Program Assistant, Special Education, Early Childhood

hcpss; United States; On-site; USD 38,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The Howard County Public School System seeks a Program Assistant to support Birth through Five special education processes, including IFSP/IEP documentation and confidential records management across multiple sites.

Under the supervision of the Instructional Facilitator, you will assist with scheduling meetings, MA billing-related tasks, and communications with families and central office staff, helping maintain compliant records and smooth operations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• One year of general clerical/administrative support experience.
• Experience with data collection tools (Google Forms/Sheets, Excel).

Responsibilities

• Maintain confidential records for Birth through Five and special education services.
• Provide customer service and information to staff, families, and community members.
• Support data collection, staff projects, and process improvements.
• Assist IFSP/IEP teams as needed.
• Attend training related to special education processes.

Skills

Clerical experience

Administrative support

Customer service

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Google Forms

Google Sheets

Microsoft Excel

Job description

ABOUT US

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is one of the leading school systems in Maryland and the nation. To learn more about us and our 2024 -2029 Strategic Plan , please visit our website and our careers page . Join our award-winning workforce and make a difference in the lives of our students!

ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Before you begin, please read the job posting below carefully including the Application Requirements specific to this position. Be sure your application reflects experience and education required to meet the minimum and any preferred qualifications listed. Our application guide includes detailed instructions to assist you. Once your application has been submitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes.

Please note that application submission will be available only through 11:59 PM on the date p rior to the indicated end date. If no end date is indicated, the posting will remain open indefinitely .

Job Posting End Date:

10-02-2026

Reminder: Current permanent and temporary employees must apply through the Jobs Hub in Workday, not the external career site.

The Department of Special Education currently has two Program Assistant positions open. To be considered for both roles, please submit a separate application to each posting.

DESCRIPTION

Under the direction of the Instructional Facilitator of Early Childhood Special Education, the Program Assistant will perform a variety of duties to support Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individual Education Program (IEP) processes for Birth through Five programs. The Program Assistant will work directly with administrators and other leaders (e.g., special education team leaders) to support special education procedures including maintenance of confidential records, scheduling meetings, communication with school and central office staff, data preparation, and follow-up with parents.

This is an itinerant position providing support to assigned schools based on the needs identified by the Department of Special Education Leadership Team. Under Article 12.6 of the Master Agreement for Educational Support Professionals, this position is eligible for mileage reimbursement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• High school diploma or GED.

Experience:

• One year of general clerical, administrative support experience creating or maintaining organizational systems.
• One year of experience with data collection and management systems such as Google Forms, Google Sheets, and Microsoft Excel.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate for this role will also possess a combination of the additional qualifications below. If you don't meet every one of the preferred qualifications, we still encourage you to apply, as we welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

• Associate degree, or higher, from an accredited college or university in business administration, education, or a closely related field.
• Experience providing clerical and/or administrative support in an organization focused on supporting families of children ages birth to five.
• Experience providing customer service and building strong professional relationships.
• Experience with Medical Assistance billing and/or documentation.
• Experience reviewing and understanding Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) and Individualized Education Programs (IEP) or other student records.

ESSENTIAL POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

The below list is a summary of the functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties.

• Maintains accurate, organized, and confidential records related to the Birth through Five Program and special education services, including documentation, logs, registration, filing systems, and Medical Assistance billing, in accordance with federal, state, and local requirements and established procedures.
• Provides customer service and technical support to central office staff, school-based staff, MSDE staff, and families and community members to provide accurate information on services for students ages birth through five.
• Implements and maintain existing office processes while providing input to process improvements to increase efficiency for staff (e.g., special projects for data collection, staffing, analysis of data to determine areas of improvement)
• Provides other supportive measures to IFSP/IEP teams as needed.
• Attends initial and ongoing training related to special education processes (e.g., MA billing, student information databases, and compliance requirements).

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

The below list is a summary of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for success in this position, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list.

Knowledge

Understanding of federal, state, and local special education laws and processes, specifically governing Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) and Individualized Education Programs (I