Assistant Director of Special Education: Pathway Programs

Assistant Director of Special Education

The Assistant Director of Special Education for LESA's Pathway center-based program plays a pivotal role in supporting learners with complex physical, cognitive, communication, and social challenges. While ensuring compliance with special education requirements will be essential, this role will also incorporate supporting the students, staff, and parents associated with the instructional programs. This Director will have unquestioned ethics and integrity and will be responsible for advancing the Agency's mission to "Promote a culture of educational excellence for Livingston County through service, leadership, and collaboration" using an innovative spirit to find a way to say "yes" rather than "no".

Essential Functions:

• Supports staff in best practices for literacy instruction for students with complex needs. Assists in the design, implementation, and maintenance of programs and services which provide appropriate educational opportunities in the least restrictive setting.
• Ensures understanding of and supports educational programs in the local district and Livingston ESA.
• Collaborates regularly and intentionally with other special education leaders in Livingston County.
• Works cooperatively with local district administrators.
• Provides coaching and modeling of instructional practices to support countywide literacy initiatives.
• Assists the Director in the monitoring of literacy outcomes and implements adjustments as necessary to meet student and program goals.
• Regularly evaluates special education programs, services, and procedures, and coordinates required special education monitoring.
• Follows policies and procedures; completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; compiles and maintains all required reports and records.
• Assists in the ongoing evaluation of instructional methods, programs, and materials and recommends changes and improvements as necessary.
• Supports teachers and parents understanding students' unique educational needs.
• Provides Pathway teachers with counsel and assistance around instructional challenges; observes teachers and offers insights to enhance teaching and learning.
• Participates, designs, and provides appropriate professional learning opportunities for staff.
• Assists the Director in projecting staff needs, recruiting, screening, interviewing, and recommending qualified candidates for open positions.
• Supervises and evaluates LESA special education staff as determined by the Director of Pathway Programs.
• Stays informed, updated and knowledgeable, for the purpose of properly interpreting rules, regulations, laws, statutes and policies that affect special education and Section 504.
• Develops and administers special education programs and services in compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE).
• Implements procedures for child find that include special education referral, evaluation and placement for students who may require special education.

Additional Duties:

• Performs other related tasks as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Supervises employees in the Special Education Department as assigned. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; and addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Qualifications:

• Full or Temporary Approval as a Special Education Supervisor or Director.
• Full approval in at least one area of Special Education.

Education and/or

Experience:

• Master's degree or equivalent.
• Minimum of three years of successful experience in special education
• Experience and/or knowledge of Literacy Essentials.
• Experience and/or knowledge of center-based programming.

Certificates, Licenses and/or Registrations:

• Possession of a Michigan School Administrator Certificate, pursuant to MCL 380.1246.
• Valid Teaching Certificate with Special Education endorsement; or,
• Certification in an area of Special Education and Supervisor's approval.

Language

Skills:

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of staff, parent, and the general public.

Mathematical

Skills:

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Other Skills & Abilities:

Must be able to transport between school…