High School Special Education Director

Cherry Creek Schools•Centennial, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations, this role ensures excellence in student achievement by providing districtwide leadership for the design and execution of programming and services for students with disabilities. The Director will supervise and monitor the Special Education Team, serving as a visionary for the continuous improvement of services for students with disabilities. This position is responsible for ensuring compliance with all local, state, and federal laws, regulations, policies, reporting, and budget. The Director will work closely with the Special Education Leadership Team to implement and oversee special education initiatives, overseeing services from birth through 21 years of age, with position assignments including elementary and secondary levels. The role also includes serving as a member of the Administration Council (AdCo).

Requirements

Master’s degree in education with a focus in administration/leadership or special education.
Successful experience as a special educator.
Demonstrated skills for organizing, coordinating, and evaluating special education programs and services.
Demonstrated skills in leadership, collaboration, communication, teamwork and public relations
Demonstrated ability to inspire vision, motivate excellence in instruction, facilitate district-wide collaboration and decision making, and model service-oriented administration.
Demonstrated ability to work with other District leaders and building principals.
Demonstrated ability to supervise people and educational programs effectively across all levels in a site-based leadership environment.
Knowledge of IDEA, Cherry Creek School District policies, and Colorado Academic Standards.
Knowledge of standards-based education, Professional Learning Communities, Culturally Responsive Education, Innovation, and implications for best practice.
Demonstrated understanding of adult learning theory, change management and program development/educational reform.
Demonstrated skill in working with staff, parents/guardians, and students on issues related to special education.
Ability to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the job.
Ability to maintain a high level of knowledge regarding developing special education issues, changes in the laws and case law, and educational methods of educating students with disabilities.
Criminal background check and fingerprinting required for hire.
Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Administrator/Principal license
CDE Special Education Director (ages 0-21) endorsement
Colorado driver’s license

Nice To Haves

Successful experience as a school principal or central district director.
Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Racially conscious and culturally competent with the skill, will, capacity, and knowledge to commit to a culture of continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership to ensure the development of effective and appropriate special education programs across a continuum of services. Develop and monitor proposals and new programs to meet district goals and needs of special education students.
Collaborate with school-level teams and district leadership to ensure compliance with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), problem-solve, and provide guidance on programming.
Ensure Child Find, Early Childhood Education, K-12 schools and Transition follow all state and federal regulations relative to the identification, placement, and program development for special education students.
Hire, supervise, and evaluate special education coordinators, teachers (including Vision and Teachers of the Deaf), special service providers (Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Physical Therapists), and district teams (such as TBI, Autism, Assessment, ELA Special Education, Assistive Technology), including charter school staff.
Oversee the professional development for all special education staff across all disciplines.
Direct, oversee, and supervise Adaptive Programs, Transition, Home Hospital, and Extended School Year.
Manage fiscal resources from the general fund and special education grants. Collaborate on budget preparation, direct spending, and monitor maintenance of effort for the purpose of fiscal efficiency in providing required services.
Determine FTE for all building and district-wide special education including charter schools.
Assist in developing various reports, including data reports requested by both state and federal agencies for the funding of special education including overseeing December count, discipline reports, end-of-year count, and compliance reports for state indicators.
Develop procedures and systems for the identification, evaluation, and placement of students suspected to have or identified with special education disabilities and maintenance of special education student files.
Maintain a high level of knowledge regarding developing special education issues, changes in law and case law, and educational methods of educating students with disabilities.
Oversee and represent the school district in dealing with outside agencies and organizations that provide services to students for the purpose of offering Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
Along with legal counsel, represent the district in matters relating to mediation or due process.
Perform other related duties as assigned or requested.