Special Education Specialist

Arts For Learning Maryland•Baltimore, MD

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Arts for Learning Maryland (formerly Young Audiences of Maryland) is devoted to enriching the lives and education of Maryland’s youth through educational and culturally diverse arts programs. Through Arts for Learning, professional teaching artists from all disciplines partner with educators, schools, and school districts to provide -- on average -- over 560,000 hours of learning in, through, and about the arts to more than 155,000 Maryland students annually. Arts for Learning is a mission-driven organization that values community, innovation, and passion. The staff, board, and teaching artists have a shared commitment to advance equity in the field of education by working tirelessly to generate opportunities for students to imagine, create, and realize their full potential through the arts. The Special Education Specialist provides essential procedural, substantive, and instructional special education guidance across Arts for Learning Maryland’s Out-of-School Time (OST) and Extended School Year (ESY) programs. This role ensures high-quality, legally defensible implementation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) within an arts-integrated environment. Working in close partnership with central office staff, program directors, site leads, and district administration—specifically Baltimore City Public Schools—the Specialist bridges special education compliance with creative, arts-rich learning models to guarantee equitable access and meaningful outcomes for all enrolled students. This role requires local travel to program sites across Baltimore City and surrounding regions during operational cycles and periodic evening or weekend hours during peak planning, onboarding, and training periods. The Special Education Specialist is a full time, exempt position that will report to the Chief of Program Administration.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Special Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field required
Minimum of 3–5 years of experience delivering special education services, writing/implementing IEPs, and navigating MDIEP preferred
Experience with Extended School Year (ESY) or Out-of-School Time (OST) programming preferred.
Demonstrated experience working with Baltimore City Public Schools or urban school districts is a strong plus.
Familiarity with arts-integrated, arts-enhanced, or experiential learning models preferred
Deep knowledge of IDEA, Section 504, MDIEP systems, and procedural safeguards.
Proven ability to translate complex IEP accommodations into practical strategies for creative and artistic learning environments.
Skill in building high-trust partnerships across central office teams, site staff, and school district administrators.
Exceptional organizational skills to track student data, manage systems access, and maintain documentation accuracy across multiple sites.
Passion for youth development, arts integration, and inclusive educational advocacy.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.
Current Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Special Education Certification (Generic Special Education or subject-specific) highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary special education technical expert, ensuring procedural safeguards and compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations across OST and ESY programs.
Review, analyze, and assist site teams with the practical implementation of student IEP strategies, modifications, and goal monitoring.
Manage and oversee access, entries, and reporting within the Maryland Online IEP (MDIEP) system in coordination with district partners.
Oversee training and implementation processes for requesting and entering State Student Identification (SASID) numbers and snapshot data access for program sites.
Serves as the POC for seasonal staff and district partners when it comes to special education information
Partner with the ESY Leadership Team to co-design and refine the structural framework and daily compliance workflows of the Extended School Year program.
Establish standard operating procedures for tracking, documenting, and reporting student progress toward individual IEP goals.
Maintain direct, collaborative partnerships with Baltimore City Public Schools’ Special Education and ESY leadership teams to streamline communication and service delivery.
Design and deliver targeted professional development for central office staff, site leaders, arts integration coaches, and site-based educators on IEP compliance, differentiated instruction, and accommodations.
Offer hands-on coaching, consultation, and site visits to support educators in embedding specialized accommodations into arts-integrated and arts-enhanced curricula.
Promote inclusive, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive classroom management strategies across all sites.
Collaborate with program leadership during recruitment and selection to evaluate qualified candidates for special education support roles.
Assist in vetting and verifying credentials, certifications, and background clearances for specialized program staff.
Orient and onboard specialized staff to ensure alignment with both special education standards and Arts for Learning’s mission.