Assistant Director of Special Education for Compliance

Position Information

Supervisor: Director of Special EducationEmployment Period: 12 monthsEmployment Status:Full-timeSalary:$85,000 – $105,000Start Date:Immediately

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Special Education for Compliance provides leadership and oversight to ensure the division's compliance with federal and state special education laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. This position is responsible for monitoring the implementation of special education programs and services to ensure students with disabilities receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and applicable Virginia regulations.

The Assistant Director serves as the division's primary compliance leader for special education and is responsible for overseeing monitoring systems, dispute resolution processes, due process matters, state reporting requirements, audits, corrective action plans, and procedural safeguards. The position works collaboratively with school administrators, special education staff, families, legal counsel, and state agencies to ensure compliance while promoting positive outcomes for students with disabilities.

While the Assistant Director of Special Education for Instruction focuses on improving teaching, learning, and student achievement, the Assistant Director of Special Education for Compliance serves as the division's lead expert in ensuring legal compliance, procedural fidelity, risk mitigation, and accountability for all special education programs and services. This position ensures that the division's practices are legally sound, educationally appropriate, and aligned with federal and state requirements while safeguarding the rights of students and families.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight for the division's special education compliance program, ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local regulations.
• Serve as the division's primary expert on IDEA, Section 504, ADA, FERPA, and Virginia special education requirements.
• Develop, implement, and monitor policies, procedures, and systems that promote legal compliance and program effectiveness.
• Establish and oversee division-wide monitoring systems, including compliance audits, file reviews, and program evaluations.
• Monitor compliance with IEP development and implementation, eligibility, evaluations, timelines, service delivery, manifestation determinations, and procedural safeguards.
• Analyze compliance data, identify trends and areas of risk, and implement corrective actions to improve compliance outcomes.
• Coordinate division responses to state and federal monitoring activities, audits, and corrective action plans.
• Lead the division's response to state complaints, due process hearings, mediation requests, OCR complaints, and other dispute resolution processes.
• Collaborate with legal counsel to prepare documentation, reports, and evidence for investigations, litigation, and due process proceedings.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant management of special education records, state reporting, and federal data submissions.
• Develop reports and dashboards to communicate compliance indicators and program performance to division leadership.
• Provide ongoing professional learning, technical assistance, and guidance to administrators, teachers, related service providers, and support staff regarding special education compliance requirements.
• Develop and maintain procedural manuals, guidance documents, monitoring tools, and compliance resources.
• Support school administrators in resolving compliance concerns, implementing corrective actions, and improving special education practices.
• Serve as the division liaison with families, schools, legal counsel, and state agencies regarding complex compliance matters.
• Participate in complex IEP meetings, eligibility meetings, manifestation determination reviews, and other meetings involving significant compliance issues.
• Evaluate division practices and recommend improvements that strengthen consistency, efficiency, legal defensibility, and positive student outcomes.
• Supervise assigned personnel by coordinating work, supporting professional growth, assisting with recruitment and evaluation, and ensuring effective implementation of division compliance initiatives.
  
  

Qualifications & Licensure

• Master's degree in Special Education, Educational Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction, or related field required.
• Valid Virginia Postgraduate Professional License with endorsements in Administration and Supervision (required) and Special Education (required).
• Minimum of five years of successful experience in special education.
• Experience in special education administration, compliance monitoring, or program leadership preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with IDEA compliance, dispute resolution, and regulatory requirements.
• Experience conducting audits, investigations, or compliance reviews preferred.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of federal and state special education laws and regulations, including IDEA, Section 504, ADA, FERPA, and Virginia Special Education Regulations.
• Knowledge of special education procedures, including eligibility, evaluation, IEP development, service delivery, procedural safeguards, dispute resolution, and records management.
• Skill in interpreting and applying legal and regulatory requirements while conducting compliance reviews, investigations, audits, and corrective action planning.
• Ability to analyze data, identify compliance trends, develop reports, and implement systems that promote continuous improvement and accountability.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively collaborate with families, school staff, administrators, legal counsel, and state agencies.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet strict deadlines, maintain confidentiality, and exercise sound professional judgment in complex situations.
• Skill in resolving conflicts, facilitating problem-solving, and navigating sensitive issues with professionalism while fostering collaborative relationships.
• Ability to balance legal compliance with student-centered decision-making, promote consistent and legally defensible practices, and support positive outcomes for students with disabilities.
  
  

Application Requirements

You may apply anytime before midnight on the closing date. Please provide the following:

• Resume
• Minimum of three returned reference forms
• Most recent performance evaluation (external applicants only)
  
  

Only complete applications will be considered.

Hampton City Schools does not discriminate in employment against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, age, disability or other protected class. Personnel decisions are based on merit and the ability to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Executive Director of Human Resources, One Franklin Street, Hampton, VA 23669; (757) 727-2300. Appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available upon request.