Operations / Administration Director of Special Education
Job Description
Description:
Director of Special Education
Job Summary:
The Director of Special Education is primarily responsible for the implementation of Special Education (SpEd) programming and aligning District priorities and resources to support student achievement as it relates to students with disabilities within the District’s education system. SpEd Director works with Coordinators, Principals, Central Administration, and outside agencies in efforts to increase student achievement by promoting an aligned and coherent learning system and a responsiveness to alternative and changing educational pathways. Employee provides support and leadership to special education staff, the early childhood and pre-school education teams, and all Special Service Providers. Position is also responsible for the department’s overall compliance with special education record keeping and significant reporting requirements as well as utilizing data-driven decision making to continuously drive District and building level improvements for students with disabilities. In addition, and as assigned, this position may also oversee a variety of applicable operational duties including developing support services, and managing financial budgets and obligations.
DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION DELIVERY:
A primary responsibility for the Special Education Director is to actively collaborate with District leadership, building leaders, coaches, facilitators, specialists, and community stakeholders in the development of annual goals and action plans for ensuring ALL D51 curriculum is cohesive and consist with the D51 Learning Model and through an alignment with our Teaching and Learning Framework. Duties and expectations of the Curriculum Director toward this organizational goal include all content areas including electives:
- Supporting teachers, and site leaders in the development and implementation of systematic systems that ensure ALL special education students advance toward mastery of their Individual Education Plans and D51 Standards;
- Collaborating and brainstorming with the Instructional Leadership Teams to provide a consistent approach to instructional priorities and to ensure essential resources and support for teachers and special service providers;
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- Providing leadership to the Special Education Coordinators in the implementation of specific content curricula, in conducting analysis, and in the development of assessment tools;
- Using data to analyze the current status of student learning and to serve as a catalyst for benchmark of growth and continuous improvement;
- Working as a change leader in support of district initiatives, school innovation, and the pursuit of positive student outcomes.
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- Engaging with internal and external stakeholders to promote schools’ efforts to support ALL learners through implementation of our Teaching and Learning Framework this position has a significant requirement to:
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- Remain current with special educational developments and the literature in the educational field participating in the affairs of state and national professional organizations devoted to the advancement of special education curricula and instruction methods;
- Facilitate District committees, unit teams, and school teams in the accomplishment of tasks related to the District goals for special education goals,
- Regularly submit scheduled data, reports, and communications while maintaining a variety of manual and electronic files/records meeting all compliance requirements.
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- Assuring the on-going monitoring, evaluation and improvements necessary for special education student growth and achievement. Working with instructional directors to align and enhance services to students, this position will evaluate the effectiveness of programming for students with disabilities.
- Developing, implementing and providing coordination and monitoring of programs and staffing levels that enhance student growth and achievement. Duties include but are not limited to directing programs, writing Federal applications and compliance for all programs assigned to this role.
- Addressing stakeholder questions and concerns as it relates to students with disabilities including policies, procedures, methodologies and discipline in addition to other topics. Mediating between parents, other staff members, and community stakeholders the Director champions the best options in serving students with disabilities.
STAFF SUPERVISION AND DEVELOPMENT
This position directly oversees and supervises Certified and Classified staff in accordance with District policies and applicable laws. The Director is charged with applying a staff development program that recognizes and supports both:
- Student success as the primary focus;
- And intertwines the applied principles of collaborative adult learning;
These duties encompass an expectation to develop other supervisors of certified and classified staff and include:
- Working one on one with Coordinators to grow their instructional leadership capacity and to ensure that they have the support to attain effectiveness on the leadership standards;
- Providing and brokering high quality research-based professional learning based on individual and group learning needs;
- Modeling effective communication and engagement practices through high quality written and oral communication with site leaders and district staff including well-written supervisory documents, office communication, and daily correspondence.
In addition, supervising and evaluating is conducted in the framework of instructional program goals and expectations including a variety of human resources responsibilities but not limited to:
- Interviewing, hiring, training, promoting, planning, and assigning work;
- Conducting performance evaluations and instilling a motivational leadership culture within the District,
- Coaching decisiveness in taking and communicating appropriate remedial actions regarding employee performance and conduct,
- Addressing employee/student complaints and concerns and resolving problems
Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Special Education or School Psychology with a preference given for Doctorate degree in special education or related field.
- * (Acceptable equivalent will be at the sole discretion of the District)
- Minimum of five years of experience in building administration roles or progressively responsible instructional based administration;
- Minimum of two years working with students with disabilities;
- Attend and successfully complete all staff development training as required by state law or as directed by the Superintendent.
- Ability to obtain valid Colorado Department of Education Special Education Director’s license
- Valid Colorado driver’s license or valid Colorado Identification required;
- Criminal background check required for hire.
Working Conditions:
260 days / year
Application Procedure:
Apply Online
Selection Procedure:
Position is posted Wednesday, January 31st and will close Sunday, February 25th @ 11:59pm.
In person interviews will be conducted once the position closes and candidates are selected.
Salary & Benefits:
$123,730 – $188,971
*Salary placement commensurate with experience
Information regarding D51 Benefits can be found here: https://www.d51schools.org/employment/current_employees/employee_benefits
