Special Education Data and Operations Manager

California Montessori Project • Carmichael, CA

8d • $72,500 - $89,399

About The Position

Under the general supervision of the Director of Special Education, the Special Education Data and Operations Manager manages department business operations, compliance controls, and data governance. The role exercises discretion and independent judgment to evaluate operational risks, compare solutions, implement authorized workflow improvements, and recommend resource allocations. It supports accurate state and local reporting, including CALPADS and SEIS, and effective service delivery across seven campuses, while completing administrative tasks.

The manager establishes department operational workflows, review checkpoints, and follow-up procedures within approved policy and delegated authority. The role assists the Director with department planning, systems and records management, reporting readiness, data validation, staff onboarding and exits, purchasing, contracts, inventory, and operational coordination. It evaluates alternatives and implements routine process improvements within its authority, while referring policy changes, matters beyond delegated limits, personnel actions, contract execution, and legal or student-specific educational decisions to authorized administrators or IEP teams.

The position works with Special Education staff, central office departments, campus leadership, Human Resources, external providers, and vendors. It also provides operational guidance, coordinates meetings and projects, and supports compliance with reporting requirements. Occasional travel between seven campus locations and the central administration building is required. The role involves office work, including extended sitting and standing, light walking, and lifting objects up to 20 pounds.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• At least three years of experience in school operations, office management, or organizational coordination.
• Experience developing, evaluating, and improving operational systems or leading department operations under general supervision.
• Experience evaluating alternative solutions, managing multiple priorities, exercising independent judgment in operational decision-making, and presenting recommendations on compliance controls or resource use.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Google Workspace tools.
• Ability to analyze, validate, and reconcile large data sets accurately.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• School or department operational leadership capability.
• Systems thinking and operational systems management capability.
• Ability to evaluate alternative courses of action and exercise independent judgment on significant operational matters within delegated authority.
• Ability to assess operational and compliance risks, develop controls, and monitor corrective action and accountability.
• Project management and follow-through skills.
• Customer service and family support skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of student records and sensitive information under FERPA.
• Ability to perform the listed physical demands, including office-equipment use, extended sitting and standing, light walking, reaching, occasional bending and other movements, and light lifting up to 20 pounds.
• Ability to travel occasionally among campus locations and the central administration building; adherence to CMP’s Motor Vehicle Use policy is required.

Nice To Haves

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience with SEIS, CALPADS, and Student Information Systems (SIS), such as Aeries.
• Knowledge of special education compliance requirements and timelines, including IDEA and California Education Code.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Director of Special Education in planning and managing department operations, and establish operational priorities and internal schedules within delegated authority.
• Provide operational guidance and supplementary administrative support to Special Education Program Specialists; evaluate competing requests and recommend priorities.
• Design and manage tracking systems for deadlines, compliance requirements, contracts, and department deliverables; establish review checkpoints and determine operational follow-up.
• Analyze operational issues; prepare and distribute communications, reports, presentations, and meeting materials.
• Lead operational planning for department meetings, training, and cross-functional projects, including milestones, logistics, documentation, and follow-up.
• Evaluate operational needs, gaps, and overdue items; compare options, recommend priorities, and implement solutions within delegated authority.
• Serve as the central office lead for Special Education operational processes, systems management, compliance tracking, and coordination; resolve process questions within policy and refer policy or legal questions to designated administrators.
• Establish and maintain organized Special Education records and documentation systems; audit files and implement authorized safeguards for access, completeness, and retrieval.
• Develop and evaluate department systems, procedures, workflows, and communication systems, and implement authorized operational improvements.
• Manage Extended School Year (ESY) administrative and operational planning, including enrollment tracking, family communications, materials, procurement, distribution, and logistics.
• Manage reporting readiness and compliance review with the Director of Data Management and the Director of Special Education; establish review checkpoints, evaluate unresolved issues, and recommend corrective action for state and federal reporting, CALPADS submissions, and audits.
• Complete weekly and monthly CALPADS reporting updates, audit data anomalies, and correct errors.
• Gather, review, and prepare data for state reporting submissions and compliance-related data requests; assist with apportionment reporting and other required data submissions.
• Manage Special Education data governance across SEIS, CALPADS, and Aeries; evaluate data flow, system controls, and procedural gaps and implement authorized improvements.
• Establish and evaluate data validation and reconciliation controls; investigate recurring discrepancies and their causes and reporting impacts, and determine corrective workflows within delegated authority.
• Generate and analyze reports on service delivery, compliance timelines, and student data; identify patterns and operational risks and recommend corrective action.
• Manage student records in SEIS, including transfers, initial IEPs, exits, and record changes; monitor dashboards and searches for late or missing IEPs and DRDP assessments; determine operational follow-up and refer student-specific decisions to responsible credentialed staff.
• Maintain Data Management files and Google Shared Drives.
• Represent Special Education operations in collaboration with central office departments and external providers; assess cross-department issues and resolve service delivery logistics within delegated authority.
• Develop and evaluate staff onboarding and exit workflows with Human Resources and the Director of Special Education; resolve operational gaps and complete assigned tasks.
• Coordinate and schedule interviews for classified and certificated Special Education positions.
• Analyze campus staffing and coverage concerns; recommend operational responses and coordinate communications and documentation with Human Resources and campus leadership.
• Analyze budget and expenditure information, compare purchasing and vendor options, recommend resource allocations or cost controls, and coordinate purchasing, financial tracking, and vendor activities within approved budgets and delegated authority.
• Manage master contracts and individual service agreement workflows, including preparation, routing for authorized execution, tracking, and renewal; evaluate renewal needs, documentation gaps, and operational risks and recommend action to authorized administrators.
• Evaluate demand, inventory, and options for assessment materials, specialized resources, and supplies; recommend purchases and allocations and coordinate procurement, inventory, and distribution.
• Evaluate utilization, maintenance needs, and replacement options for Special Education technology, assistive technology, and equipment; recommend resources and manage inventory tracking, distribution, collection, maintenance coordination, and replacement planning.
• Review low-incidence funding and non-public school (NPS) reimbursement requests for completeness, resolve operational discrepancies, and prepare and submit requests to the El Dorado County Charter SELPA under applicable requirements and approval procedures.
• Exercise discretion and independent judgment on significant department operational matters by evaluating alternatives and impacts, selecting actions within delegated authority, and making recommendations to leadership on matters requiring approval.
• Provide operational guidance to Special Education providers and administrators on data processes and procedures; assess implementation concerns, determine improvements, and coordinate follow-up.
• Evaluate state guidance with designated administrators, develop and implement aligned IEP and CALPADS reporting workflows, assess effectiveness, disseminate procedures, and recommend changes when barriers or reporting risks recur.
• Partner with Central Administration staff to evaluate emerging operational needs, recommend coordinated responses, and implement approved actions.
• Follow organizational safety protocols and operational procedures; support office safety expectations, emergency procedures, and operational safeguards.
• Travel occasionally between seven campus locations and the central administration building, adhering to CMP’s Motor Vehicle Use policy.

Benefits

• Sick leave, paid holidays, and vacation, as applicable by position.
• 403(b) and 457 retirement plans through CalSTRS Pension2, according to California state law, California Education Code, and CMP policy.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for full-time positions, with coverage for eligible dependents.
• Access to free before- and after-care through Club M for employees with students enrolled at a CMP campus, subject to availability; application fees apply.
• Health care and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).
• Confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) support for personal or work-related challenges.
• Access to Nivati, a mental health platform offering counseling, coaching, and wellness tools.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: High school or GED