Associate Director of Special Education

KIPP SoCal Public Schools • Los Angeles, CA

2d

About The Position

The Associate Director of Special Education serves as the primary SPED leader for a portfolio of schools, ensuring strong alignment between instruction, IEPs, services, and student outcomes. This role leads both instructional quality and compliance implementation across the portfolio while coaching school teams, supporting complex student needs, and ensuring schools receive coordinated, responsive support. The Associate Director succeeds when schools experience SPED support as coherent, proactive, and deeply connected to student learning outcomes. The role sits on the Student Services team and reports to the Director of Special Education.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher learning is required
• Valid California credential for Preliminary or Clear Education Specialist (Mild/Moderate with Autism Authorization, Moderate/Severe, Mild to Moderate Support Needs or Extensive Support Needs) credential
• Possession of either BCLAD or CLAD certification highly desirable
• 4 years of successful and demonstrated case management skills required
• Minimum of 4 years of highly effective teaching experience demonstrating a strong track record of student performance gains with students with IEPs
• At least 2 of those years that include school leadership experience (e.g. managing, coaching)
• Minimum of 2 years overseeing special education programs across multiple school sites
• Knowledge of LAUSD special education policy, computer-based IEP, and Welligent preferred

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree with emphasis in special education highly preferred

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary SPED leader supporting a consistent portfolio of schools
• Build strong relationships with school leaders, SPED Team Chairs, teachers, and service providers
• Ensure schools receive coordinated, responsive support aligned to portfolio and organizational priorities
• Support schools in solving complex student, staffing, scheduling, and service delivery challenges
• Coach SPED Team Chairs, Resource & Inclusion Teachers, SDP teachers, and school leaders on instructional quality, inclusion practices, and IEP alignment
• Ensure IEPs, instruction, and services are aligned to student learning needs and grade-level expectations
• Support implementation of inclusion-focused instructional models and service delivery practices
• Monitor portfolio-wide trends in student outcomes, instructional quality, and implementation consistency
• Monitor implementation of compliance expectations, timelines, documentation, and service delivery requirements across schools
• Support schools in maintaining legally compliant and instructionally meaningful SPED systems
• Identify implementation gaps and proactively intervene to improve execution
• Ensure regional initiatives, tools, and systems are implemented consistently across the portfolio
• Support rollout of SPED initiatives, professional learning, and organizational priorities
• Facilitate training and onboarding aligned to SPED instructional and compliance expectations
• Partner across SPED, student services, mental health, and school leadership teams to ensure coherent implementation
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts and organizational problem solving

Benefits

• 100% of healthcare premium costs covered by employer, dependents added at 50% of cost
• Employer paid KIPP SoCal life insurance
• 401(k) plan with up to 6% match by KIPP SoCal
• Voluntary Benefits (Supplemental Life, Accident, Short Term Disability, Pet Insurance, etc.)
• Generous paid time off program includes 22 holidays, 10 sick days and 10 vacation days per year
• Other great benefits (Flexible spending account, EAP, etc.)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager