Assistant Director - ESE Information Management Systems

DPSCD Comp; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Detroit Public Schools Community District is seeking an Assistant Director for ESE Information Management Systems. The role leads PowerSchool Special Programs, ESE enrollment, and student placement data, ensuring accuracy and timeliness across district operations.

You will collaborate with ESE leadership, schools, and other departments to maintain data quality, support reporting needs at district, state, and federal levels, and drive data-driven decisions for student success.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field with supervisory credentials.
• Full approval for Supervisor of Special Education.
• Experience with state-hosted systems and reporting requirements.
• Familiarity with PowerSchool Special Programs and education platforms.
• Experience delivering end-user training on data systems and reporting tools.
• Knowledge of IDEA implementation in schools.
• Understanding of ESE service continua and enrollment processes.
• At least 3 years in ESE leadership or student information systems.
• Ability to analyze data and translate findings for leadership.
• Experience with pupil accounting principles and state data submissions.
• Excellent communication, mentoring, and collaborative leadership.
• Strong cross-functional relationship skills across district teams.
• Knowledge of ESE Enrollment policies (Transfer B, placement, transportation).

Responsibilities

• Oversee PowerSchool Special Programs operations, training, and user support.
• Develop procedures for ESE data, enrollment, placement, and reporting.
• Use stakeholder feedback to improve processes, dashboards, and data pulls.
• Establish data quality standards and support staff in record accuracy.
• Coordinate data access across District departments and data integrations.
• Create training resources and guidance for PowerSchool and ESE processes.
• Ensure timely data for district leadership, schools, and compliance needs.
• Collaborate with leaders to improve data collection and submission quality.
• Produce regular ESE data pulls, reports, and extracts for reporting needs.
• Maintain calendars and schedules for data routines and reporting timelines.
• Coordinate with vendors and internal partners to resolve issues.
• Foster team-building and accountability while aligning with district priorities.
• Develop project management routines with clear owners and timelines.
• Build relationships to support the district's ESE priorities.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Master's degree in related field

State-approved Supervisory qualification

Tools

PowerSchool Special Programs

Job description

P osition Title: Assistant Director - ESE Information Management Systems

Location: Exceptional Student Education

Reports to Deputy Executive Director (DED), ESE Operations & Compliance

Bargaining Unit: N/A

Telecommuting Eligibility: Site based. Not eligible for telecommuting

Position Summary

The Exceptional Student Education Operations and Compliance Division ensures that the District maintains accurate, high-quality, and timely ESE student data to support compliance, student placement, school operations, and informed decision-making. The division supports the production, management, validation, and reporting of ESE student information and works to ensure that school and District leaders have access to reliable data needed to support students, schools, and programs.

As a key member of the ESE division, the Assistant Director provides leadership and day-to-day oversight for PowerSchool Special Programs, ESE Enrollment, and the placement of students receiving exceptional student education services. The Assistant Director supports accurate ESE student information, system use, data quality, enrollment and placement processes, and the timely production of data pulls and reports for school, District, state, and federal needs. This role works collaboratively with ESE leadership, schools, enrollment teams, and other District departments to ensure student information is accurate, accessible, and aligned with District procedures and special education requirements.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must possess and provide evidence of a master's degree in related field
• Must possess full approval for Supervisor of Special
• Experience with state-hosted systems and school and student reporting requirements.
• Familiarity with PowerSchool Special Programs and other education-specific platforms.
• Experience developing and delivering end-user training for student data systems, reporting tools, databases, and data management processes.
• Experience & Knowledge of IDEA implementation within the school setting
• Knowledge of the continuum of services offered to ESE students
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in ESE leadership, student information systems, enrollment, placement, compliance, or a related area preferred.
• Proven ability to analyze student and program data, identify trends, and translate findings into clear, actionable information for leadership and schools.
• Experience in the use and support of technology, database applications, reporting tools, and state systems.
• Experience with pupil accounting principles, practices, and methods strongly preferred.
• Understanding of requirements and timelines for student data submissions to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI), and the U.S. Department of Education preferred.
• Excellent communication and mentoring skills and previous experience as a collaborative leader
• Skilled at running cross-functional relationships and communicating with leadership across multiple teams and departments.
• Experience with policies and procedures related to ESE Enrollment, including school enrollment, Transfer B, student placement, transportation coordination, program alignment, and case management.

Essential Functions:

• Manage and support the day-to-day operations of PowerSchool Special Programs, including implementation, user support, training, troubleshooting, monitoring, and coordination of system-related needs in accordance with District expectations.
• Develop, refine, and implement procedures and processes related to ESE student information, enrollment, placement, data quality, and reporting.
• Use stakeholder feedback to improve PowerSchool Special Programs processes, reports, dashboards, data pulls, and user supports; partner with schools to resolve student information, enrollment, placement, and data concerns.
• Establish and monitor data quality standards for ESE student information and support school and central office staff in maintaining accurate and complete records.
• Coordinate across District departments to ensure ESE student data is accessible, understood, and appropriately used, and that relevant data integrations and downstream processes are supported.
• Develop and maintain training, guidance, job aids, and support resources for PowerSchool, Special Programs, ESE enrollment and placement processes, and ESE data reporting.
• Ensure stakeholders receive timely, relevant resources and data needed to support accurate student records, compliance, enrollment, placement, and decision-making.
• Collaborate with school and central office leaders to support high-quality ESE data collection, validation, correction, and submission.
• Complete and coordinate timely and accurate ESE data pulls, reports, and extracts for District leadership, schools, compliance monitoring, state and federal reporting and other approved operational needs.
• Maintain operational calendars, reporting schedules, and recurring data routines that anticipate the needs of central office and school-based staff.
• Coordinate with vendors and internal partners supporting PowerSchool Special Programs and related ESE data systems to resolve issues and ensure services meet operational needs.
• Demonstrate an effective approach to team building, including clarity of purpose, shared responsibility, accountability, and collaboration.
• Develop project management routines that support clear tasks, owners, timelines, deliverables, and regular communication with appropriate stakeholders.
• Build effective relationships with school and District staff to support implementation of the District strategic plan and ESE priorities.
• O versee and implement policies, procedures, and case-management processes associated with ESE Enrollment and student placement, including school enrollment, Transfer B, placement, transportation coordination, program alignment and movement of students across the continuum of ESE services.
• Performs other duites as assigned by the Senior Executive Director of ESE Opeations & Compliance or designee.

Security Clearance:

Internal Applicants

If you are a current Detroit Public Schools Community District employee, you do not have to submit to a new security clearance, unless your new role requires a different type of criminal background check.

External Applicants

In alignment with Michigan law, if you are hired to fill a position, you will be required to submit to a Detroit Public Schools Community District criminal background check. Information regarding required background checks will be shared at point of hire.

DPSCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability and/or religion. Contact the Civil Rights Coordinator for more information at (313) 240‑4377 or detroitk12.org/compliance.

DPSCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, transgender identity, disability, age, religion, height, weight, citizenship, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admissions opportunities.