Easterseals Southern California transforms lives every day. For over a century, Easterseals has championed inclusion and independence—delivering essential services like early childhood programs, autism services, employment and independent living support to more than 29,000 people each year. Through advocacy and education, we break barriers and create opportunities for the one-in-four Americans with disabilities.
Starting Pay Range: $30 - 36/hr
OVERVIEW OF POSITION:
The Coach, ECE provides frontline instructional leadership, classroom stabilization, and professional development support for assigned early childhood education sites and staff through a research-based, coordinated coaching model. Using a Practice-Based Coaching approach, the Coach delivers real-time support, observation, modeling, reflective coaching, professional development, and classroom intervention to strengthen teacher effectiveness, classroom quality, child outcomes, and staff retention. The Coach proactively assesses classroom conditions, identifies risks and support needs, coordinates immediate interventions, and supports staff wellness and effectiveness, with child health and safety as the highest priority.
The Coach partners with Education Managers, Center Directors, Mental Health, Disabilities, Family Services, and Health staff to coordinate support for children, families, and teaching staff and to foster continuous improvement, reflective practice, relationship-based care, and non-punitive professional growth. In all responsibilities, the position demonstrates a strong commitment to ESSC’s mission and values by supporting a safe, compliant, and responsive workplace injury management process. In all responsibilities, the position demonstrates a strong commitment to ESSC’s mission and values by supporting a safe, compliant, and responsive workplace injury management process.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Provides immediate classroom wellness, safety, and stabilization support by assessing staffing stability, supervision, environmental risks, escalated behaviors, injuries, emotional climate, and urgent needs; serves as first-response instructional support during classroom crises or operational instability; reinforces active supervision, mandated reporting, emergency response, child safety, positive behavior supports, and post-incident stabilization.
- Implements Practice-Based Coaching through focused classroom observations, modeling, reflective debriefs, feedback, action planning, and progress monitoring aligned with individualized coaching goals, school readiness, curriculum implementation, CLASS domains, active supervision, child safety priorities, and child outcome data.
- Assesses staff strengths, classroom risks, support needs, and professional development priorities; develops individualized coaching and professional development plans; uses adult learning and reflective coaching practices to support non-punitive, relationship-centered growth; and helps staff complete annual professional development requirements.
- Collaborates with Education Managers, Center Directors, Mental Health, Disabilities, Family Services, Health staff, and other multidisciplinary partners to coordinate interventions; maintains CLASS reliability; analyzes CLASS, classroom, incident, coaching, and child outcome data; monitors school readiness outcomes; and designs and delivers training to strengthen evidence-based teaching practices and comprehensive programming.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
EDUCATION:
- Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, child development, or a related field.
- Must have 3 to 6 units of Infant/Toddler coursework from an accredited college with a grade of B or better.
- Child Development Permit (Master Teacher or higher), maintained with all ongoing educational requirements for permit and CDA compliance
- Current pediatric infant/toddler CPR First aid
- Food handler certification
- California-mandated Child Abuse Reporter Training and Pesticide Safety Training under the Healthy Schools Act completed before beginning work.
- All ESSC-required screenings and assessments obtained and maintained within 18 months of hire.
EXPERIENCE:
- Minimum of 3 years of experience working with infants, toddlers, and preschool children, plus a minimum of 3 years of successful documented experience providing technical assistance, training, coaching, or consultation.
- Experience must include observation, documentation, assessment, curriculum implementation, developmentally appropriate practice, high-quality early childhood learning environments, early childhood family services, and work with diverse families and very young children.
EXEPECTED NUMBER OF DIRECT REPORTS: 0
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:
- Knowledge of Head Start Program Performance Standards and applicable state regulations related to staff training, professional development, program operations, and research-based coaching.
- Knowledge of Practice-Based Coaching, adult learning principles, reflective supervision, and data-informed coaching methods.
- Knowledge of active supervision, child safety systems, developmental milestones, trauma-informed care, classroom stabilization, and positive behavior support.
- Ability to provide calm, effective leadership during classroom crises, behavioral escalations, safety incidents, and emotionally heightened situations.
- Ability to build collaborative, strengths-based partnerships that support staff growth and continuous improvement.
- Ability to analyze classroom and assessment data, incident trends, and coaching outcomes to identify needs and improve child outcomes.
- Must complete California-mandated Child Abuse Reporter Training and Pesticide Safety Training under the Healthy Schools Act before beginning work.
- Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, and Word.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
- Must obtain and maintain certification in all ESSC-required screenings and assessments within 18 months of hire.
- Ability to train and present effectively to large and small groups.
- Ability to interpret and implement requirements of the California Department of Education, Title 5 funding terms and conditions, Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Title 22, Head Start Performance Standards, and Easterseals policies and procedures.
- Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally and to work cooperatively with diverse individuals and groups.
- Ability to prioritize work, exercise sound judgment, and plan to meet timelines.
- Ability to pass a post-offer physical examination and TB test.
- Ability to provide all child development immunizations required by the State of California.
- Ability to obtain and maintain criminal record, fingerprint, Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and sex offender index clearances.
- Ability to travel locally with reliable transportation and maintain a driving record, auto insurance, and vehicle registration that meet Transportation Safety Standards.
- Follows applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures, and reports potential compliance or risk concerns through appropriate channels. Uses time, materials, equipment, and other resources responsibly and efficiently.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ADA:
Carrying/Lifting:
Occasional / 0 - 40 lbs.Standing:
Occasional / Up to 3 hours per day.
Sitting: Frequent / Up to 6 hours.
Walking: Occasional / Up to 3 hours per day.
Travel: This position requires up to 15% local travel.
Repetitive Motion/Activity: Keyboard activity, telephone use, writing.
Visual Acuity: Ability to view computer monitor and read newsprint.
Environmental Exposure: Regular exposure to unpleasantor hazardous working conditions (noise, heat, dust, bodily fluids, etc.) more than 50% of work time.
