Director - Special Education Placement & Services

Baltimore City Public Schools; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 119,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PSASA union

State retirement system

Job summary

Baltimore City Public Schools seeks a Director - Special Education Placement & Services to oversee IEP development, placement decisions, and related services for students with disabilities. This leadership role emphasizes transportation, supports, and citywide programming in alignment with MSDE requirements.

The role leads professional development, collaborates with the Director of Due Process and Compliance, and ensures high-quality services and compliance across schools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required from an accredited institute of higher education.
• Master's degree in special education or related field required.
• MSDE credentials with Administrator I endorsement and Special Education endorsement required.
• At least ten years of relevant full-time experience with five years people management.
• Ability to engage diverse stakeholders with tact and diplomacy.

Responsibilities

• Directs strategic work to ensure high-quality IEPs and services for students with disabilities.
• Oversees coordination of transportation, supports, and district-wide services identified in IEPs.
• Leads professional learning for staff and monitors IEP development quality.
• Collaborates with Due Process, Related Services, and SECAC to ensure compliance.
• Reviews reports, supports school improvement, and participates in budgeting.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree in Special Education

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Microsoft Office

Job description

Director - Special Education Placement & Services

District Office

District Office - Position - Special Education

Job Number 8600047578

Start Date

Open Date 08/25/2026

Closing Date 09/11/2026

Under the direction of the Executive Director - Special Education, the Director - Special Education Placement & Services focuses on the development of high-quality IEPs, inclusive of the identification and provision of students supports and services, and placement for students with disabilities. This director oversees the following student service areas with an emphasis on how services are designed and delivered to meet student needs: Transportation, Additional Adult Supports, Behavioral Analysis & Supports, Low-Incidence support, Citywide programming, Nonpublic placement, and Extended School year services. This position will work closely with the Director - Due Process and Compliance as well as the Director - Related Services to ensure adherence to local, state, and federal requirements as well as effective provision and monitoring of related services aligned to IEPs. The Director also engages with the Special Education Citizens Advisory Council (SECAC).

Essential Functions

• Directs the strategic work of Coordinators to ensure the development and implementation of IEPs, as well as provision of special education supports and services for students with disabilities as articulated under local, state, and federal law, is complete and of high-quality.
  • Specifically, under the strategic direction of the Executive Director, and in alignment with compliance requirements, oversee the coordination of special education services as identified on student's IEPs including but not limited to transportation, additional adult and behavioral supports, low-incidence, Citywide programming, nonpublic placement, and extended school year services.
• Directs, in partnership with the Director - Specially Designed Instruction, the professional learning and coaching support needed to ensure high quality IEPs are developed, implemented, and effectively monitored, inclusive of support and development for IEP Chairs, School Success Liaisons, School Leaders, Special Education coaches, Teachers, and central staff.
• Reinforces accountability for quality IEP development, program and service delivery, and continuity of student supports as identified throughout the IEP process.
• Collaborates with the Director - Due Process and Compliance to respond effectively to issues escalated to the Executive Director, CAO, Ombudsman, and/or CEO with regard to IEP development, implementation, support, and monitoring.
• Collaborates with the Director - Related Services to ensure that Related Services and associated goals are identified, monitored, and adjusted appropriately to meet a student's developmental, academic, social, and emotional needs.
• Reviews and approves relevant reports, and ensures appropriate assistance is provided for school improvement programs and school-based staff development programs.
• Visits schools to observe and evaluate the effectiveness of IEP development, program implementation, and support provision and confers with Directors across Academic Offices, Principals, and ILEDs (principal supervisors) regarding findings and action steps.
• Represents the Office of Special Education, as appropriate, in Due Process hearings as it specifically relates to IEP creation, implementation, and quality.
• Supports all Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) reporting, auditing, and compliance requirements and serves as a district point of contact for MSDE.
• Engages with, and serves as a point of contact for, the Special Education Citizens Advisory Council (SECAC) to ensure timely dissemination of Director-Compliance and Due Process information and delivery of trainings and workshops to parents and families of students with disabilities in City Schools.
• Supports the design of and manages the budget for area of responsibility. Develops project plans, work breakdown structures and schedules required to successfully complete projects on time and within budget constraints.
• Serves as the contract monitor for contracts City Schools procures in alignment with work in this office.
• Provides appropriate supervision, mentoring, and professional growth and development opportunities to assigned staff. Such responsibility includes the development and implementation of professional growth plans to include keeping abreast of current developments, literature, and technical sources of information.
• Utilizes resources appropriately to complete work in the most efficient manner; proactively communicates the status of work; participants and contributes fully as a team member; and exercises sound judgment and decision-making skills to resolve sensitive matters.
• Maintains confidential and sensitive information.
• Performs and promotes all activities in compliance with equal employment and non-discrimination policies; follows federal laws, state laws, school board policies, administrative regulations, and professional standards.

Maximum Salary 202832.00

Minimum Salary 118909.00

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required from an accredited institute of higher education.
• Master's degree in special education or related field. A degree must be from an accredited college or institution.
• Possession of or eligible for a valid Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) advanced professional credentials with Administrator I endorsement and a Special Education endorsement are required.
• At least ten years of relevant full-time professional experience with at least five years of people management experience.
• Ability to interact with diverse constituencies and convey complicated information with tact and diplomacy.
• Demonstrates effectiveness in conflict resolution and communication with and across multiple, diverse stakeholders.
• Proficient skill in the use of technical computer applications, including electronic databases, case management systems, and Microsoft Office, including Excel and Power Point.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment.
• Skill in research, presenting, and explaining policies and procedures, assembling data, preparing complex reports, and formulating and presenting recommendations.
• Ability to work collaboratively.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with school system employees and managers at all levels, as well as government agencies and community stakeholders.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize changing assignments, and organize busy workload, meet deadlines, and work well under pressure, while exercising excellent attention to detail.

Full time or Part time Full time

Benefits

This position is eligible for benefits. To review the available options please see the information relevant to the union for this position by viewing the following link: http://www.baltimorecityschools.org

This position is affiliated with the Public School Administrators and Supervisors Association (PSASA) bargaining union.

This position is affiliated with the State Retirement System.

In accor dance with Maryland law, City School is required to share the position salary ranges in its entirety. Please note, this is not the hiring range. The hiring range for this position is ($118,909 - $173,577)