Director of Special Education

• Location:
  
  Horizon Science Academy McKinley Park High School
• Date Available:
  
  07/01/2026
• Closing Date: 07/01/2026

The Illinois Special Education Charter Cooperative (ISECC) is a collaborative entity that provides special education services and oversight to its member schools. Unlike traditional cooperatives that operate within a single district or region, ISECC serves four independently operated, state-authorized charter schools that are not part of the same local education agency (LEA).

As such, the Executive Director of Special Education operates across multiple autonomous school organizations, each with its own leadership structure, while ensuring consistent compliance with federal and state special education requirements. This role requires the ability to align systems, practices, and reporting across schools with varying operational models, while maintaining centralized accountability for compliance, service delivery, and program quality.

Given this unique structure, the Executive Director is also responsible for ensuring that all member schools collectively meet Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) accountability standards, reporting requirements, and compliance timelines, despite operating as independent entities. This position offers a unique opportunity to lead system-wide impact across multiple charter schools while shaping special education programming at scale.

The Executive Director of Special Education is responsible for the strategic leadership, compliance, and operational oversight of special education programs across all ISECC member schools. This role ensures full alignment with IDEA, Illinois School Code (Article 14), and ISBE reporting and accountability systems, while driving high-quality instruction, equitable access, and fiscal responsibility. This role is critical in ensuring that students with disabilities across member schools receive high-quality, compliant, and equitable educational services.

This role is ideal for a leader who thrives in complex, multi-school environments and is committed to building high-quality, compliant, and student-centered special education systems.

Leadership & Supervision:

• Oversee and evaluate all special education programming across member schools
• Shared supervision of special education staff, case managers, and contracted service providers with building principal
• Assist with the recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and retention of special education personnel and related service providers
• Provide ongoing coaching and performance feedback to school-based teams
• Facilitate collaboration between principals, instructional leaders, and special education staff

Compliance and Legal Accountability:

• Ensure full compliance with:
  • IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
  • Illinois School Code (Article 14)
  • ISBE regulations and guidance
• Oversee accuracy and completion of:
  • IEPs, eligibility documentation, and procedural safeguards
• Ensure adherence to all ISBE reporting timelines and mandates, including:
  • I-Star Plus submissions
  • Student Information System (SIS) data
  • IDEA grant reporting
  • SPP (State Performance Plan) indicators
  • Medicaid Billing
• Monitor and respond to:
  • ISBE complaints
  • Due process hearings
  • Corrective action plans and noncompliance findings
• Assist with preparation for ISBE monitoring, audits, and site visits

Data Systems and Reporting Accountability:

• Oversee accuracy, integrity, and timely submission of all special education data systems, including:
  • I-Star Plus
  • SIS (Student Information System)
  • IWAS (ISBE Web Application Security system)
  • Medicaid
• Monitor key compliance indicators:
  • SPP Indicators (4, 8–14)
  • Child Count
  • Service delivery compliance
• Identify trends and gaps
• Drive program improvement
• Identify staffing needs across member schools

Program Development and Instructional Oversight:

• Lead development and continuous improvement of:
  • Co‑taught and self‑contained programming
  • Inclusive practices and LRE alignment
• Conduct classroom walkthroughs to monitor instructional quality
• Ensure fidelity of curriculum implementation
• Provide professional development aligned to:
  • Special education…