Job Description

Open Position: Executive Director of Exceptional Student Services

Broad Scope of Position:

The Executive Director provides leadership, strategic direction, and supervision to the Exceptional Student Services Unit (ESSU).  This position serves as the State Director of Special Education, providing oversight for the administration of the federal IDEA and state ECEA programs, including the Office of Gifted Education and the Office of Approved Facility Schools.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree or higher in special education or related field;
• Successful experience as a leader of special education at the local or state level;
• Demonstrated knowledge of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA);
• Knowledge of gifted education and approved facility schools;
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal;
• Leadership skills that include leading a professional staff, working with multiple perspectives, engaging stakeholders, collaborating with others, and facilitating  improved systems and outcomes for every student;
• Proven ability to lead, implement, and monitor large-scale, multi-unit projects with accountability for measurable outcomes;
• Successful administrative and management experience leading a change effort, including proven planning and execution skills;
• Demonstrated ability to work through ambiguity and problem-solve to bring clarity to roles and tasks to meet deliverables;
• Ability to collaborate among diverse constituent groups and across multiple work teams;
• Strong customer service orientation;
• Knowledge of and experience in using data to inform decisions, create work plans, and evaluate return on investment;
• Ability and willingness to travel; and,
• The ability to pass a background check, which includes a motor vehicle records search.

Preferred Qualifications:                                                

• Special Education Director Endorsement (or equivalent);
• Demonstrated knowledge of Colorado’s Exceptional Students Education Act (ECEA);
• Experience managing large federal grants and planning/monitoring budgets;
• Demonstrated culturally competent  leadership;
• Knowledge of current education reform initiatives; and,
• Experience with Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Facilitate the leadership of the ESSU in implementing technical assistance, guidance, professional learning, general supervision, and monitoring;
• Provide focused leadership and strategic direction for the implementation of the rules, regulations, and procedures of the IDEA and the ECEA;
• Enact the vision of the ESSU aligned with the Colorado Department of Education’s goals;
• Oversee fiscal monitoring and potential leveraging of available funding streams; ensure the timely submission of the Federal application and administration of the Federal formula grant;
• Coordinate with other CDE units to ensure timely distribution of federal and state funding; provide oversight to ensure that funds are expended effectively, efficiently, allowably, and as approved;
• Collaborate with other CDE units and serve as a member of the Commissioner’s Cabinet to implement CDE achievement initiatives and activities in support of CDE strategic priorities;
• Collaborate with other CDE units in partnerships for development or delivery of services and materials for the field;
• Support the work of the Colorado Special Education Advisory Committee, Gifted Education State Advisory Committee and other strategic partners;
• Ensure the timely resolution of formal legal disputes between administrative units and families of students with disabilities;
• Actively collaborate with administrative units, approved facility schools, and other state agencies on behalf of students with exceptional learning needs and their families;
• Work with national and federal partners, including the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), OSEP-funded Technical Assistance Centers, and the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), to improve services for students with exceptionalities;
• Collaborate with the Office of Learning Supports to implement a consistent Multi-Tiered System of Supports across Colorado; and,
• Provide information to Colorado’s General Assembly regarding education legislation as directed by the Commissioner of Education.
• Other duties as assigned.

How to Apply

Dear Applicant, Thank you for your interest in employment with the Colorado Department of Education. To be considered for this position, a completed CDE employment application on the CDE Employment Website, along with a cover letter and a resume must be submitted.   If you are selected for an interview, you can expect to hear from us. Thank you again for the time invested in completing our employment application. Best Wishes, CDE Human Resources Team

Bureaus: Colorado. Job Categories: Full-Time. Job Types: Research and Policy. Salaries: 100,000 and above.