Paul Cuffee School, a K-12 public charter school of choice, educates a diverse community of students from the City of Providence, Rhode Island. We respect each individual and the world we share. This quality of our community is central to our mission. In the spirit of Paul Cuffee’s life, we teach students to value and practice personal initiative, perseverance, and social responsibility. Our School accomplishes these goals through a rigorous academic program which, enriched with maritime experiences, fosters discovery and critical thinking. We prepare students for higher education, lifelong learning, and active citizenship. To learn more about our school, please visit us at www.paulcuffee.org

Reports to: Head of School

Hours: 0.5 FTE, Exempt (90 days)

Position Overview: 

The Director of Special Education is a district-level leadership position which holds responsibility for special education instructional leadership, management, and monitoring of the quality and compliance of services for students in special education across the three schools that make up the Paul Cuffee Charter School District. The Director of Special Education will help lead the coordination of care efforts with special education case managers and their general education partners. S/he will perform duties within the frameworks of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Rhode Island General Laws, and Rhode Island Department of Education regulations. 

The person serving in this position shall hold extensive knowledge and demonstrate skill in the practices that support successful outcomes for students with learning disabilities and shall work closely with the schools’ principals, director of learning and teaching, and head of school to help make its special education department the best that it can be. The person in this position is responsible for directing the work of the special education administrative assistant.

Responsibilities/duties include, but are not limited to:

• Implementing and monitoring all aspects of the special education programs in accordance with state and federal laws.
• Directing special education services for all students with disabilities and ensuring that students have access to the school’s core curriculum in the least restrictive environment.
• Collaborating with school-based administrators and teachers related to program decisions.
• Assuming shared responsibility for academic achievement and wellness of the students eligible for special education.
• Overseeing the work of the special education administrative assistant. 
• Interviewing and hiring new special education staff members.
• Evaluating special education teachers using the Rhode Island Model Educator Evaluation, in tandem with building administrators. 
• Supervising daily activities and assigned tasks within the special education department.
• Monitoring annual budgets for special education and coordinating budget requests with individual schools relative to instructional programs.
• Ensuring that complete, confidential, individual records are maintained for students in special education.
• May serve as Local Education Agency representative for Team of Qualified Professionals/Evaluation Team and IEP Team meetings.
• Coordinating and monitoring Medicaid reimbursement activities and serving as liaison with related agencies.
• Monitoring and supporting the use of assistive technology.
• Assuming shared responsibility with the director of student services for all legally required federal and state reporting and record keeping.
• Regularly reviewing federal and state legislation/regulations related to special education; identifying and sharing the impact of changes on the school.
• Collaborating regularly with principals and all-school administrators in matters related to school improvement, student achievement, and family partnerships.
• Demonstrating responsiveness to all school stakeholders.
• Scheduling meetings with special education program staff, keeping and distributing meeting minutes, and facilitating the collaborative work of those departments.
• Setting expectations and monitoring the collaborative efforts between general education and special education staff.
• Maintaining records of the total work of the department, monitoring and leading direction for improvements where needed.
• Conducting ongoing needs assessments in the areas of special education to plan, implement and facilitate professional development for special and general educators.
• Working collaboratively with parents of students with IEPs to plan, facilitate, and recruit families to participate in Parent Advisory Committee meetings.
• Overseeing the Extended School Year (ESY) program.
• Performing all other duties as assigned by the head of school.

Job Requirements

• Minimum of a Master's Degree in Education is required
• Minimum of five years of teaching experience is required; in urban setting, preferred
• Valid Rhode Island District Level Administrator - Special Education Certificate, or demonstrated eligibility to obtain it, required 
• National background check (after offer)
• Citizenship, residency or work visa required