Please Note: This Position only open to internal NYC Public Schools (NYCPS) employees.
Director for Special Education, DSL
Position Summary: Under the leadership and direction of the Superintendent (or designee), the Director for Special Education (DSE) provides compliance and policy leadership and support to principals, assistant principals, and teachers to strengthen their skills and implement the Chancellor's vision to reimagine the student experience and provide a rigorous academic program to improve achievement for students with disabilities (SWDs). The DSE is responsible for leading the design, creation, coordination, and facilitation of professional learning focused on special education compliance and guidance and support for school-based staff. The Director for Special Education supports school leaders as they design and implementation of special education compliance and instructional practices aligned to the School/District Comprehensive Education planning, to address SED and union escalations on compliance and instructional issues in schools, and prepare to prepare school-based staff for federal and state monitoring visits. The Director for Special Education works closely with the Specialized Student Support Leads (SSSL), Administrator of Special Education (ASE), senior leadership from the Special Education Office (SEO), other DOE central division offices and other superintendent’s office staff to ensure that the DOE’s vision for students with disabilities is shared and reflected in the practices of staff across schools.
The Director for Special Education provides schools with timely and quality assistance to ensure that appropriate compliance and instructional programs are in place for students with disabilities and coordinate the provision of professional development to school-based staff to build capacity for addressing the compliance and instructional needs of students and support the implementation of quality control of Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and special education. The DSE works strategically and supervises the special education compliance support staff to ensure appropriate support is provided to schools in the areas of mandated counseling and related services. Performs related work.
Reports to: Superintendent (or designee)
Direct Reports: Mandated Counseling Compliance Officer, Related Service Transmittals Administrator/Associate, and Special Education Community Support Coordinator, and other staff as assigned by the superintendent(s)
Key Relationships: Works collaboratively with DOE Central divisional, Special Education Office (SEO), Administrators of Special Education, Specialized Student Support Leads, and other Superintendent's office staff to coordinate cross-functional and differentiated special education compliance and instructional supports for schools.
Responsibilities
- Leads the implementation of the DOE’s vision for students with disabilities and ensures that is shared and reflected in the practices of staff across schools.
- Implements the Shared Path Framework agreement with the New York State Education Department (NYSED), including the identification and support of spotlight schools.
- Manages the completion and submission of data reports and documents required by State’s Shared Path Framework to the SEO for submission to NYSED.
- Develops a strategic plan to support schools in addressing the special education instructional and compliance needs or all their students with disabilities by supporting teachers and other school-based staff, and the implementation of the Superintendent’s office’s specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) goals, needs assessments and professional development plans.
- Creates systems and structures to ensure that quality services are provided to schools in their caseload to support the achievement of students with disabilities.
- Manages the implementation of DOE special education policy across schools and assigned districts to maximize effective resource utilization in support of student achievement.
- Works collaboratively with Administrators of Special Education and Specialized Student Support. Leads in developing and implementing coherent professional development and resources aligned to the Shared Path Framework (SPF), including:
- ensuring that schools have tiered systems to support the positive behavior of all students, including specific support for students with disabilities (SWDs) as needed, including FBA and BIP;
- support for Special Education spotlight schools across all four strands as needed;
- support for School Implementation Teams; and
- review Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) to ensure quality and benefit to students.
- Coordinates the management of plans for spotlight schools, and supports the work in multiple SPF strands, e.g., transition and behavior:
- works with schools to develop action plans aligned to the Shared Path Framework;
- implements SPF action plans, and monitors progress to build capacity in school staff, build sustainable school systems and structures, and ensure student achievement; and
- ensures the implementation of the behavior strand of the Shared Path Framework, including working with a small group of high-needs schools to support the thoughtful implementation of positive behavior supports and procedural safeguards and providing information to all schools.
- Supports field-based capacity building efforts around resource optimization, strategic staffing, and effective operational practices that impact and accelerate student achievement.
- Actively collaborates with senior leadership at the Superintendent’s offices and SEO leadership to ensure consistent and effective application of instructional best practices and citywide initiatives, developing key relationships to ensure the smooth flow of information and work processes.
- Oversees compliance and organization of Related Services staff and services in coordination with the Office of Related Services.
- Facilitates and/or conducts professional development series on special education topics for other superintendent’s office and school based-staff on best compliance and instructional practices that address the unique needs of children with disabilities.
- Collaborates with other Superintendent’s office leaders to ensure that the instructional and compliance practices and service models of schools are aligned with research, regulations and mandates.
- Participates in professional development for further understanding of instructional practices for implementing a SED standard-based curriculum across the Superintendency.
- Oversees and resolves field-based escalations from schools, parents, and DOE leadership.
- Provides support to ASEs as they support schools with mediation and resolution of Special education complaints.
- Works cross-functionally to ensure that instructional and compliance work across Superintendent’s office provides access points for students with disabilities.
- Actively works to establish stronger community relationships, partnerships and initiatives to support children with disabilities and their families.
Qualification Requirements:
Minimum
Must currently possess a New York State Certification as a School District Administrator (SDA) or School District Leader (SDL). Please Note: We do not accept internship certificates.
For more information regarding the DOE’s supervisory certification requirements, as well as a link to the New York State Education Department’s website to apply for certification, please visit our website at https://www.schools.nyc.gov/careers/principals-and-assistant-principals/school-leader-and-supervisory-certification
Plus
- Minimum of five (5) years satisfactory teaching or provision of related services for students with disabilities and/or administration of special education programs for students with disabilities.
Preferred
- Respected, highly skilled instructional leader with broad experience as an educator across roles and student populations, e.g., general education, MLL/ELL and special education.
- Commitment to outcome-based accountability, data-driven decision-making, differentiated instruction and continuous adult learning as drivers of improved student outcomes.
- Strong service and support orientation and facilitative style towards schools and school communities.
- Understanding and ability to support the instructional needs of English Language Learners at all stages of English acquisition.
- Comprehensive knowledge of the educational needs of the diverse segments of SWDs in grades K-12, including newly identified and emerging groups of MLL/ELL students relative to funded program initiatives.
- Superior abilities in analyzing data to identify trends and patterns, developing and implementing plans for instructional and programmatic enhancement and designing and conducting professional development/technical assistance programs and strategies.
- Excellent communication skills including the ability to communicate clearly and effectively orally, in writing and through the use of technology.
- The ability to set project standards and monitor progress, communicate interim and final results to Special Education Office (SEO), the NYCDOE community and to policy-making audiences.
- The understanding and ability to tap into local and national resources in relevant areas.
- Excellent and effective communication skills including the ability to write well and make clear, concise, oral presentations.
- Superior ability to manage and administer large-scale initiatives and engage leaders.
- Prior experience as a Compliance/Instructional Specialist on a central, and/or district level, and/or school-level supervisory and staff development experience.
- Understanding of knowledge management and integration at the school and classroom levels as well as organizing and managing the sharing of best practices.
- Knowledge and ability to apply theories of effective practices for:
- data-driven instructional practices and student achievement;
- development of academic literacy; and
- use of instructional technologies and differentiated instructional strategies.
- Ability to be a self-starter who works effectively as a member of a team.
- Ability to be a solutions-oriented problem-solver.
Salary: $165,533 - $182,086
NOTE: The filling of all positions is subject to budget availability and/or grant funding.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
It is the policy of the Department of Education of the City of New York to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, national origin, alienage, citizenship status, age, marital status, partnership status, disability, sexual orientation, gender (sex), military status, unemployment status, caregiver status, consumer credit history, prior record of arrest or conviction (except as permitted by law), predisposing genetic characteristics, or status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual offenses and stalking, and to maintain an environment free of harassment on any of the above-noted grounds, including sexual harassment or retaliation. For more information, please refer to the DOE Non-Discrimination Policy. |
