DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND STUDENT SERVICES

Director Of Special Education And Student Services

The Director of Special Education and Student Services provides districtwide leadership for special education and Section 504 across both campuses. In a small rural district where approximately 22% of students receive special education services, the Director ensures that students are accurately identified, IEPs and 504 plans are individualized and legally compliant, services are delivered with fidelity, and staff are deployed responsibly to meet documented student needs. The Director works directly with principals, general education staff, approximately 8–9 special education paraprofessionals, families, and BOCES special service providers. The position combines program leadership, direct student support, staff supervision, professional learning, and compliance oversight.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Leading a coherent districtwide system for special education and Section 504 that reflects IDEA, ECEA, Section 504, Board policy, and applicable state and federal requirements.
• Coordinating Child Find, referrals, evaluations, reevaluations, eligibility determinations, manifestations, and placement decisions; monitoring timelines and procedural safeguards.
• Guiding multidisciplinary teams in developing accurate, measurable, student-centered IEPs and 504 plans based on evaluation data, present levels, access to grade-level learning, least restrictive environment, and individual need.
• Monitoring identification patterns, disproportionality, exited students, caseloads, schedules, service minutes, accommodations, progress reporting, and implementation fidelity to guard against both under-identification and over-identification.
• Designing service schedules that meet each student's documented needs while using personnel and resources responsibly; staffing limitations may not determine eligibility or required services.
• Providing push-in instruction, consultation, modeling, intervention, progress monitoring, or other direct student support as the Director's schedule and student needs permit.
• Ensuring effective transitions between grade levels, campuses, programs, and postsecondary settings, including required transition planning for eligible students.

Compliance, records, and continuous improvement duties include:

• Maintaining systems for timely, accurate, and complete IEP and 504 documentation, prior written notices, consents, service records, progress reports, and required state and federal reporting.
• Conducting routine internal reviews of records and service delivery; identifying risks early, establishing corrective actions, and following through with staff and principals until concerns are resolved.
• Coordinating district responses to monitoring, audits, state complaints, mediation, due process, corrective actions, and records requests in consultation with the Superintendent, BOCES, and legal counsel as appropriate.
• Analyzing achievement, growth, IEP-goal progress, inclusion, attendance, behavior, graduation, discipline, and identification data; recommending program, scheduling, staffing, and professional-learning improvements.
• Maintaining confidentiality and ensuring compliant transfer, retention, and destruction of special education and Section 504 records.

Principal, staff, BOCES, and family partnership duties include:

• Meeting regularly with both principals to review student needs, compliance, staffing, service schedules, instructional quality, and emerging concerns; providing clear, timely recommendations and follow-up.
• Coordinating closely with BOCES special service providers—including psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, social workers, and other specialists—to schedule services, share information, resolve gaps, and monitor outcomes.
• Partnering with general education teachers and intervention teams so students have meaningful access to Tier 1 instruction, appropriate interventions, accommodations, modifications, and specially designed instruction.
• Supporting collaborative, respectful, and legally sound meetings; communicating clearly with families, addressing concerns promptly, and ensuring meaningful parent participation in decisions.

Paraprofessional leadership and staffing duties include:

• Directing, scheduling, coaching, and evaluating assigned special education paraprofessionals in coordination with building principals; establishing clear expectations for instruction, student support, confidentiality, safety, documentation, and professional conduct.
• Conducting regular classroom observations and providing specific, actionable feedback; documenting performance and communicating strengths, concerns, and recommended next steps to the appropriate principal and Superintendent.
• Designing and conducting ongoing professional development for paraprofessionals based on student needs, observation data, legal requirements, and district priorities; including modeling, practice, feedback, and follow-up.
• Coordinating daily and planned paraprofessional absences with building secretaries, arranging appropriate coverage, and adjusting assignments while protecting required student services and minimizing disruption.
• Assisting with recruiting, screening, interviewing, selecting, onboarding, and retaining paraprofessionals; making evidence-based hiring and assignment recommendations to principals and the Superintendent.
• Ensuring paraprofessionals work under appropriate supervision and are trained to support—not replace—licensed instruction and specialized services.

Section 504 leadership duties include:

• Serving as the district's Section 504 Coordinator and establishing consistent referral, evaluation, eligibility, plan-development, implementation, review, notice, and grievance procedures across both campuses.
• Chairing or supporting 504 meetings; training staff regarding disability-based nondiscrimination and accommodations; monitoring implementation and documentation; and assisting with complex eligibility or accommodation questions.
• Ensuring families receive required notices and have meaningful opportunities to participate; addressing inconsistencies and compliance risks promptly with principals and staff.

Instructional leadership and professional learning duties include:

• Observing classrooms, examining student work and progress data, modeling effective practices, and providing practical coaching that strengthens inclusive instruction and student independence.
• Helping staff distinguish among interventions, accommodations, modifications, and specially designed instruction and understand their responsibilities for implementing IEPs and 504 plans.
• Planning and facilitating training for paraprofessionals, teachers, administrators, and other staff on identified needs such as legal compliance, inclusive practices, behavior support, de-escalation, progress monitoring, and disability-specific strategies.
• Participating in district and campus problem-solving, MTSS, and improvement processes so students with disabilities are fully included in academic and operational decisions.

Professional expectations include:

• Demonstrating initiative, sound judgment, discretion, responsiveness, and the ability to organize complex work, manage competing deadlines, and follow through consistently.
• Maintaining high expectations for students while approaching staff development with clarity, respect, accountability, and a coaching mindset.
• Using district resources responsibly, contributing to special education budget and staffing planning, and performing other duties assigned by the Superintendent.

Minimum qualifications include:

• Current Colorado licensure or authorization appropriate for serving as a Director of Special Education, or eligibility to obtain it before employment begins.
• Master's degree in special education, educational leadership, school administration, or a closely related field.
• Successful professional experience in special education, including evaluation and eligibility, IEP development and implementation, progress monitoring, inclusive instruction, and legal compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and develop paraprofessionals, lead collaborative teams, facilitate professional learning, analyze data, and communicate effectively with students, staff, families, administrators, and outside providers.
• Strong knowledge of IDEA, ECEA, Section 504, least restrictive environment, procedural safeguards, confidentiality, discipline protections, and applicable state and federal requirements.
• Successful completion of all district background, fingerprinting, and employment requirements.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Administrative or district-level special education leadership experience; experience in a small or rural district; experience coordinating BOCES or contracted providers; and demonstrated success improving outcomes for students with disabilities.

Physical and work requirements include:

• Regular districtwide travel between campuses; frequent sitting, standing, walking, speaking, hearing, and use of a computer; ability to observe classrooms and support students and staff in varied school settings; and ability to lift and carry up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Indicators of success include:

• IEPs, evaluations, and 504 plans are timely, accurate, individualized, and implemented with fidelity; students demonstrate meaningful progress toward goals and greater access to rigorous instruction; identification and service decisions are data-based and appropriate; paraprofessionals receive consistent supervision, development, and feedback; coverage protects required services; principals and BOCES providers experience responsive partnership; families experience clear and collaborative support; and compliance concerns are identified and resolved early.