Manager, Special Education Accountability

District-of-Columbia-Public-School; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

District of Columbia Public Schools seeks a Manager, Special Education Accountability to ensure schools meet IDEA, DC policies, and accountability standards. The role centers on supporting adult learning, data interpretation, and effective collaboration with instructional leadership to strengthen SPED services.

The position emphasizes developing and implementing professional learning, monitoring compliance metrics, and coordinating with multiple DCPS teams to improve outcomes for students with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 4–6 years of related work experience.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Apply deep expertise in IDEA, DCMR, and the DC Special Education Enhancement Act to improve school capability for students with disabilities.
• Lead adult professional learning to bridge the gap between compliance and instructional practice.
• Analyze data and present progress to senior leaders and external audiences; support program evaluation and accountability.
• Collaborate with school leaders to assess family engagement, compliance, and accountability needs, and develop PD opportunities.
• Identify and resolve obstacles to program success and adjust approaches based on changing priorities and resources.

Skills

Presentation skills

Stakeholder management

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Job Title: Manager, Special Education Accountability

The mission of theOfficeofTeaching and Learning (OTL) is to provide educators with curricular resources, academic programs, and aligned professional development to ensure rigorous and joyful learning experiences foreverystudent. OTL team members support school-based staff in implementing DCPS's existing academic programs while simultaneously working to rethink and redesign school programming, academic and curricular resources, and educator professional development.

Divisions/Teams

TheContent and Curriculumdivision sets the vision for equity and excellence for each content area in DCPS schools by researching, creating, and curating curricular materials and providing aligned professional development experiences to ensure that all students have access to rigorous and joyful learning experiences every day in every content area. The division also supportsschools and develops curriculum and programming in arts, health, physical education, library programs, STEM, global programs, advanced andenriched instruction, and curriculum andassessmentinnovation.

TheEarly ChildhoodEducationdivision supports schools andfamilies in providingPreKstudents withcomprehensivelearningexperiencesthat foster confidenceand independence.Approximately 6,000 childrenagesthree to five attend early childhood classrooms in 78 elementary schools across the district, including several schools thatoffer Head Start programming.Thedivisionalso manages Early Stagesprogramming whichworks exclusively with children ages 2 years 8 months through 5 years 10 months and is responsible for meeting the District’s obligation under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B (619) to develop a comprehensive child findsystemto identify and locate all preschool-age children in the District who have a disability.Thedivision alsomanages theimplementation ofDCPS' Head Startgrant.

TheLanguage Acquisitiondivisionwelcomes families of linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds to DCPS, leads the process ofidentifyingMultilingual Learner students, and supports schools in developing programs that supports English language acquisition and academic growth.This includes support during the academic day and as part of ELSAP, which is a targeted summer program for ML students. The LAD also manages DCPS compliance with the DC Language Access Act, providing translation and interpretation resources to school and central teams.

TheProfessional Learning and EducationalTechnologydivision sets a vision for professional development for DCPS as well as createssystems, tools, and structures to increase the efficacy of professional learning initiatives. This work includes LEAP, cluster-based PD, districtPDand other learning opportunities. The team works across all DCPSoffices to increase the cohesion of professional development and broad sharing of knowledge, while exploring new avenues and opportunities for meaningful development and learning for our educators. The team also leads efforts to enhance alignment and cohesion of professional learning initiatives and the integration of educational technology.

The Specialized Instructiondivision works to reduce the opportunity gap between students with IEPs and their non-disabled peers; and increases equity and excellence in schools through specific academic programming, related services, professional learning, school leadership development, family engagement, dispute resolution, and community partnerships.

The Specialized Instructiondivision works to reduce the opportunity gap between students with IEPs and their non-disabled peers; and increases equity and excellence in schools through specific academic programming, related services, professional learning, school leadership development, family engagement, dispute resolution, and community partnerships.

The Manager,Special EducationAccountabilityis responsible for leveraging deep expertise inIDEA, DCMR, and the DC Special Education Enhancement Act of 2014 to ensure that schools are accountable for their special education programming.The Manager,Special EducationAccountabilitywill collaboratewithinstructionalsuperintendents and local school leadersto ensure theyhave thedata, context,skill, and mindset to execute on multiple competingand complex special education priorities, including but not limited to: child find obligations, middle and high school transition requirements, compliancemetrics, andcomplex family engagement. The positionincludes and is not limited to the development and implementation of adult professional learningusing a variety of platforms to ensure that DCPS develops local school capacity to meet the needs of all students with disabilities and responds timely and accurately with each component of their education in collaboration with an instructional team. This position has been designated as Safety Sensitive. Pursuant to section 410 of Chapter 4 of the D.C. Personnel Regulations; in addition to the general suitability screening, individuals applying for or occupying safety sensitive positions are subject to the following checks and tests: Criminal background check; Sex Offender Registry check; Pre-employment drug and alcohol test; Traffic record check (as applicable); Reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol test; and Post-accident or incident drug and alcohol test.

The Manager, Special Education Accountability will report to the Director, Monitoring & School Support.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned.

• Applies deep expertise in IDEA, DCMR, DC Special Education Enhancement Act of 2014, and otherrelevantpolicies and processes to develop neighborhood school capacity to serve each child with a disability.
• Utilizes adult facilitationand coaching expertise inspecial education law and policyto improve theexperience of families of students with disabilities and school staff who serve students with disabilities across the full continuum of services.
• Collaborates with school leaders to assessestheschool’s special education family engagement, compliance, and accountability needs, includingleadership andinstructional staff; and assists in the development of professional development opportunities to ensure those needsbridge the gap between compliance and instruction.
• Produces, presents, and reflects on a range of adult professional learning experiences with multiple teams.
• Helps manage the analysis and presentation of data and progress of data-driven initiatives for senior management team and external audiences; communicates progress to key stakeholder groups; and incorporates their input.
• Anticipates, identifies, and resolves complex obstacles to success of overall program as well as specific projects.
• Interviews and surveys other colleagues and management teams to determine opportunities for improvement; researches specific issues; and develops detailed recommendations and implementation plans to resolve.
• Builds relationships and liaises with various internal departments to drive collaboration and project success; and interacts with and responds effectively to urgent requests from multiple internal and external DCPS stakeholders.
• Identifies and systematizes successful operational and project management methods across the department; and develops and strengthens resources for program evaluation and support.
• Stays closely aware of progress of projects, high-level initiatives, and emerging issues across DCPS organization; and pro-actively helps to adjust program approach based on changes in direction, priorities, and resources.
• Stays aware of innovations, developments in policy, and research; and advises DCPS Senior Management Team on proposed legislation, policies, procedures, and directives affecting the specific department and projects assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and four to six years of related work experience.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector a plus.
• Deep expertise in complex, courageous conversations with multiple stakeholders in challenging situations.
• Dynamic presentation skills and experience with collaboration across multiple teams.

DCPS Values

• STUDENTS FIRST: We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do.
• COURAGE: We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success.
• EQUITY: We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds.
• EXCELLENCE: We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions.
• TEAMWORK: We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically.
• JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other.

We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive, accessible workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals with disabilities. Accommodation and/or application assistance is available upon request at all stages of the application and employment process. To request accommodation, please contact [e-mail].