Exceptional Children Director

Exceptional Children’s Program Director
Job Description Reports to: Head of School
Salary:  $65K-$75K

Purpose: The Exceptional Children’s (EC) Program Director provides leadership for the local educational agency’s EC programs. The Director is responsible for motivating, influencing, and shaping individuals to ensure continuous organizational growth and improvement. This role emphasizes leadership, curriculum and instruction development, policy adherence, community relations, personnel management, and fiscal oversight. Qualifications:

• Education: Master's Degree required
• Experience: Minimum of 3-5 years in an EC Director role
• Experience teaching Exceptional Children (EC)
• Strong understanding of compliance regulations (local, state, and federal)
• Excellent organizational skills and effective communication abilities

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Leadership and Compliance:
   • Administer the exceptional children’s program in accordance with local, state, and federal guidelines, rules, regulations, and laws.
   • Work closely with principals, school personnel, service agencies, and parents to ensure a cooperative, supportive environment.
2. Program Management:
   • Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive EC program plans to support student needs.
   • Stay updated on best practices in curriculum and instruction improvement.  
3. Fiscal Management:
   • Prepare and manage budgets to maximize program services in coordination with other departments or agencies.
   • Maintain accurate records, reports, and inventories in compliance with all governing policies.
4. Information and Communication Management:
   • Serve as a liaison between the school system and external agencies.
   • Share program updates and information with the broader community and school staff.
   • Facilitate in-service staff development and continue to meet personal growth objectives while adhering to professional ethics.
5. Personnel Management:
   • Assist in the recruitment, placement, and supervision of EC staff.
   • Delegate responsibilities and support staff development through regular evaluation and feedback.

Other Responsibilities:

• Attend all State-level and Regional-level meetings required by DPI-EC.

• Serve as an instructional lead, consultant, and support for all teachers and students within the EC program, maintaining communication, collaboration, and cooperation within the program. 

• Help to ensure implementation of related services, adaptive equipment, instructional materials, and record keeping.

• Develop and implement EC Handbook and Resources used by EC staff. 

• Monitor and ensure all EC files comply with DPI standards, and work with the Office of Civil Rights and other agencies to help meet the needs of the students in the EC program.

• Participate in EC (Annual Review, Eligibility, Re-Evaluation, etc) meetings in the role of Interpreter of Instructional Implications of Evaluation Results or LEA Representative, when delegated by the school-level principals/assistant principals.

• Help to coordinate transition services for students in the EC program.

• Advise principals regarding appropriate scheduling of students, usage of staff, etc.

• Coordinate services and contracts with other agencies, including PsychoEducational Testing, Visual Services, Physical Therapy, Audiology Services, etc.  Also approves all billing from these agencies. 

• Schedule all PsychoEducational testing with a contracted School Psychologist. Also, make sure all required documentation is provided to the School Psychologist when she arrives on campus. 

• Coordinate all electronic checklists/tests including but not limited to BASC, Vineland, ASRS, etc.

• Complete all grants and reports for EC finances, including PRC29, PRC49, PRC118, PRC60, CaresAct plus others as needed.  Completes Child Count reports (April 1 and December 1), which are used by the state and federal grants when determining finances. 

• Attend state and national conferences/workshops to maintain professional growth.

• Complete the LEA-Self Assessment as required by DPI-EC.  

• Respond to all calls and correspondences regarding the EC program and services offered, including calls from parents, other schools, agencies, physicians, etc.

• Supervise and manage the use of ECATS (Every Child Accountability and Tracking System).  This includes completing the Child Count and other compliance reports.

• Serve as Coordinator for Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) for College Board.  Submits all requests for accommodations, schedules all school-based testing, and verifies accommodations have been provided in compliance with College Board standards. 

• Coordinate all information needed by the Testing Coordinator during BOG, EOG, and Check-in testing as required by the state.

• Work with auditors (school-based and DPI-EC-based) to adhere to compliance standards for EC files.

Performs related work as required. (Note: The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is related or a logical assignment to the role.) Physical Requirements:
The position requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force as frequently as needed to move objects.
Terms of Employment:
Salary and work year as established by the Board.
Assessment:
Performance will be evaluated annually in accordance with the Board’s policies on administrative personnel assessments.
 

Salary : $65,000 - $75,000