Director of Special Education (00060)

State of Montana • Helena, MT

2d

About The Position

In the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) and under the administrative direction of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Deputy Superintendent, Chief Program Officer, and the Senior Manager for Safety and Student Supports, the Director of Special Education is responsible for ensuring that children age three through twenty-two with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) as mandated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Director administers OPI’s Special Education Unit and provides leadership to local education agencies (LEAs), special education cooperatives, and state facilities, which provide special education programs and services to children with disabilities.

Requirements

• Knowledge of special education, early childhood, and gifted and talented education laws.
• Skilled in strategic, tactical, and analytical evaluation.
• Skilled in understanding the interrelationship of legislation, rulemaking, local operation issues, large-scale assessment, statistics, and public relations.
• Skilled in oral and written communication.
• Ability to build strong interpersonal and professional relationships with high-ranking officials.
• Ability to prioritize and manage budgets.
• Special education teaching endorsement.
• Minimum of 5 years of teaching experience.
• Master’s degree in special education, educational leadership/program administration.
• Minimum of 3 years supervision/management experience.
• Other combinations of education and experience will be considered case-by-case.

Responsibilities

• Administers OPI’s Special Education Unit
• Provides leadership to local education agencies (LEAs), special education cooperatives, and state facilities

Benefits

• Work/life balance
• Family friendly
• Dedicated and caring colleagues
• Health coverage
• Retirement plans
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and Holidays (combination of up to 38 per year)
• Opportunities and room for professional growth
• Public service loan forgiveness-Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees