ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Special Education with English as a Second Language/Bilingual Expertise

Tenure Track, nine-month appointment beginning August 16, 2023

To demonstrate its commitment to our core values, ISU has committed $4.5 million over a five-year period (2022-2027) to develop an incentive program with the goal of attracting candidates who advance our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment characterized by cultural understanding and engagement, ethical behavior, and a commitment to social justice.

The Department of Special Education invites applications for one tenure-track position at the Assistant/Associate level beginning August 16, 2023. We are seeking qualified candidates with a specialization in Special Education with English as a Second Language and/or Bilingual Expertise.

The Department of Special Education and the College of Education are committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community. ISU recognizes that a diverse faculty, staff, and student body enriches the educational experiences of the entire campus and greater community. Candidates must have demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and access in teaching, research, and service. ISU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.  Persons with disabilities, people of color, women, veterans, and members of underserved/underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply.

Required Qualifications: To be considered, applicants must:

1. Hold a terminal degree in a field of education (i.e., Special Education) or related field; however, exceptional A.B.D. candidates will also be considered with expected completion of their doctoral degree before May 15, 2024. Have demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and access in their teaching, research, and service through: a) the ability to work with, and be sensitive to, the educational needs of students from a diverse population, including prior experience teaching and/or mentoring students from diverse cultural backgrounds and underserved populations; b) intellectual contributions focused on the education of culturally diverse and underserved populations; c) demonstrated commitment to collaborative work related to individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and underserved populations. Have evidence of experience teaching in P-12 education. Demonstrate expertise in teaching and/or scholarship focused on culturally and linguistically responsive assessments and/or instruction. This work should focus on learners with and without disabilities who are bilingual and/or learning a second language in P-12 education. This expertise should demonstrate the unique ways in which language, culture, identity, and disability intersect and influence teaching and learning. Be able to demonstrate oral proficiency in the English language as a requirement for this position, as mandated by state law.

Responsibilities include scholarly research/publishing, effective undergraduate and graduate teaching, and service. The normal teaching load is nine credit hours per semester. The individual in this position is thus expected to teach 3 courses each semester in the Department of Special Education.

Salary, Rank and Tenure: The position is a nine-month, tenure track appointment with the possibility of summer teaching. Salary and rank are commensurate with qualifications and experience. The locus of annual evaluation, tenure, and promotion in rank will be in the Department of Special Education. A comprehensive benefits package is included.

The Department of Special Education/College of Education (SED/COE) has built a strong reputation for scholarly work in the field of education as the fourth largest producer of teachers in the nation boasting a pool of approximately 40 tenure and non-tenure track faculty in the department of special education. The department enrolls approximately 700 undergraduate and 150 graduate students each year across seven different majors in special education. The College of Education hosts three Departments including: Educational Administration and Foundation (EAF), Teaching and Learning (TCH), and Special Education. The College of Education is well positioned for research and school collaborations with easy access to both urban and rural districts with additional opportunities for research in the university-supported K12 laboratory school. For more information about our program visit: Department of Special Education.

As one of the largest producers of teachers in the nation, ISU is positioned at the crossroads of urban and rural communities with a need to produce teachers who can serve in a variety of settings. Our department has an immense responsibility to produce high quality teachers that can meet the diverse needs of students today. One area of importance is meeting the needs of students who are bilingual and with special needs. Research shows that these students have a critical need for support that can be mediated by highly trained professionals. Therefore, we desire to find faculty with expertise and a deep understanding of the issues faced by this population. For example, research shows that programming must prepare special education candidates so that they are well equipped to address the needs of monolingual/monocultural students with disabilities. Further, programming must emphasize language development for bi/multilingual and bi/multicultural students with and without disabilities. Therefore, to serve emergent bilingual students with disabilities, our special education candidates must possess skills and knowledge to attend to unique ways in which language, culture, identity, and disability intersect and influence teaching and learning especially in the early childhood years. Another dimension of effective practice in bilingual/ESL special education relates to knowledge about language and linguistics. Research and professional organizations have identified proficiency in two or more language/dialects, abilities to assess language development within and across languages/dialects, and knowledge of second language acquisition theories. Finally, we desire to strengthen our faculty expertise to meet recently described competencies for all literacy teachers who serve emergent bilingual students who have, or are at risk for, language and/or literacy related disability difficulties. These include understanding developmental stages of literacy and biliteracy, valuing and promoting bilingualism/biliteracy, and recognizing the influences of organizational cultures on teaching and learning.

Illinois State University: Illinois State University http://www.illinoisstate.edu, founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois. There are approximately 21,000 students in the six colleges of Illinois State University. In our most recent strategic plan Educate ∙ Connect ∙ Elevate, we have committed our resources to realizing seven core values: Learning and Scholarship, Diversity and Inclusion, Respect, Collaboration, Individualized Attention, Civic Engagement, and Integrity. By acting on these values, we create a learning environment that results in our University being the first-choice public university in Illinois for high-achieving, motivated students who seek an individualized educational experience combined with the resources of a large university. Also visit the University’s metrics of excellence at (http://illinoisstate.edu/pointsofpride/).

Bloomington-Normal Community: Illinois State University is located in the growing twin cities of Bloomington and Normal, with a metro population of approximately 172,000. The community is also home to Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College, St. Joseph Medical Center, Carle BroMenn Medical Center, COUNTRY Financial, State Farm Insurance’s International Headquarters, Central Illinois Regional Airport, and electric truck manufacturer Rivian Motors. The community has distinguished itself for its outstanding school systems and its citizens’ high level of educational attainment, as well as its parks and recreation, health care, vibrant fine arts scene, job growth, economic opportunity, historic sites, and low crime rates. SmartAsset ranked Bloomington IL, in the top 20 of the most livable cities in the U.S. (2022). Zippia named Bloomington, IL, as #1 on their “Happiest Cities” list (2020), and Best Choice Schools listed the area on its “30 Small College Towns with Great Quality of Life” (2020). Bloomington-Normal is conveniently located about three hours from Indianapolis, two hours from both Chicago and St. Louis, and an hour from Peoria, Champaign-Urbana, Decatur, and Springfield; many of these locations are accessible from Bloomington-Normal via the Amtrak located 1 block from ISU’s campus. For more information on our community, please visit (http://visitbn.org/).

Application Procedure: Review of applications will begin Nov. 21, 2022 and continue until the position is filled. Applicants should submit an initial online faculty application referring to posting number 514505. To do this, visit (www.IllinoisState.edu/jobs/) where applicants must submit a complete application packet by uploading the requisite documents, which include: 1) letter of application; 2) 1-2 page statement on how your teaching, research and service demonstrate a commitment to EDI based on ISU’s definitions of equity, diversity, and inclusion; examples might include scholarly work, efforts to improve access to higher education for underrepresented individuals or groups, or other contributions to diverse communities. 3) 1-2 page document describing your teaching philosophy and research agenda; 4) curriculum vitae; and 5) the names and contact details of three references. Applications will be considered incomplete until all required items are uploaded and will not be reviewed until complete applications are received by the committee. If any applicant has questions about the position, please contact Dr. Mindy Ely (msely@ilstu.edu).