Director of Special Services

Forest Ridge Elementary School District 142; Oak Forest (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

TRS employer contributions to pension

Sick Leave 16 days/year

Unlimited Sick Leave accumulation

3 Personal Business Leave days/year (1

Carryover of 1 day

Job summary

Forest Ridge School District 142 is seeking a Director of Special Services to lead and oversee all Special Education programs across the district. The role involves supervision of professionals and paraprofessionals, strategic program development, and compliance with state requirements.

The successful candidate will have a Master's degree and, preferably, a State Director of Special Education endorsement, with substantial SPED administration experience and a focus on collaboration with school

Qualifications

• Master's degree required.
• Endorsement as Director of Special Education preferred.
• At least 30 hours in Special Education, distributed per Illinois admin requirements, preferred.
• Alternatives to above qualifications may be acceptable to the Board.

Responsibilities

• Reports to the Superintendent.
• Annual evaluation by the Superintendent per Board policy.
• Supervises all Special Education programs and related staff on a permanent basis.
• Leads the development and evaluation of Special Education programs district-wide.
• Provides liaison support for RtI and least restrictive guidelines.

Skills

Leadership

Administration

Education

Master's degree

State Director of Special Education endorsement (preferred)

Job description

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Frontline Applicant Tracking - Forest Ridge School District 142

• Position Type:
  Administration/ Director of Special Education Services and Pupil Personnel
  
• Date Posted:
  10/7/2026
  
• Date Available:
  07/01/2027
  
• Closing Date:
  11/15/2026
  

Director of Special Services

Qualifications:

• State Director of Special Education endorsement, preferred
• Minimum of Master's degree
• At least thirty (30) hours in Special Education, distributed according to the requirements for certification of an administrator of Special Education in Illinois, preferred
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable
• Such other qualifications of academic, professional, and personal excellence as the Boar dof Education may specify

Reporting/Evaluation:
Reports to the Superintendent. Performance of this job will be evaluated annually by the Superintendent in accordance with provisions of the Board of Education policy and the Director of Special Services' Contract.

Supervises:
All Special Education programs and all professional, paraprofessional, and classified personnel not directly attached to a school on a permanent basis; and assists the building principals in the supervision of all Special Education personnel directly attached to a school

Job Goal:
to use leadership, supervisory, and administrative skills to promote the educational development of each child with disabilities in the District within age limits prescribed by law for a Kindergarten through Eighth Grade district, including early childhood programs/services. Develops, establishes and evaluates Special Education programs according to the needs of the children of the District, including children enrolled in private schools who reside in the District. There is also an auxiliary responsibility to encourage and provide liaison support for RtI, and least restrictive guidelines and initiatives.

See full Job Description, attached.

Terms of Employment:
Twelve (12) months a year

Salary:
Approximately $110,000 to $130,000+, based on experience

Benefits:
Additional fringe benefits beyond the items noted below are contingent upon contractual obligations between the administrator and the Board of Education, as noted in the administrator's contract.

• In addition to the annual salary provided, the Board shall make full payment of member's contribution, on behalf of the administrator, to the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System (TRS).
• Sick Leave Days per school year: 16
• Accumulation of Sick Leave Days per school year: Unlimited
• Personal Business Leave Days per school year: 3
  NOTE: Unused Personal Business Leave Days will be added to accumulated Sick Leave Days. One day will be allowed to carry over.
• Vacation Days per school year: 20 days upon employment
  NOTE: All vacation days must be pre-approved by the Superintendent or designee, based on district/school needs.
• Paid Holidays: Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Lincoln's Birthday (or Presidents' Day), Casimir Pulaski Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, and Independence Day
• Health/Dental and Vision Insurance Coverage: The Board will pay the full premium cost of single or family coverage for those administrators electing to participate in any health, dental, or vision insurance plan offered and approved by the District.
• Employees who elect not to participate in the health insurance plan extended by the Board of Education will receive up to $1,300.00 per year.
• Term Life Insurance: The Board will provide term life insurance to each administrator in the amount of $50,000.
• Tuition Reimbursement: The Board of Education will provide an eligible employee reimbursement for tuition following the same protocol listed in Section 12.1 Tuition Reimbursement of the FREA contract, with the exception of the reimbursement amount listed in Section 6 will be increased by $100 per semester credit hour.
• Paid Professional Membership Dues: The District will reimburse the administrator for dues paid to professional associations of choice, not to exceed $1,000.00 annually.
• Reimbursement of Accumulated Sick Leave Upon Retirement/Death: See Section 12.7.2 of the FREA Agreement at www.d142.org.
• Retirement Incentive: Per Board of Education approval, administrators who meet certain criterial may participate in the Administrator Retirement Program.

NOTE: Veterans Day and Lincoln's Birthday or Presidents' Day will be observed as paid holidays in those years that it is a Board-approved Legal School Holiday. If an employee is required to work on a designated holiday, the employee will receive a floating holiday to be used prior to June 30 of that year.

NOTE: When Independence Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the preceding Friday or following Monday will be observed as a paid holiday.