POSITION SUMMARY:
Under the direction of
the Associate Superintendent of Special Education, the Director of Special
Education develops
and coordinates programs including the planning, monitoring and evaluation of
special education services designed to meet the requirements as required by
federal and state regulations for students with disabilities birth to through
age 21. The incumbent of this position will
provide instructional leadership to ensure students with disabilities are college,
career and community ready, while ensuring the school district’s compliance
with all federal and state regulations regarding the provision of services for
students with disabilities.
DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
Provides
and monitors the effectiveness of the continuum of special education services
in compliance with federal and state regulations for students with disabilities
from birth through age 21;
Ensures
the development, design and implementation of special education services in
alignment with best practices for serving students with disabilities;
Provides
direct supervision to assigned offices within the Department of Special
Education, who are responsible for the direct oversight of infant and toddler
preschool services, school-aged services in grades K- 12, and programs and
related services in over 200 schools including charter and nonpublic schools;
Develops
and monitors the Local Application of Federal Funds appropriated by the
Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE);
Monitors
and provides leadership for the development and implementation of all grants;
Adheres
to all reporting requirements including developing components of the special
education staffing plan for Prince George’s’ County Public Schools and the
special education child count report;
Prepares
and monitors portions of the annual budget for the Department of Special
Education by overseeing selected position control and allocation processes for
staffing requests and instructional resources;
Collaborates
with other school system offices including but not limited to, the Departments
of Transportation, Pupil Accounting & School Boundaries, Student Services,
and Curriculum and Instruction;
Ensures
central office and school-based administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals and
related service providers receive access to high quality professional learning
activities to build their capacity to serve students with disabilities;
Prepares
testimony for the Board of Education and/or during state legislative sessions
related to issues that affect special education services; and
Performs
other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
Extensive
expertise and knowledge regarding federal and state mandates that governs the
provision of services for students with disabilities;
Knowledge
regarding best practices for instructing and programming for students with
disabilities;
Considerable
knowledge regarding budget development and fiscal management;
Demonstrated
experience and leadership in the area of supervising administrative and
instructional personnel; and
Excellent
oral and written communication skills.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
Master's degree from an
accredited college or university in special education or a closely related
field required. A minimum of five (5) years of instructional experience and
three (3) years of supervisory experience required.
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Advanced Professional Certificate with Special Education and
Administrator I endorsements required.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Oversees and provides guidance and direction to the unit
staff.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands 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 enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, talk, hear, walk, sit, and use fingers, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, the ability to adjust focus, and depth perception. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally push or lift up to 25 lbs.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
None.