Temporary Special Education Coordinator - Mat

Job Description

Job Description

Job Description: Temporary Special Education Coordinator – Maternity Leave Coverage

Reports To: Deputy Chief Education Officer

Position Type: Full-Time, Temporary

Anticipated Start Date: December 2027

Anticipated End Date: June 2027

Overview

As a leading education management organization, Meridian Charter Schools is committed to transforming the lives of students in culturally and linguistically diverse communities by providing students access to high-quality educational opportunities that elevate their identities as an asset and foster equitable and inclusive learning environments. Meridian Charter Schools is a school management organization (SMO) in Chicago, IL that operates three campuses of Chicago International Charter School: CICS Ralph Ellison High School, CICS Northtown Academy High School, and CICS Wrightwood Elementary School. We believe through collective effort, we will have collective impact. 

Position Summary:

This role is an integral part of the School Leadership Team and reports directly to the Deputy Chief Education Officer. It involves working closely with school teams and service providers across various campuses to manage special education cases, provide professional development, and coach on effective instructional methods. Additionally, the role supports special education teams and the Deputy Chief Education Officer in advancing goals around continuous improvement, academic success, and ensuring equity, access, and development. Travel across campuses and the network office is required. 

The position entails managing special education caseloads, ensuring compliance of the school/department, leading and mentoring special education staff in implementing customized programs designed for a range of learners and utilizing a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for monitoring progress.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Mission, Vision, Core Values: Execute a comprehensive vision for specialized services that aligns with the organization's mission and values. Collaborate with the Deputy Chief Education Officer and school-based teams to integrate specialized services into the broader educational strategy.

Ethics and Professional Norms: Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations related to specialized services, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504.

Equity and Cultural Responsiveness: Ensure that each student is treated fairly, respectfully, and work with an understanding of each student’s culture and context. Champion equity and social justice principles throughout the organization and through the educational experience of students.

Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Support the Deputy Chief Education Officer in assessing special education programs aligned with instructional objectives. Co-lead initiatives and evaluations for a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to enhance student achievement and teacher effectiveness. Continuously assess the effectiveness of these efforts to ensure positive student outcomes. Advocate for instructional practices grounded in child development, effective teaching methods, and individual student needs. Ensure classrooms utilize appropriate resources and staff have the skills to adapt teaching to meet diverse student needs, promoting intellectually engaging, relevant, strengths-based, and personalized instruction.

Community of Care and Support for Students: Promote adult-student, student-peer, and school-community relationships that value and support academic learning and positive social and emotional development. Infuse each school’s learning environment with the cultures, context, and languages of the community. 

Professional Capacity of School Personnel: Lead, coach, and provide professional development opportunities for a team of specialized services professionals; including teachers, counselors, and support staff. Lead seminars on Individualized Education Plan (IEP) writing and research-based practices for service providers in 1:1 or group settings; ensuring that IEPs align with both the academic and instructional objectives of the network, while also addressing the unique needs of each student. Foster a positive and collaborative work environment that promotes growth and continuous improvement.

Professional Community for Teachers and Staff: Collaborate with educators, service providers, and relevant staff to develop Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and support strategies for students with diverse learning needs. Serve as the Local Education Agency (LEA) representative for IEP and 504 meetings, overseeing initial, re-evaluation, and eligibility determination processes. Collaborate with the school dean to ensure compliance with legal and federal requirements regarding discipline for Distance Learning (DL) students, as well as adherence to safety plans and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs). Aid the Deputy Chief Education Officer in enhancing professional knowledge, skills, and practices among teachers and staff through tailored learning opportunities. Establish clear communication channels among all parties involved in delivering specialized services.

Meaningful Engagement of Families and Communities: This role is pivotal in ensuring caregivers understand their rights as parents of children with disabilities. Foster positive relationships with staff, students, and parents and/or guardians, involved in supporting students with specialized needs. Represent the organization in relevant community events and initiatives.

Operations and Management: Work in collaboration with the Deputy Chief Education Officer to provide additional support for students in need, which may include low-incidence services and behavior intervention plans. Manage and monitor the provision of academic, transportation, Extended School Year (ESY), and other related services specified in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Maintain and update schedules for students, paraprofessionals, and special education staff to ensure compliance with all allocated IEP minutes. Ensure departmental compliance by monitoring various reports within the Special Education Student Management (SSM) system, including but not limited to para service logs, annual and triennial meetings, related services, and transition services. Collect data on best practices for monitoring student achievement and progress.

School Improvement: Monitor the effectiveness of specialized programs and services through data-informed methods and tools. Ensure the department priorities work in tandem with other school priorities and that all school leaders can speak to the data driving improvement. Generate regular reports for the Deputy Chief Education Officer to demonstrate progress, outcomes, and areas for improvement. Directly lead and coach special education teachers and teams, ensuring excellence in educational support and advocacy for students with diverse learning needs. Foster collaboration, implement coaching cycles, best practices in instruction, and champion inclusive education initiatives to promote student success and well-being.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Certification: Must hold an active ISBE Endorsement for LBS1 and ESL/Bilingual. Principal Administrative Endorsement preferred. 

• Education Level: Master's degree in Education, Special Education, or a related field highly preferred.

• Experience: Minimum of 3 years of experience in a leadership capacity within an educational setting, with a focus on specialized services. In-depth knowledge of federal and state regulations governing specialized education programs, such as IDEA and Section 504. Bilingual fluency in verbal and written Spanish and English strongly preferred.

• Leadership Skills: Experience in managing and developing diverse teams of education professionals.

• Strategic Vision: Proven track record of designing and implementing successful specialized education initiatives.

• Communication and Collaboration: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with various stakeholders.

• Results-Oriented: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data to drive decision-making.

• Change Management: Demonstrate ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities.

• Educational Ethics: