Special Education Coordinator

Primary Purpose:

Directs the district’s special education evaluation program to ensure provision of needed services for special needs students.  Collaborates with district staff and outside personnel to formulate, develop, implement, and evaluate special education programs based on research, best practices, and current trends in special education.

Education / Certification:

1. Master’s degree from an accredited college or university preferred.
2. Valid Texas certificate or licensure as a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (preferred) or diagnostician
3. Valid Texas Mid-management or other appropriate Texas certificate and / or experience as a coordinator preferred.

Special Knowledge / Skills:

1. Knowledge of federal and state special education law
2. Understanding of the individual needs of special needs students
3. Ability to communicate with all levels of special needs students and their parents
4. Ability to implement policy and procedures
5. Ability to interpret data
6. Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills

Experience / Other Requirements:

1. Three years of experience in special education.
2. Licensed Specialist in School Psychology/diagnostician experience

Major Responsibilties and Duties:

Program Planning and Development

1. Collects data required for and collaborates on monitoring and submission of state compliance data.
2. Plans and designs evaluation activities to identify the needs of students with disabilities age 0-22.
3. Assists campus administration, appraisal staff, and case managers in the relationship between disabilities, eligibility, curriculum, instruction, and state assessment.
4. Evaluates total program outcomes and assists in updating special education goals and objectives based on students’ needs.
5. Coordinates evaluation services in order to identify students who are eligible and in need of special education services.
6. Serves as coordinator for evaluation and provision of related services to all students eligible for one or more of these services.
7. Designates assignments of appraisal staff, including the Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSPs), Educational Diagnosticians, LSSP trainees, interns or practicum students from local universities.
8. Provides/arranges for the appropriate supervision of trainees, interns and practicum students as required by state law.
9. Meets regularly with evaluation staff to streamline evaluation process across the district, as well as to evaluate needs for professional development and specific materials (technology, protocols, test kits, etc.).
10. May be responsible for evaluation caseload of varied age levels.
11. Reviews and analyzes evaluation caseload data to determine need for additional supports (extra duty, summer evaluations, vendor support, etc.)
12. Creates agreements with families for Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE), coordinates with providers on district expectations, and disseminates information when received.

Organization, Implementation and Evaluation of the Instructional Program

1. Serves as consultant in the identification, evaluation, selection, and application of appropriate activities and materials to be used in implementing special education programs.
2. Provides training to the evaluation staff, and the school administration in criterion referenced testing, educational observation, and diagnosis of a student’s instructional needs.
3. Serves on the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee upon request.
4. Promotes the use of technology to improve the evaluation and instructional process.
5. Assists the director of special education in the development of the overall staffing plan for special education.
6. Assists in the development of the district’s operating guidelines consistent with policies established by federal law, state law, and local board policy.
7. Provides technical assistance in the areas of selection of appropriate evaluation instruments, administration, and interpretation of assessments.

Staff Development

1. Assists in the determination of staff development needs with a focus on student success.
2. Plans, supervises, and conducts professional learning for the evaluation team in best practices, test standardization, ethical practices, and test interpretation with a focus on student success.
3. Assists in orientation of new staff members by providing information and technical demonstration to ensure success and efficiency.
4. Takes a lead role, in conjunction with other special education personnel, in staff development for administrators, counselors, and regular education teachers regarding laws, changes, effective intervention strategies, and any other important characteristics of the special education program.
5. Attends appropriate professional meetings and workshops to facilitate program improvement in the area of evaluation and provision of special education services.
6. Provides staff development in best practices in evaluations and training in test standardization, ethical practices, and test interpretation.

School and Community Relations

1. Available to address questions and concerns of community members to facilitate their understanding and support of programs for students with disabilities.
2. Demonstrates an awareness of district/community needs and initiate activities to meet those needs.
3. Coordinates with private/home schools when a referral for evaluation is received.
4. Performs additional duties as required.
5. Responsible for properly maintaining district records, adhering to all policies set forth by the district for records maintenance and learning the records retention schedule for department records.
6. Coordinates annual home school/private school meeting, evaluations, and Individual Service Plan (ISP) services.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

1. Supervise and evaluate the performance of appraisal staff.

Working Conditions:

The physical demands described here 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.

1. Maintain emotional control under stress.
2. Requires regular district-wide travel to multiple work locations as assigned.
3. Moderate lifting and carrying.
4. Mental concentration, ability to multi-task, work with frequent deadlines.
5. Occasional prolonged and irregular hours.
6. Prolonged standing.