Employee assistance program
- Abundant opportunities for growth
Position Summary
The Education & Special Education Coordinator supports the overall quality of educational programming across multiple early childhood centers while coordinating services and supports for children with identified or suspected special needs. This role provides leadership in curriculum implementation, child assessment, staff development, family engagement, national accreditation efforts, and special education compliance. The Coordinator serves as a resource to teachers, families, administrators, and community partners to ensure all children receive high-quality, developmentally appropriate learning experiences in inclusive environments.
Essential Job Responsibilities:
- Educational Leadership & Program Quality
- Support the implementation and continuous improvement of curriculum, assessment practices, and instructional strategies across assigned centers.
Special Education Coordination
- Coordinate services for children with identified special needs and those referred for evaluation.
- Support implementation and monitoring of IEPs, IFSPs, and 504 Plans within inclusive early childhood settings.
- Collaborate with school districts, early intervention providers, therapists, and related service personnel to ensure appropriate delivery of services.
- Assist classroom staff in implementing accommodations, modifications, behavioral supports, and individualized learning strategies.
- Monitor compliance with federal, state, and local regulations regarding special education services.
- Participate in meetings related to evaluations, eligibility determinations, annual reviews, and transition planning as needed.
- Maintain confidential student records related to referrals, evaluations, service delivery, progress monitoring, and special education documentation.
- Track timelines for evaluations, referrals, service hours, and required reporting.
- Serve as a resource to families navigating the special education referral and service process.
- Assist in identifying children who may benefit from additional supports and facilitate referral processes when appropriate.
Family Engagement
- Build positive partnerships with families through ongoing communication and collaboration.
- Support teachers in conducting parent conferences and sharing child development information.
- Provide information and resources regarding child development, educational programming, and special education services.
- Facilitate parent workshops and informational sessions as appropriate.
- Maintain confidentiality while communicating professionally and effectively with families.
National Accreditation & Compliance
- Support efforts to achieve and maintain national accreditation standards.
- Ensure accreditation criteria are integrated into classroom practices and program operations.
- Assist with documentation, self-studies, action plans, and reporting required for accreditation.
- Educate staff on accreditation standards and best practices.
- Maintain current knowledge of regulatory requirements, educational standards, and industry best practices.
Professional Development
- Participate in a minimum of 30 hours of professional development during the first year and 24 hours annually thereafter.
- Attend local, regional, or state conferences related to early childhood education and special education.
- Stay current with company policies, OCFS regulations, accreditation standards, and applicable state and federal regulations.
- Develop and facilitate training opportunities for staff as assigned.
Communication & Collaboration
- Maintain effective communication with families, staff, administrators, school districts, and community agencies.
- Participate in leadership and coordinator meetings.
- Prepare written reports, correspondence, and documentation as required.
- Serve as a liaison between classrooms, families, service providers, and administration.
- Travel between centers as needed to support educational programming and special education services.
Other Responsibilities
- Assist with center operations as assigned, including opening and closing procedures.
- Serve as a model educator and leader for current and prospective staff.
- Perform additional duties as assigned to support program quality and organizational goals.
- Provide coaching, mentoring, and professional support to teaching staff to ensure high-quality educational practices and positive child outcomes.
- Conduct regular classroom observations and provide feedback to teachers regarding instructional quality, classroom management, and child engagement.
- Ensure classroom environments are developmentally appropriate, inclusive, organized, and aligned with company standards, OCFS regulations, and national accreditation criteria.
- Monitor implementation of child assessments and ensure assessment data is used to inform instruction and individualized learning goals.
- Coordinate bi-annual child assessments and ensure documentation is maintained in accordance with program and regulatory requirements.
- Review children's portfolios and classroom documentation to ensure compliance with accreditation and school district standards.
- Support Program Directors in developing educational improvement plans and achieving program goals.
- Assist with onboarding, training, and mentoring new teaching staff.
- Collaborate with center leadership to identify educational needs and implement strategies that support continuous quality improvement.
Requirements
Education:
- Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Child Development, or a related field required. Master's degree preferred. New York State certification in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, or related teaching certification preferred.
Knowledge:
- Working knowledge of the regulatory environment including National Accreditation Criteria. Strong understanding of child development, curriculum implementation, assessment practices, special education processes, inclusion, and early childhood regulations.
Experience:
- Minimum 3 years of experience in early childhood education, including classroom leadership experience. Experience with special education services, IEPs, IFSPs, and inclusive programming preferred.
Skills:
- Demonstrate an advanced understanding of instructional strategies for students with special needs. Extensive background knowledge with IEP management. Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of colleagues, parents, families, and community organizations. Be committed to meeting the needs of a diverse student population. Have a track record of being a team player and community minded. Strong leadership and organizational skills. Model behaviors that support the overall philosophy and design of the organization. Strong aptitude for directing and motivating people. Must possess initiative and program management skills. Flexible to varied assignments and willingness to take direction from others.
Physical/Mental Abilities:
- Substantial problem solving in response to program challenges. Ability to apply principles of appropriate programming in daily practice. Ability to act quickly in emergency situations.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $20.00 - $25.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
