Title: Director of Special Education
Department: Student Services
Classification: Administrative
Assignment: 12-month, Full Time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Reports To: Assistant Superintendent of Student Services
Supervises: Special Education Department Chair and Staff
Location: Deerfield High School and Highland Park High School
Salary: $170,000-$190,000 based on experience

Summary:

The Director of Special Education provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight of all district special education programs and services. This position ensures compliance with federal and state regulations, supervises specialized personnel, and collaborates with all departments to promote inclusionary practices and social-emotional support. The Director also assists in the development of transition and alternative programs, fostering collaboration with sender districts, district partners and community agencies. This role oversees all areas of special education including ESY, transition programming, DRS (Division of Rehabilitation Services), inclusive school practices, and coordination of articulation.

Qualifications:

Master’s degree in Special Education, Educational Leadership, or related field.
Illinois Professional Educator License with Director of Special Education endorsement (Required).
Illinois Qualified Evaluator certification.
License registered with Lake County ROE 34.
Prior Leadership experience in a Director role Preferred.
Demonstrated expertise in IDEA compliance, program development, transition programming, and inclusive practices.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaborative leadership skills.

Essential Functions:

The criteria indicated below are intended to describe various types of work that may be performed. The exclusion of specific responsibilities does not prohibit them if the work is similar, related, or a logical task of the position.

Program Leadership and Compliance

Design all district special education budgets and programs.
Administer and monitor the IDEA Flow-through Grant and related budgets.
Ensure district-wide compliance with IDEA, Section 504, and state/federal mandates.
Supervise IDEA compliance (timelines, required components, correction of noncompliance, internal monitoring.
Leads district response for IDEA compliance reviews, corrective action plans, and systemic remediation tied to special education.
Serve as district liaison to TrueNorth, DRS, and partner agencies.
Coordinate special education transportation processes.
Supervise/Serve as the District Representative for IEP meetings when resources beyond school budgets may be considered and in high profile cases.
Collaborate with the Assistant Superintendent on all special education related functions including but not limited to due process hearings, mediation, and compliance reviews.
Support building level teams in newly implemented MTSS processes by allocating resources, ensuring training, analyzing data and recommending curriculum and programmatic modifications.

Program Development and Inclusion

Collaborate with district leadership to develop and expand transition, vocational, and alternative programs.
Design and supervise inclusive practices across academic, behavioral, and social-emotional domains.
Oversee implementation of a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) for students with disabilities.
Work with the Assistant Superintendent and school teams to advance social-emotional learning initiatives.

Personnel Supervision and Evaluation

Supervise and evaluate special education department chair, teachers, school psychologists, school social workers, related service providers, and paraprofessionals.
Lead recruitment, onboarding, and professional development of staff.
Utilize data and observations to guide instructional and program improvements.
Assist in the development of department meeting agendas and attend meetings as needed.

Collaboration and Communication

Build strong relationships with parents, parent groups, community partners, and feeder districts.
Collaborate with sender school districts and attend regularly scheduled meetings for articulation and service delivery from middle school to high school.
Support 504 Coordinators in problem-solving and compliance efforts.
Serve as LEA representative in meetings when additional resources are considered.
Support parents and staff in understanding rights, procedures, and services under special education law.

Data and Continuous Improvement

Use qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate programs, staffing, and student achievement.
Prepare reports to present to the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services..
Support the integration of technology in instructional and program management systems.

Safety and Professional Standards

Model and enforce district safety and ethical standards.
Participate in ongoing professional learning and maintain awareness of current best practices and legislation.
Perform additional duties as assigned by the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services.

Language and Collaboration Skills

Communicates, effectively presents information and responds to questions both in oral and written format to constituency groups including but not limited to students, staff, parents, therapeutic and residential facilities, and legal representatives. Establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with students, staff, parents/guardians, therapeutic and residential facilities, and legal representatives and the school community while also exhibiting flexibility, adaptability, and sound judgment.

Mathematical and Technical Skills

Calculate figures, estimates, proportions, percentages, and cost projections. Apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry. Strong technology skills, including standard Microsoft Office suite / Google Workspace, financial management, and data analysis. .

Reasoning Ability

Define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Interpret an extensive variety of verbal and written instructions and deal with multiple abstract and concrete variables. Ability to work independently, making critical decisions in high-pressure situations while upholding student rights and welfare.

Contacts Outside Your Own Department:

Build positive and strong rapport with constituents of the District 113 community that includes students, staff, administrative team, TrueNorth, Board of Education, guardians, private providers and community..

Physical and Mental Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, bend, write, type, speak, listen, and taste or smell.
The employee is regularly required to communicate with staff and others.
The employee is frequently required to use hands and/or fingers, handle, feel or operate objects, tools or controls.
The employee may occasionally be required to climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, twist, reach or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision,depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
Specific psychological demands of this job include the ability to remain calm under stress levels associated with job demands, along with constant contact with students, colleagues and the public.

Working Conditions:

In the work environment, this role is regularly exposed to office environmental conditions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate with regular exposure to loud classrooms, hallways, cafeterias or sports venues.
The employee is regularly required to meet deadlines with severe time constraints and interact with the public and staff in addition to meeting multiple demands from several people.
The employee is frequently required to work irregular or extended work hours, which may include evenings or weekends.

Safety:

As a part of the District workforce, this role is responsible for being aware of, modeling and contributing to the maintenance and implementation of all District safety policies and procedures. The role is directly responsible for the safety, well-being, and work output of students.

Required to:

Use good safety awareness and judgment
Follow policies
Report potentially unsafe conditions
Follow manufacturer safety instructions when using equipment
Follow agency ergonomic policies and procedures
Perform duties with awareness of all District requirements and Board of Education policies.

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.