Regional Special Education Director - Mississippi Bend AEA

Iowa

Education's vision is building an excellent education system that empowers all students to achieve their full potential. To accomplish our vision, the Department relies upon talented, passionate professionals working together to serve Iowa's students, families, and teachers in partnership.

The Iowa Department of Education seeks a dedicated, expert Regional Special Education Director to ensure all students with disabilities experience a world-class education that meets their needs, inspires them, and prepares them for bright futures. The Regional Special Education Director will provide regional leadership and engagement to improve educational results and functional outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families (IDEA, Part C known as Early Access) and children with disabilities (IDEA, Part B including 619.)

Your Responsibilities:

• Provide regional leadership and engagement to:

• improve educational results and functional outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families (IDEA, Part C known as Early Access) and children with disabilities (IDEA, Part B including 619), and

• ensure that the relevant Area Education Agencies (AEA), local educational agencies (LEAs), and early intervention service (EIS) programs and providers meet the requirements under IDEA, state law, and all relevant federal and state regulations and guidance.

• Provide general supervision and direct oversight consistent with OSEP guidance, including the Iowa Department of Education's (Department) relevant duties under federal IDEA law to:

• inform on special education requirements and evidence-based best practices, including directing the accuracy and fidelity of implementation across the Mississippi Bend AEA and all system providers,

• direct the prevention of noncompliant practices or those that are inconsistent with evidence-based best practices,

• inspect and detect such practices through ongoing data and on-site observation monitoring of Mississippi AEA and all system providers,

• ensure the correction of noncompliant practices or those that are inconsistent with evidence-based best practice for all system providers, and

• review and approve long-term goals set by the Mississippi Bend AEA, LEAs, and EIS providers, including reviewing, approving, and submitting to the Division Administrator of Special Education Compliance and Continuous Improvement and Deputy Director of Special Education all Mississippi Bend AEA and LEA IDEA applications, and ensure continuous evaluation of progress towards those goals.

• Supervise and direct the work of regional Department special education compliance experts.

• Oversee and approve the policies, procedures, and practices of Mississippi Bend AEA, LEAs and EIS providers to ensure each child with a disability in the region receives a Free and Appropriate Public Education in the Least Restrictive Environment prioritizing academic, physical, and social inclusion.

• Ensure integrated systems of special education evaluation and appropriate identification (Child Find), IEP team formation and function, IEP development and implementation with fidelity, special education services and supports, high-quality specially designed instruction, and postsecondary transitions, including through the approval, provision, and quality assurance of evidence-based professional learning addressing needs identified through data analysis.

• Supervise and direct the work of regional Department special education professional learning and continuous improvement experts.

• Ensure the appropriate use of special education finances and compliant and timely reporting, including by:

• Assigning appropriate weights for each child requiring special education programs or services in coordination with the Mississippi Bend AEA, and

• Providing each school district within the region with a certified special education weighted enrollment count in coordination with Mississippi Bend AEA and the Department of Management.

If you wish to review a copy of the Position Description Questionnaire, please contact idoe.hr@iowa.gov.

Hours: 8:00 a.m.

• 4:30 p.m., Monday

• Friday, occasional nights and weekends, in-state travel and occasional out-of-state travel

A successful candidate will bring or have the ability and desire to learn:

• Passion for accomplishing common goals in pursuit of public service

• Ability to work collaboratively on, and provide leadership for, high-performing teams

• Ability to work independently, moving projects forward with minimal supervision

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to interpret and break down highly technical and regulatory language, and present information in an understandable manner

• Strong interpersonal skills

• Desire to work with diverse teams and stakeholders

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU? 

• Opportunities to make a transformational impact in the lives of children, families, teachers, and Iowa communities

• Collaborative, positive work environment

• Dedicated, talented colleagues that will learn and grow with you

• Opportunities to collaborate with experts from across the country

• Employee discounts from a variety of vendors

• Competitive salary and benefits package: https://das.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/hr/documents/employment/Benefits_Beyond_the_Paycheck.pdf (Download PDF reader)

This is a non-merit position with the Iowa Office of the Ombudsman. Candidates must follow the instructions in the "To Apply" section.

Positions in this class are exempt from the screening and referral requirements of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services

• Human Resources Enterprise.    

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification: 

1. Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university, and experience equal to six years of full-time, professional-level work in special education, program administration, development, management, or operations. 

2. A combination of a total of ten years of education and full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work may substitute for one year of full-time experience. 

3. Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in special education, therapy (physical, occupational, speech/language, or other education-related area), social work, law, education, or public or business administration, and experience equal to four years of full-time, professional-level work in special education, program administration, development, management, or operations.

Director of Special Education OR

Professional Services Administrator OR

Special Education Supervisor/Instruction OR

Pk12 Principal/Supervisor Special Education OR

Special Education Consultant OR

School Psychologist OR

Teaching License with a Special Education Endorsement OR

Professional Service License OR

Superintendent