What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Elementary Special Education (1.0 FTE) Central Office position at Portland Public Schools?
The Director of Elementary Special Education oversees the planning and implementation of special education programs and services in middle and high schools. This role ensures inclusive education practices, providing support and expertise to promote the academic, social, and emotional well-being of all students.Inclusive education ensures that students of all abilities belong and are educated together in the least restrictive learning community where they feel safe, supported, and challenged, regardless of race, gender, or cultural differences.
Responsibilities:
Support and provide supervision (secondary to the building administrators) to the special education coordinators assigned to each school in collaboration with the building administrators.
Coordinates Student Support Teams to discuss and plan interventions for academic, social, and emotional concerns.
Supervise the evaluation, identification, and placement of students referred for special education.
Supervise implementation of IEPs & compliance of paperwork and legal timelines
Supervise Section 504 implementation of accommodations and plans
Provide professional development and support to administrators, coordinators, and case managers on consistent and efficient facilitation of IEP meetings.
Conduct regular meetings and training for special education coordinators
Ensure development of well-written, measurable IEPs.
Plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate the instructional programs for students receiving special education services. Ensure that staff are providing evidence based SDI.
Prepare and maintain legally required reports and records.
Monitor and supervise special education programming for compliance with special education law
Collaborate with specialized program staff & Assistant Director of Specialized Programs to ensure all students receive the appropriate level of support they need in order to access their education in the least restrictive setting without interfering behaviors.
Provide professional development as needed to regular education staff and administration on special education policy, procedures, differentiation, implementation of accommodations.
Have a regular presence in buildings and are accessible, to build relationships with staff and administration to support all learners.
Track budgetary and financial needs within school based programs
Work with building coordinators on securing behavioral health professionals
Goals:
Establish a tiered intervention system to support learners before, during, and after special education referral.
Streamline the special education referral process.
Provide professional development on the science of reading and dyslexia screening.
Ensure staff have resources for delivering specialized instruction in all academic areas.
Identify students needs to increase mainstream learning access and reduce special education enrollment.
Support seamless transitions throughout the special education continuum.
Collaborate with families to understand and address community needs.
Develop a framework for evaluating and servicing multilingual learners.
Identify and support truant students with mental health or learning challenges.
Develop protocols for students demonstrating high-risk behaviors.
Train educational technicians as behavioral health professionals.
Work Year:
Non bargaining agreement, calendar year. Salary and benefits to be established by non bargaining agreement
Qualifications:
Maine Department of Education certification in Special Education (#035, or #030)
Teaching experience and educational background in the area of math & literacy, and social/emotional/behavioral needs of students
Knowledge of MUSER
