Executive Director of Exceptional Children

Executive Director of Exceptional Children

The Executive Director of Exceptional Children is a critical leadership role that directly affects the acceleration of improved student outcomes for students with special needs in JCPS. This role directs, monitors and strengthens programs and ensures all services are implemented within federal, state, and local regulations. The Executive Director of Exceptional Children will coordinate the efforts of federal, state and local agencies, private specialists, parents, and department supervisors to provide the services needed by JCPS students, working to eliminate disparities in achievement and ensure college and career readiness for students with special needs.

This role develops and implements JCPS policies and procedures for identifying and meeting the needs of diverse learners, leads comprehensive planning and coordination, and provides system leadership to ensure equitable access to high-quality special education and related services.

Qualifications and attributes include:

• Must have a North Carolina Professional Educator's License in one of the license areas for Exceptional Children.
• Must have a North Carolina Professional Educator's license for School Administration-Principal, Curriculum Instructional Specialist, or Exceptional Children's Program Administrator.
• Minimum of 5 years teaching experience. School administration experience preferred.
• Must possess excellent analytical and organizational skills.
• Thorough knowledge of federal and state regulations governing programs and services for exceptional children.
• In-depth knowledge of the various disabilities covered under the exceptional children programs.
• Knowledgeable of federal, state, and local agencies that provide services for exceptional children.
• Knowledgeable of JCPS Board of Education policies, procedures, and standards regarding education.
• General knowledge of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
• Ability to provide leadership and oversee professional development regarding special education policies.
• In-depth knowledge of and experience with developing and managing budgets.
• Thorough knowledge of screening, evaluation, and placement requirements.
• Comprehensive knowledge of growth and development of exceptional children.
• Ability to craft appropriate responses to complex and sensitive situations, while maintaining a professional and personal demeanor.
• Ability to lead multiple projects on a timeline and with budgetary constraints.
• Ability to lead and manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with school officials, school system staff, attorneys, outside advocacy groups, external agencies, and other community members.
• Ability to demonstrate critical thinking skills and the ability to analyze data, identify trends, and diagnose root causes.
• Ability to demonstrate leadership presence that gains the confidence of others.
• Ability to demonstrate comfort to push a group's thinking; skillfully navigating political structures, relationships and dynamics to challenge ideas and enable better decisions and outcomes for students.
• Ability to hold self and others accountable for reaching high academic achievement of students.

Duties and responsibilities include:

• Oversees and directs all programs for exceptional children.
• Collaborates with and provides direction and/or consultation to Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer, School System Attorney, EC Program Administrators, principals, assistant principals, a variety of central office staff and school-based staff, parents, community providers, and individual contractors, on individual cases and on interpretation of federal, state, and local policies and procedures.
• Directly and/or indirectly supervises a variety of Exceptional Children direct and related services staff, psychologists, individual contractors, community providers, parents, school-based staff on individual cases and on interpretation of federal, state, and local policies and procedures.
• Continuously assesses the distribution of Exceptional Children supports ensuring allocation is equitable and provides the best resources to efficiently and effectively meet the needs of all JCPS students, families, and schools.
• Applies research and best practices to inform the development of theories of pedagogy, intervention programs and improve the delivery of Exceptional Children and related services.
• Provides leadership in establishing new programs for exceptional children.
• Provides leadership and guidance pertaining to exceptional children policies through an effective system of policy development, implementation, and compliance.
• Develops and implements standards, policies and procedures related to exceptional children services, and develops short and long range goals for all exceptional children programs within the system.
• Holds responsibility for maintaining and filing all required reports and records while adhering to all deadlines imposed by local, state and federal…