Secondary Special Education Coordinator (Full Time) - Moore Middle, 25-26 SY

POSITION OVERVIEW: Secondary Special Education Coordinator (Full Time) - Moore Middle, 25-26 SY

Under the supervision and guidance of the building Principal, the Special Education (SE) Coordinator supports the school’s Special Education Team in ensuring that all students requiring special education and related services receive appropriate instruction, programming, and support. This role directly supports Portland Public Schools’ emerging five-year strategic plan, which prioritizes building the capacity of schools to provide more effective instruction to students with disabilities across the continuum of services. The Coordinator’s role also directly supports the district’s on-going focus on improving students’ academic and social emotional outcomes and promoting equity. 

The Coordinator is responsible for organizing and monitoring all SE programs and services in the school and will provide direct support to teachers and ed techs at the classroom level, including those working in specialized programs. They will serve as the school’s assigned LEA representative, participate in the school’s leadership team, and work in close collaboration with the elementary/secondary network teams and the central office special education team, as well as families and community partners.  
 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES:
 

• Coordinate the building-based special education (SE) team, facilitating regular meetings and check-ins with SE staff
• Serve on the school leadership team as the point person for all matters relating to special education
• Collaborate with the school leadership team on scheduling to ensure that all required special education services are provided to students
• Attend monthly Special Education Coordinator meetings to ensure school alignment with district special education practices

• Coordinate the scheduling of all IEP meetings
• Serve as LEA representative for all Individual Educational Program (IEP) meetings
• Monitor all IEP processes and paperwork requirements to ensure compliance with relevant laws, policies, and timelines
• Review all IEPs and other SE documents before they are finalized, including initial referrals

• Manage grade-span appropriate transition processes for students with IEPs
  • Middle School: 5th to 6th, 8th to 9th
  • High School: 8th to 9th, IEP transition plans
• Serve as Case Manager for students in private school placements, as assigned by the network Director of Special Education
• Submit requests for district-level resources (specialized transportation, 1:1 adult support, specialized programs, etc.) to the network Director of Special Education for approval
• Collaborate with SE case managers to ensure appropriate achievement testing and observations are completed in accordance with referral and reevaluation processes
• Support the implementation of standardized testing accommodations and any alternate assessments
• Consult and collaborate with the school’s Response to Intervention (RTI) / MTSS team to provide special education expertise and information
• Support the classroom and other teachers to understand each child’s disability and share accommodations with all staff working with each child

• Deliver special education professional development to SE staff, in collaboration with the network Directors of Special Education
• Consult with general and special education teachers on evidence-based instructional strategies and methodologies for students with IEPs
• Manage, in collaboration with school leadership, SE staffing on a day-to-day basis, reassigning staff to cover absences and stepping in to provide coverage for breaks or planning meetings when staffing reaches critically low levels
• Serve as a mentor for new special education teachers

The Coordinator also performs other duties/tasks as may be assigned by the Principal or, where relevant, the Director of Special Education or Assistant Superintendent

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated commitment to delivering positive academic and social-emotional outcomes for all students, particularly students with disabilities
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity in education
• Self-awareness, openness to feedback, and eagerness to develop professionally
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills, with a proven track record of working collaboratively with others while also delivering exceptional results
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills (verbal and written)
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Well-developed technology skills, particularly the ability to use essential Google and/or Microsoft applications (e.g., Google Docs/Sheets/Slides or MS Word/Excel/Powerpoint)

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Required: At least three years of experience leading IEP meetings and/or assigned LEA representative responsibilities
• Preferred: At least three years of special education teaching experience
• Preferred: Advanced degree in special education or related field
• Preferred: Teacher Certificate with 286 endorsement and/or experience working in programs or students with significant special education needs (intellectual, functional, social/emotional, behavioral, etc.)

CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Maine State fingerprint (CHRC) authorization (more info)
• One of the following Maine State Certifications (more info):
  • Teacher Certificate with 282 Endorsement (Teacher of Students with Disabilities, K-8)
  • Administrate Certificate 030 (Administrator of Special Education)
  • Administrator Certificate 035 (Assistant Administrator of Special Education)
  • Certificate 079 (Special Education Consultant)

• School-year position
• Permanent
• Full time, 1.0 FTE
• Not eligible for overtime