Regional Special Education Director (Great Prairie)

Full Job Description

Iowa

This is a non-merit position, candidates must follow the instructions in the "To Apply" section. Positions in this class are exempt from the screening and referral requirements of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services - Human Resources Enterprise.

Iowa Department of Education’s mission is ensuring all students experience a world-class education. To accomplish our mission, we need talented, passionate people working together to build an excellent education system that empowers all students to achieve their full potential.

The Iowa Department of Education seeks a dedicated, expert Regional Special Education Director to ensure all students with disabilities experience a world-class education that meets their needs, inspires them, and prepares them for bright futures.

The Regional Special Education Director will be an integral member of the Division of Special Education, providing regional leadership to improve educational results and functional outcomes for learners with disabilities.

Your Responsibilities:

Provide regional leadership to improve educational results and functional outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families (IDEA, Part C known as Early ACCESS) and children with disabilities (IDEA, Part B including 619), and ensure that the relevant Area Education Agencies (AEA), local educational agencies (LEAs), and early intervention service (EIS) programs and providers meet the requirements under IDEA, state law, and all relevant federal and state regulations and guidance.

Provide general supervision and direct oversight consistent with IDEA, state law, and all relevant federal and state regulations and guidance. Implement Iowa’s model of general supervision including the duty to inform, prevent, detect, inspect and correct within the region.

Oversee and approve the special education policies, procedures, and practices of the AEA, LEAs and EIS providers to ensure each child with a disability in the region receives a Free and Appropriate Public Education in the Least Restrictive Environment.

Monitor the implementation of an integrated system of special education from Child Find through IEP implementation, ensuring the implementation of compliant IFSPs and IEPs and the use of evidence-based, high-quality specially designed instruction.

Ensure the appropriate use of special education finances and compliant and timely reporting by assigning appropriate weights for each child requiring special education programs or services in coordination with the AEA and providing each school district within the region with a certified special education weighted enrollment count in coordination with the AEA and the Department of Management.

Supervise and direct the work of regional special education staff members to support the implementation of general supervision practices, implementation of IDEA-differentiated accountability and continuous improvement efforts in special education.

Participate in comprehensive efforts of the Department, including Department, Division, and Regional Team meetings, and other assigned work groups.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience administering and/or supporting special education programs.
• Experience interpreting and implementing state or federal special education law.
• Experience providing technical assistance and professional learning to educators.
• Experience with special education finance.

If you wish to review a copy of the Position Description Questionnaire, please contact idoe.hr@iowa.gov.

Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday; some nights and weekends, occasional in-state and out-of-state travel

A successful candidate will bring or have the ability and desire to learn:

• Passion for accomplishing common goals in pursuit of public service
• Strong technical skills, strategic and analytical mindset, and a focus on systems improvement
• Strong written and verbal communication
• High-quality interpersonal and conflict resolution skills
• Desire to work with diverse teams and stakeholders
• Ability to work collaboratively on and provide leadership for high-performing teams
• Ability to work in complex situations and meet deadlines while leading teams as a non-traditional leader (no supervisory authority)
• Ability to work independently, prioritize work, manage time and move projects forward with minimal supervision
• Ability to manage self in relation to prioritization and time management
• Ability to interpret and break down highly technical or regulatory language, and present information in an understandable manner
• Experience providing technical assistance and professional learning to educators
• Experience impacting the trajectory of outcomes for learners with disabilities

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

• Opportunities to make a widespread difference in the lives of children, their families, and Iowa communities
• Collaborative, positive work environment
• Talented and passionate work colleagues that will help you learn and grow
• Opportunities to collaborate with experts from around the country
• Employee discounts from a variety of vendors
• Competitive salary and benefits package:

https://das.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/hr/documents/employment/Benefits_Beyond_the_Paycheck.pdf

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States.

The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization.

For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

1) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university, and experience equal to six years of full-time, professional-level work in special education, program administration, development, management, or operations.
2) A combination of a total of ten years of education and full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work may substitute for one year of full-time experience.
3) Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master’s degree in special education, therapy (physical, occupational, speech/language, or other education-related area), social work, law, education, or public or business administration, and experience equal to four years of full-time, professional-level work in special education, program administration, development, management, or operations.

Additional Information

CREDENTIAL:

• Director of Special Education OR
• Professional Services Administrator OR
• Special Education Supervisor/Instruction OR
• Pk12 Principal/Supervisor Special Education OR
• Special Education Consultant OR
• School Psychologist OR
• Teaching License with a Special Education Endorsement OR
• Professional Service License OR
• Superintendent