High School Special Education Chair

Job Description

TITLE : High School Special Education Chair

WHO WE ARE :

Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is a student-focused, innovative educational organization committed to academic excellence.

Our mission is to empower and educate all students to think critically, creatively, and responsibly, to embrace diversity, and to pursue their dreams with a purpose.

We are a family of excellent public schools in which every student has the opportunity to succeed and the power to create their own future.

Led by forward-thinking leadership and our commitment to prioritizing students, racial equity, and authentic engagement with our families, team members, and communities, our staff have diverse opportunities to develop their careers in a challenging but rewarding environment.

We are an organization for people who are passionate about education and who are committed to the Indianapolis community.

SUMMARY OF OPPORTUNITY :

The Unified Student Supports team is looking for a special education administrator who will positively impact student success by facilitating the delivery, monitoring, and assessment of both special education procedures and programming, ensuring that students with disabilities are provided with the curriculum and services appropriate to their needs.

As a member of the IPS Team, you will receive excellent benefits, opportunities to grow within your role and the organization, and collaborative and supportive colleagues who put students first.

WHAT YOU’LL DO :

The following outlines what your core duties and responsibilities will be for this position and provides a sample overview of what your day-to-day may look like.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

Serve as the first and strongest advocate for racial and ableness equity and student-centered approaches to teaching, learning, service, and support.

Support student achievement by way of staff development, compliance monitoring, student transitioning, etc.

Serve as the public agency representative for case conferences and manifestation determination conferences.

Serve as the primary liaison between the school and USS by ensuring systems and process are seamlessly communicated or cascaded in both directions.

Participate in and attend USS designed training and monthly meetings on a regular cadence.

Ensure all students with disabilities have access to accommodations, materials and technology that ensure an ability to reach their goals, regardless of LRE.

Monitor and support with student transitions and transition planning.

Facilitate PLC meetings for special and general educators to ensure SDI, UDL, and similar best practices are taught, practiced, and evaluated.

Evaluate special education teachers, per building leadership’s expectations or mandates.

Provide direct managerial support, in partnership with school leaders and Learning Community Directors, to the daily work of special education and student service programming, ensuring adherence to established special education policies, procedures, and standards.

Monitor the implementation of the district coaching framework for all special education coaches assigned to your building.

Work in collaboration with the Learning Community Directors / Principals in resolving school-based concerns and problems as they arise with special programming.

Assist Learning Community staff and school principals in setting and attaining goals for student achievement, as well as all goals and big bets identified by the USS team.

Facilitate RDA meetings and work collaboratively to support schools to increase student achievement.

Create and implement a system to provide the school team with a platform to discuss, strategize and problem solve students who are struggling to progress with their current supports provided through their IEP.

Ensure MTSS is the backbone of all special education programming, intervention planning and monitoring, etc.

Assist in the coordination and articulation of the district’s special education programs and services across and between grade levels in their Learning Community.

Provide specific feedback, support, and suggestions to principals to strengthen teaching and learning for students with disabilities, regardless of LRE.

Provide technical assistance to principals in working with marginal teachers and staff.

Assist principals with decision-making and problem-solving as it pertains to intensive programming.

Advocate for and model strong school-family partnerships to ensure students have as few barriers to success as possible.

Consistently contribute to a positive team culture by being direct and transparent and helpful and collaborative, while prioritizing a customer service orientation

Other duties as assigned by the USS administrative team or building principal.

Day In the Life Overview

On a regular day, as the High School Special Education Chair, you might :

Support principals in special education and student services human resource management, including recruiting, retaining, and developing staff

PAR a manifest and with the assigned coach to strengthen a TORs approach to conference preparation

Work with principals and other USS Staff to review their data and help them link best practices and materials to standards and Individual Education Plans

Assist principals in the development of appropriate professional development programs for staff

Work with Principals to resolve difficult special education situations quickly and effectively between schools and parents that are not resolvable at the school level

WHAT YOU’ll BRING : SKILLS AND MINDSETS

As an ideal candidate for this role, you will be able to achieve the following :

Highly-developed communications skills (written / verbal) and interpersonal savvy

Results / action-orientation; project management skills

Racial equity mindset and other critical indicators related to DEI

Organizational agility; developed negotiation skills

Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity, diversity and trust

Able to successfully navigate within varying degrees of ambiguity in a fast-paced environment

Strong strategic analysis skills

Ability to be creative in developing alternatives to meet students’ iInstructional needs

A track record of developing and maintaining strong working relationships with and among a diverse group of actors

Close attention to detail coupled with the ability to exercise good judgment

Proactive nature; able to anticipate conflicts before they arise

Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively

Ability to execute meetings, calls and emails with professionalism, courtesy and accuracy

Personal qualities of maturity, humility, strong work ethic, sense of humor, and diligence

Ability to effectively allocate and prioritize time to several tasks to ensure completion of all

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS

Hold or eligible for Indiana administrator and / or director license

Special Education certification

Master’s degree in Education Administration, 3 to 5 years of experience as a practitioner and 3 to 5 years of experience as a school assistant principal;

or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities

Working knowledge of federal and state special education laws, rules, and practices including IDEA and Article 7

FLSA CLASSIFICATION :

Exempt

ELIGIBILITY FOR REMOTE WORK :

This role is ineligible for remote work. Any potential exceptions to this standard must be vetted with HR.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS :

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; talk or hear.

The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit; reach with hands and arms;

and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and / or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.