Civil Rights Compliance - Program Supervisor

State-of-Washington-Office-of-Superintendent-of-Public-Instructio; Olympia (WA); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework options

Job summary

Washington Management Service in Olympia seeks a Civil Rights Compliance Program Supervisor to monitor school districts’ compliance with civil rights laws and investigate discrimination complaints. The role requires coordination with OSPI departments, training creation, and stakeholder collaboration to advance equity in K-12 education.

The position offers partial telework, with an initial training period requiring in-office presence three days per week, and statewide travel.

Qualifications

• Law degree from an accredited law school or related field with investigations or legal analysis experience.
• Must reside in Washington state and be able to travel statewide.
• Ability to travel statewide and conduct investigations and provide technical assistance.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance and resources regarding civil rights requirements to schools, parents, and stakeholders.
• Respond to discrimination allegations; investigate complaints and facilitate resolutions.
• Coordinate monitoring of K-12 compliance with civil rights laws, including on-site reviews as needed.
• Identify discriminatory policies and practices; analyze statutes, regulations, and case law.
• Design and lead trainings on civil rights, school responsibilities, and OSPI services.
• Prepare guidance, bulletins, and tools to support OSPI work.
• Collaborate with state and federal agencies and other OSPI departments.

Skills

Legal analysis

Investigations

Public administration

Communication

Education

Law degree

Bachelor’s degree or higher in K-12 education, public administration, law, or related field

Job description

WASHINGTON MANAGEMENT SERVICE

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Civil Rights Compliance - Program Supervisor

$84,679 - $99,62 2 annually

Closes September 8,2026

The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) seeks to fill a Civil Rights Compliance - Program Supervisor position. This full-time permanent position is based in Olympia, Washington. This position may be eligible for partial to near full-time telework. Telework is a combination of in-building and off-site days. During your training period you will be required to be in the office 3 days per week. After you’ve completed your initial training, you may have the option to work from home 2 days a week on a flexible telework schedule. While we’re happy to offer this balance of in-office connections and telework flexibility, this isn’t a fully remote position. We encourage interested candidates to visit the OSPI website to gain insight into our agency.

About OSPI and our initiatives

OSPI is the primary agency charged with overseeing public K-12 education in Washington state. Working with the state's 295 public school districts and 7 state-tribal education compact schools, OSPI allocates funding and provides tools, resources, and technical assistance so every student in Washington is provided a high-quality public education.

At OSPI, we recognize that our employees are the key to the success of the agency. We are committed to our work but value the balance with our personal lives. We demonstrate our commitment to employees by providing an environment that stimulates professional growth and values them for their expertise. OSPI is a great place to work and has several initiatives to help create a great working environment, including:

• We support a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible/alternative work schedules and mobile and telework options. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We have an Infant at Work Program that is based on long-term values of newborns and infant-parent bonding. Eligible employees who are new parents or legal guardians can bring their infant (six weeks to six months) when returning to work. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We value and are actively involved in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within OSPI by way of cross-divisional, collaborative committee. The focus of the committee includes employee engagement and education; reinforcing OSPI values; and maximizing the value of diversity and identifying strategies for inclusion.

Vision, Mission, and Values

Vision

All students prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement.

Mission

Transform K-12 education to a system that is centered on closing opportunity gaps and is characterized by high expectations for all students and educators. We achieve this by developing equity-based policies and supports that empower educators, families, and communities.

Values

Ensuring Equity, Collaboration and Service, Achieving Excellence through Continuous Improvement, Focus on the Whole Child

Equity

Each student, family, and community possesses strengths and cultural knowledge that benefits their peers, educators, and schools. Ensuring educational equity:

• Goes beyond equality; it requires education leaders to examine the ways current policies and practices result in disparate outcomes for our students of color, students living in poverty, students receiving special education and English Learner services, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and highly mobile student populations.
• Requires education leaders to develop an understanding of historical contexts; engage students, families, and community representatives as partners in decision-making; and actively dismantle systemic barriers, replacing them with policies and practices that ensure all students have access to the instruction and support they need to succeed in our schools.

Position Overview

The Equity and Civil Rights Office is a professional and inclusive work environment where teamwork, high quality legal and customer service, and work-life balance are highly valued. The Equity and Civil Office’s work includes a diverse mix of monitoring and investigations, policy and resource development, and technical assistance. The Equity and Civil Rights Office leads some of OSPI’s most critical initiatives, including gender-inclusive schools, language access, and systemic approaches to preventing and responding to discriminatory harassment in K-12 public schools. Through these activities and initiatives, the Equity and Civil Rights Office works to build school districts’ capacity to eliminate discrimination.

The primary role of the Civil Rights Compliance Program Supervisor is to monitor school districts' compliance with state and federal civil rights laws and investigate discrimination complaints. The program supervisor also provides support and information to help parents, students, and educators understand civil rights laws, regulations and responsibilities, and to identify potential issues and options. Collaboration, neutrality, legal analysis and problem-solving, and effective and accurate communication are essential to this position.

In this role, the program supervisor does not serve as an advocate but as a resource to families, educators, and OSPI staff to answer questions regarding civil rights matters and assist in resolving issues of discrimination. The program supervisor coordinates with other OSPI departments, school districts, state and federal agencies, and other organizations to effectively accomplish this work. These responsibilities affect the continued federal funding for the state.

This position involves some travel in the state for training and monitoring activities. This position is supervised by the Managing Attorney of the Equity and Civil Rights Office. A strong candidate for this position is an attorney or experienced investigator with a demonstrated commitment to civil rights and public service.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance, information, and resources regarding civil rights requirements in a professional, legally accurate, and approachable manner to schools, parents, advocates, and other interested parties.
• Respond to allegations and complaints of discrimination by students, parents, employees, and others; investigate complaints; and facilitate resolutions.
• Coordinate and conduct monitoring of K-12 school compliance with state and federal civil rights laws through compliance reviews, including some on-site reviews, and other methods as needed. Identify issues of noncompliance, outline corrective actions, and monitor outcomes to ensure that schools comply with any required corrective actions.
• Identify, research, and analyze potential discriminatory policies, procedures, and practices in the K-12 sector, including researching and analyzing state and federal nondiscrimination statutes, regulations, guidance, and case law.
• Design and lead trainings for schools, parents, advocates, and other stakeholders regarding civil rights, school district responsibilities, complaint procedures, and OSPI services.
• Design and prepare guidance, bulletins, reports, tools, and other resources that support the work of the Equity and Civil Rights Office.
• Collaborate and consult with state and federal agencies, professional and advocacy organizations, and other OSPI departments.

Required Qualifications

• Law degree from an accredited law school OR
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in K-12 education, public administration, law, or related field, and three years of experience in investigations or legal analysis (preferably in civil rights)
• Must reside in the state of Washington
• Ability to travel statewide

Desired Qualifications

• Experience conducting investigations, including investigation planning, conducting interviews, legal analysis, and report writing
• Experience working in the K-12 education system and knowledge of OSPI's role
• Knowledge of state and federal nondiscrimination laws and regulations, and understanding of civil rights issues affecting school districts
• Ability to analyze complex problems and legal issues and develop practical solutions
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to deliver technical and legal information clearly and concisely in writing and verbally in both formal and informal settings, including public speaking
• Experience in active listening and responding to parent and student concerns or complaints, preferably regarding issues of discrimination, equal access, or disability (Section 504 or special education)
• Experience communicating legal concepts to a range of individuals (such as parents, youth, and school professionals) in writing, by phone, and in person
• Knowledge of mediation, conflict resolution, or alternative dispute resolution skills
• Knowledge and experience in effective program planning, and in developing training programs
• Strong skills in the use of technology for presentations, data collection, and communication
• Knowledge of the responsibilities of state education agencies and the roles and responsibilities of other agencies
• The ability to work independently and in a team setting

Compensation

The annual compensation for the position is $84,679 - $99,62 2 per year and depends upon experience, educational background and qualifications. Geographic differentials may be applied based on work location of successful candidate. Washington State offers a generous benefit package including health, dental and life insurance, retirement and an optional deferred compensation program. Please visit Health Care Authority for information regarding health benefits and the Department of Retirement Systems for retirement plan information. This is a Washington Management Position. This position is not represented by a bargaining unit.

OSPI is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from job seekers who will contribute to our diversity. OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. If you would like, please include your name and gender pronouns in your application, to ensure we address you appropriately throughout the application process. Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact the human resource consultant listed in Application Process.