Special Education Coordinator

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Job Description:

Special Education Coordinator

Reports To:

Director of Specialized Services

Meridian Charter Schools seeks to produce high-performing schools where elite scholarship and transformational experiences create thriving campuses, foster responsive leadership, and serve local and global communities. Meridian is a school management organization that operates three campuses of Chicago International Charter School (CICS), CICS Ralph Ellison High School, CICS Northtown Academy High School, and CICS Wrightwood Elementary School. Meridian aims to provide its teams and students with an exceptional experience rooted in high expectations for student achievement and civic responsibility

Position Summary:

This role is an integral part of the School Leadership Team and reports directly to the Director of Specialized Services. It involves working closely with school teams and service providers across various campuses to manage special education cases, provide professional development, and coach on effective instructional methods. Additionally, the role supports special education teams and the Director of Specialized Services in advancing goals around continuous improvement, academic success, and ensuring equity, access, and development.

Travel across campuses and the network office is required.

The position entails managing special education caseloads, ensuring compliance of the school/department, leading and mentoring special education staff in implementing customized programs designed for a range of learners and utilizing a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for monitoring progress.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Mission, Vision, Core Values:
Execute a comprehensive vision for specialized services that aligns with the organization's mission and values. Collaborate with the Director of Specialized Services and school-based teams to integrate specialized services into the broader educational strategy.

Ethics and Professional Norms:
Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations related to specialized services, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504.

Equity and Cultural Responsiveness:
Ensure that each student is treated fairly, respectfully, and work with an understanding of each student's culture and context. Champion equity and social justice principles throughout the organization and through the educational experience of Meridian students.

Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment:
Support the Director of Specialized Services in assessing special education programs aligned with instructional objectives. Co-lead initiatives and evaluations for a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to enhance student achievement and teacher effectiveness. Continuously assess the effectiveness of these efforts to ensure positive student outcomes. Advocate for instructional practices grounded in child development, effective teaching methods, and individual student needs.

Ensure classrooms utilize appropriate resources and staff have the skills to adapt teaching to meet diverse student needs, promoting intellectually engaging, relevant, strengths-based, and personalized instruction.

Community of Care and Support for Students:
Promote adult-student, student-peer, and school-community relationships that value and support academic learning and positive social and emotional development. Infuse each school's learning environment with the cultures, context, and languages of the community.

Professional Capacity of School Personnel:
Lead, coach, and provide professional development opportunities for a team of specialized services professionals; including teachers, counselors, and support staff. Lead seminars on Individualized Education Plan (IEP) writing and research-based practices for service providers in 1:1 or group settings; ensuring that IEPs align with both the academic and instructional objectives of the network, while also addressing the unique needs of each student.

Foster a positive and collaborative work environment that promotes growth and continuous improvement.

Professional Community for Teachers and Staff:
Collaborate with educators, service providers, and relevant staff to develop Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and support strategies for students with diverse learning needs. Serve as the Local Education Agency (LEA) representative for IEP and 504 meetings, overseeing initial, re-evaluation, and eligibility determination processes. Collaborate with the school dean to ensure compliance with legal and federal requirements regarding discipline for Distance Learning (DL) students, as well as adherence to safety plans and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs).

Aid the Director of Specialized Services in enhancing professional knowledge, skills, and practices among teachers and staff through tailored learning opportunities. Establish clear communication channels among all parties involved in delivering specialized…