Special Education Coordinator

Primary Purpose:

Coordinate and manage district Special Education programs to meet student and community needs. Serve as a leader in the development and improvement of Special Education programs.   Collaborate with district staff and outside personnel to formulate, develop, implement, and evaluate special education programs based on research, best practice, and current trends in special education.

Education / Certification:

1. Valid Special Education Texas teaching certificate and/or related certification/experience (i.e SLP, LSSP, Ed Diag.).
2. Valid Texas Principal or other appropriate Texas certificate and/or experience preferred.
3. Master’s degree from an accredited college or university preferred.

Special Knowledge / Skills:

1. Knowledge of curriculum and instruction.
2. Knowledge of special education programs, regulations, and specific areas of disability.
3. Ability to evaluate program effectiveness, program compliance.
4. Ability to coordinate district functions.
5. Ability to interpret policy, procedures, and data.
6. Ability to apply individual evaluation data (FIE) with regards to program planning and implementation.
7. Strong organizational, communication, public relations, and interpersonal skills.
8. Ability to establish and maintain relationships with CISD, other districts, state and federal agency personnel who are involved with the research, administration, and coordination of Special Education programs.

Experience / Other Requirements:

1. Three years of teaching or related experience in Special Education.

Major Responsibilities and Duties:

Program Management

1. Establishes systems and/or procedures to support professional growth for district staff through workshops and demonstrations pertinent to methods and materials appropriate to various levels of support.
2. Consults frequently with personnel (ex: specialists, classroom teachers, etc.) on matters relating to Special Education services.
3. Recommends adoption and use of varied supplemental materials including textbooks, reference works, kits, trade books, audio-visual aids, and software.
4. Coordinates and manages district level staff to support campuses based on individual student needs.
5. Assigns caseloads for district level teams to support campuses based on district projections and individual student needs.
6. Coordinates with building principals and other administrators and/or supervisors in implementing the Special Education programs to include academics, behavioral, ALT curricula, ECSE, transition, manifestation, etc
7. Assists in the evaluation of ongoing programs and makes recommendations for changes.
8. Serves as a resource person with special cases whose difficulty or complexity requires a high degree of professional skill and knowledge.
9. Collaborates with specialists and/or teachers to identify student strengths and weaknesses and to match these skills with appropriate techniques, materials, and/or technology.
10. Coordinates district resources to support programs for students with disabilities in collaboration with school support staff and school administrators.
11. Coordinates, designs and implements district professional learning.
12. Coordinates and leads campus training opportunities to align district practices, and communicate legal updates.
13. Attends appropriate professional meetings and workshops to maintain proficiency and to    acquire new ideas for instructional improvement. Informs administration of the effects of current and impending legislation.

Policy, Reports, and Law

1. Establishes systems to assist with the orientation of beginning special education personnel as to the philosophy, procedures, and materials for the Special Education program.
2. Compiles, maintains, and files all reports, records, and other documents required.
3. Complies with policies established by federal and state law, State Board of Education rule, and the local board policy.
4. Assists administration in the resolution of parent concerns and complaints with regards to Special Education programming.

Communication and Community Support

1. Demonstrates awareness of district-community needs and initiates activities to meet needs.
2. Perform related duties as required.
3. Responsible for properly maintaining district records, adhering to all policies set forth by the district for records maintenance and learning the records retention schedule for department records.
4. May represent the district as a member of the Community Resource Coordination Group (CRCG).

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Supervise and evaluate performance of assigned personnel.