Special Education Coordinator

ReNEW Schools • New Orleans, LA

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Special Education Coordinator (SEC) is an integral part of the school leadership team, responsible for coaching Teacher Case Managers (TCMs) and ensuring compliant legal processes that facilitate student achievement and teacher development. This position primarily supports students in grades 5-8. The SEC plays a critical role in enhancing individual student programs and the overall special education service delivery for ReNEW Schools. The role requires strong data analysis skills and the ability to manage multiple stakeholders and competing priorities. The Special Education Coordinator will report to their School Leader & Director of Compliance.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• At least three years of effective teaching experience.
• At least one year of experience as an SEC with a record of clean audits.
• Belief that students with exceptionalities can thrive and succeed given the appropriate tools.
• Keen eye for data analysis.
• Ability to work with multiple stakeholders on competing priorities.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze data.
• Ability to provide feedback to staff.
• Ability to advocate for all students.
• Ability to build systems.
• Experience successfully managing a team of adults.
• Growth mindset – the belief that all students are capable of making progress.
• History propelling the success of students with different learning needs.

Nice To Haves

• Master's level degree preferred.
• Previous Special Education teaching experience.
• Previous leadership experience.
• Candidates holding an M.Ed, MAT, or other advanced degrees.

Responsibilities

• Ensures compliant special education files and tracks all relevant evaluations and documents for all students with exceptionalities in partnership with Teacher Case Managers (TCMs).
• Manages all student evaluation and individualized education plan (IEP) timelines.
• Attends and ODRs all Student Evaluation Plan (SEP) and IEP meetings.
• Manages Special Education Report (SER) system, including completing jurisdiction/records requests for new and exiting students.
• Reviews and provides feedback on IEPs utilizing ReNEW’s Case Compliance Rubric.
• Finalizes and submits all IEPs to SER and runs all students through SER monthly to check names and UID #.
• Pulls and reviews SER reports monthly for various compliance checks.
• Ensures TCMs have updated usernames/passwords and that all service providers are accurate for each student with exceptionalities (SWE) on the caseload.
• Adds services with the appropriate case manager at the start of the school year.
• Meets with the nurse to action plan and ensure compliant health services, scheduling monthly meetings.
• Meets with the school psychologist to action plan and ensure compliant evaluations, scheduling weekly meetings.
• Monitors and oversees monthly IEP Filing Deadlines, including service logs, communication logs, behavior tracking, SchoolRunner Progress Reports, STEP, F & P, etc.
• Creates IEP files for new students and archives files of former students.
• Completes case compliance audits for all teacher case managers (TCMs) three times per year.
• Calendars IEP meetings for all SWEs for the school year.
• Maintains and updates the SWE roster for reporting and monitoring.
• Monitors completion of quarterly progress reports for SWEs.
• Coordinates and collects comprehensive data from multiple sources and convenes meetings as needed with the most appropriate team members.
• Monitors behavior data of SWEs weekly (suspensions, minutes out of class).
• Collaborates with the Dean of Students on behavior incidents involving SWEs.
• Leads Manifestation Determination Review meetings for SWEs.
• Collaborates with the school psychologist on unique student needs.
• Completes complex case analysis for challenging students requiring additional supports.
• Builds a calendar to include time to meet with TCMs, SW/Cs, nurses, School Directors/Principals, and Related Service Providers to monitor student progress, performance, and compliance.
• Ensures current case managers and services are included in PowerSchool.
• Runs ser_checked in PowerSchool monthly to check for new students.
• Runs IDEA Counted and not counted reports monthly and crosschecks with PowerSchool rosters for deadlines.
• Completes and monitors SER/SIS and SIS/SER crosschecks.
• Ensures all SWEs are coded appropriately in PowerSchool (la_sped 1 or 2).
• Ensures testing accommodations are appropriately coded and labeled in PowerSchool.
• Provides monthly/quarterly reports to the School Director and Director of Compliance.
• Develops a system to audit SPED files monthly, analyze trends, and provide targeted feedback to improve files.
• Finalizes updates in rosters for PowerSchool (testing accommodations, case managers, AAG, sped tier, related services, special transportation, wheelchair).
• Develops and coaches on the implementation of the curriculum.
• Coaches debriefs and propels teachers and service delivery expertise to ensure the academic and behavior progress of students with exceptionalities (SWEs).
• Enhances both individual student programs and overall special education service delivery, drives improved academic and behavioral outcomes through collaboration with curriculum and data.
• Stays abreast of best practices, consults the Teacher Case Manager on the special education library of resources (SPED Intranet), and supports Special Education Teacher Case Managers in providing progressive specialized instruction.
• Trains all staff on accommodations, modifications, and other special education best practices.
• Ensures data tracking and analysis of progress for all SWEs goals - academic, behavioral, and functional.
• Schedules and coordinates Multidisciplinary Team, IEP, Intake, and MDR meetings in collaboration with Compliance Special Education Coordinator, Teacher Case Managers (TCMs), Pupil Appraisal Team Members, and related service providers.
• Consults to TCMs in writing IEP goals that relate back to evaluation findings and determination of hours in special education based on student need.
• Drives special education instructional compliance with federal and state laws.
• Collaborates and consults to related service providers with regard to program design and supports for specific student(s).
• Consults to others on nuances of continuum and recommends supports and placement adjustments for students given specific needs at a given time.
• Monitors IEP goal growth (academic and behavior) in SchoolRunner.
• Analyzes data and action plans with TCMs on students' academic and behavioral growth.
• Conducts monthly reviews of progress (behavior and academics) for SWEs and recommends adjustments of supports for students not making sufficient progress or those needing adjustments to programs.
• Monitors growth within universal screening systems (MAP, Unique Learning Systems, STEP).
• Serves as a member of the school-based leadership team.
• Collaborates on best practices with LT regarding behavior intervention methods and school-based consequences.
• Shares a list of SWEs including gifted/talented and updates as necessary.
• Maintains additional leadership team responsibilities as outlined by School Director.
• Leads whole school professional development to cultivate SPED mindsets and provide strategies to general education staff.
• Maintains positive, collaborative relationships with faculty/staff to facilitate tough conversations about SWEs.
• Provides technical assistance for special and general education teachers on special education laws, case management functions, and complex case analysis and follow-up actions.
• Propels inclusive best practices through partnership with small School Leadership teams.
• Partners with the community of special education coordinators to build a library of resources for SWEs in the network.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and benefits package.
• Comprehensive benefits plan that covers the majority of the employee premium for the two medical plans offered.
• Dental and vision plans.
• Disability insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Generous vacation time.
• Professional development.
• 401k plan with 4% employer matching.

What This Job Offers

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