Special Education Coordinator

TITLE:         Special Education Coordinator 

LOCATION:  Central Office and Training Center

The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) is a nationally recognized urban school district that serves approximately 22,000 students. With a Head Start program, three preschools, 30 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, and 5 college and career academies/high schools, the district serves a wonderfully diverse mixture of students. A remarkable 62 different languages are spoken in the homes of our students. To serve those students, the district employs approximately 3,650 staff, including more than 1,600 teachers.

The vision of the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is to be one of the Top 10 School Districts in the Nation. Our goal is that "Each student will exit high school prepared for college and careers in a global society, and at every level, performance is on track and on time for success." To help our students achieve this goal, the district is implementing a district-wide initiative called Diploma+.

JOB GOAL: Lead the district in providing quality special education and related services to students with exceptionalities in accordance with state and federal special education regulations and foster the implementation of specialized instructional practices that produce positive outcomes for exceptional learners

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provide support, training, mentoring and coaching to special education teachers, related service providers, paraprofessionals, and administrators for the provision of special education and related services.
• Advocate for children with disabilities and families of children with disabilities.
• Respond to parents’ concerns specific to parents’ rights and special education process & procedures.
• Set a vision for the organization and purpose of special education and specialized instruction.
• Facilitate linkage to general education initiatives while maintaining a continuum of services in the least restrictive environment for students with disabilities.
• Recommend to the Director the allocation and provisions of special education staff regarding assigned programs, buildings or
• Collaborate with human resources department and building administration in the recruitment, selection and retention of special education
• Supervise and evaluate Special Education Teacher Leaders and itinerant special education professional
• Assist building administrators with evaluation of building based special education
• Model specialized instructional practices and disseminate information related to instructional materials, innovative programs, teaching techniques and research pertinent to special education.
• Supervise the development and implementation of curriculum and validated instructional practices as it applies to specialized instruction.
• Conduct regularly scheduled department, building or area
• Oversee and manage department data, budget, paperwork and due process information.
• Provide professional development and support as related to special education process, procedure and compliance with state and federal special education law.
• Assist in special education program development, long range planning and evaluation.
• Maintain a strong knowledge base of current special education processes, procedures, and regulations.
• Serve as a resource to all stakeholders regarding special education processes, procedures, and regulations. Assist principal to resolve any areas of non-compliance.
• Report all incidents of school or program non-compliance to special education regulations to principals and the director of special
• Act as a representative of the Local Education Agency at Private & Parochial Schools, State Schools, and Alternative Sites.
• Organize and administrate Extended School
• Monitor services provided to special education students by contracted alternative education programs and assist in program development
• Resolve any areas of disagreement with parents and advocates following Cooperative procedures and State and Federal
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Special Education

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Meets the employment qualifications set forth by the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education and the Kansas State Department of Education.
• Valid Kansas Special Education Certification (Building Level Administrator K-12).
• Five years recent successful special education experience.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, professional judgment, oral and written communication.
• Demonstrate skills and history of professional development facilitation and training.

COMMUNICATION / ORGANIZATION: Maintains communication with school personnel, and parents/guardians to enhance cooperative action which will meet the educational needs of students.  Utilizes existing technology effectively in the performance of duties. Performs other related work as required.

REASONING ABILITY: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and analyze and interpret general professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, general curriculum and learning theories, correspondence, and protocols. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of administrators, staff, parents, students, and the general public.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, walk, stand and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The employee must occasionally push items of 50 pounds such as pushing on a bike ore wheelchair, or moving/rearranging furniture. While performing the duties of the job the employee occasionally may visit a child’s home. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually loud and is a standard acceptable level for this environment. Is directly responsible for students’ safety, work output and well-being.

OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES: Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory to instructional program; ability to plan and implement lessons based on division and school objectives and the needs and abilities of students. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, peers, parents and community; ability to speak clear and concisely in written or oral communication.

Applications and documents will be reviewed prior to the deadline posted for this position.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:       231 days

SALARY:                           Based on KCKPS Salary Schedule

FLSA STATUS:                      EXEMPT

REPORT TO:                     Director of Special Education

EVALUATION:                    Evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the procedures outlined by the USD 500 Board of Education

Applications will be reviewed prior to the closing date for this position

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position.  The individual currently holding this position performs additional duties and additional duties may be assigned.  

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  KCKPS does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, tenure, disability or any other factors that cannot be lawfully considered in its programs and activities as required by all applicable laws and regulations.

Signatures

This job description has been approved by all levels of management:

Manager _______________________________________________

HR ___________________________________________________

Employee signature below constitutes employee’s understanding of the requirements, essential functions and duties of the position.

Employee _____________________________ Date ____________