Description
Lead and coordinate K-12 special education programs and services, ensuring IDEA and Section 504 compliance, high-quality instruction, and equitable access; supervise specialized staff and budgets, manage related services and placements, and collaborate with families and agencies to improve student outcomes.
- • Review and approve special education programs and recommend modifications for board approval.
- • Oversee preparation and maintenance of IEPs, 504 plans, service logs, and compliance records.
- • Confer with parents, students, and staff to resolve learning, behavioral, and accessibility issues.
- • Prepare and manage special education budgets and submit grant proposals to secure funding.
- • Coordinate related services, specialized transportation, and use of therapeutic and adaptive facilities.
- • Oversee counseling, behavioral, and social-emotional supports for students with disabilities.
- • Lead multidisciplinary teams, IEP meetings, and parent advisory councils.
- • Plan and deliver professional development on IDEA, 504, inclusion, and IEP implementation.
- • Advocate for accessibility upgrades, assistive technology, and specialized learning spaces.
- • Develop and refine specialized curricula, interventions, and transition-to-adulthood programs.
- • Build partnerships with community agencies, vocational rehabilitation, and healthcare providers.
- • Direct and supervise special education teachers, therapists, and paraprofessionals.
- • Evaluate special education programs for effectiveness and regulatory compliance.
- • Set goals for inclusion, least restrictive environment, and student outcomes.
- • Recruit, hire, onboard, and evaluate special education personnel.
- • Ensure fair discipline and attendance practices, including manifestation determinations.
- • Observe instruction and coach co-teaching and intervention practices.
- • Oversee districtwide assessment, progress monitoring, and alternate assessments.
- • Interpret federal and state regulations and implement compliant policies and procedures.
- • Allocate funds for staffing, services, assistive technology, and adaptive equipment.
- • Develop handbooks, procedures, and family guides for special education services.
- • Recommend personnel assignments and actions related to programs and services.
- • Align IEP goals with curriculum standards and district performance objectives.
- • Analyze data on achievement, disproportionality, and enrollment to forecast service needs.
- • Plan the continuum of services, caseloads, schedules, and placements, including out-of-district.
- • Lead ongoing training and coaching for administrators and teachers on MTSS and behavior supports.
- • Participate in mediations, due process, and compliance audits; support school-based teams.
- • Collaborate with state and local agencies to coordinate services and improve outcomes.
- • Coordinate nursing services, dietary accommodations, and health plans for eligible students.
- • Ensure accessibility and supports for extracurricular, athletics, and after-school programs.
- • Mentor principals and administrators on IEP and 504 implementation and inclusive practices.
- • Create and monitor special education improvement plans using student performance data.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
