What We Do
The Special Education Department Chair/Team Leader/Compliance Facilitator works with Campus Administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals and district Special Education staff to ensure campus Special Education practices are aligned with state regulations, district policies and procedures by:
1. Providing instructional leadership within the Special Education department:
- Assists the building principal in planning and scheduling special education staff development for campus staff.
- Works with building principal in interviewing and hiring new special education staff members when requested.
- Works cooperatively with Principal/designee and SpEd Campus Coordinator to prepare departmental assignments (case management) and schedules.
- Collaborates with school administration regarding the development of the master schedule to ensure all IEP services are provided.
- Recommends assignment of teachers so as to utilize their instructional strengths to strengthen the school's special education program.
- Serves as mentor and coach to new special education team members.
- Ensures all timelines are met by campus Special Education Case Managers, teachers, and paraprofessionals.
- Assists instructional staff with implementing Specially Designed Instruction as outlined in the students IEP.
- Assists general education staff in understanding, accommodating, and working effectively with students with disabilities.
- Assists campus staff with implementation of accommodations, supplemental aides, and modifications as outlined in the student's IEP.
- Ensures the development of Intensive Programs of Instruction are documented in the students Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for every area that the student did not meet standard on STAAR/STAAR Alt 2.
- Assists campus staff in development and implementation of interventions for students as outlined in the students IPI.
- Monitors and responds to Special Education data by assisting in the development of "next steps" to support student achievement.
- Ensures that all special education teachers know how to appropriately meet the needs of students with disabilities.
- Assists GenEd and SpEd staff in providing an appropriate education program and environment for students with disabilities.
- Models quality instructional and behavior management techniques.
- Serves on the campus behavioral support core team.
- Meets with special education teachers monthly to receive student updates and data on student progress and services provided.
2. Supporting ARD/IEP meetings for students who receive Special Education services:- Ensures Special Education teachers have met timelines when drafting documents for the ARD/IEP meeting.
- Oversees maintenance of and access to student files and folders.
- Provides support to case managers as they monitor student progress by ensuring they have appropriate access to eSchool, eSped, eLearn, and Eduphoria for students they teach and case manage.
- Monitor implementation of Case Management (including analysis of documentation of services, progress monitoring, and implementation of district aligned service programming).
- Assists with staffings to problem solve situations and to determine if additional ARD/IEP meetings are needed over the span of the student's IEP year.
- Oversees the distribution of appropriate paperwork (including accommodations, and deliberations) to all teachers (both GenEd & SpEd).
- Promotes collaboration between GenEd and SpEd staff to ensure fidelity of program designed in the student's IEP.
- Coordinates services and transition with feeder schools.
- Completes Transfer Agreements for new students entering the district.
3. Serving as liaison between district SpEd leadership, campus administration, and campus SpEd team members:
- Attends monthly DC/TL Connection meetings and relays information to the campus special education team (and administrators as necessary).
- Conducts department/team meetings at least twice/month; prepares agenda, guides and facilitates discussion and publishes minutes.
- Assists Special Education Coordinators in arranging and conducting campus level special services team meetings when needed.
- Follows through on district SpEd Leadership recommendations and requests.
- Serves as liaison between campus diagnostician and other service providers.
- Serves as liaison between special and general education teachers and staff.
- Schedules and Meets with Campus Coordinator at least once every two months to discuss campus needs, student performance, teacher support, and to problem solve any challenges/questions that need additional support
4. Promoting professional behavior through own behavior and leadership:
- Responds to stressful situations maintaining professionalism and discretion.
- Maintains confidentiality.
- Encourages and supports research and development
- Facilitates the sharing of ideas among team members.
- Accepts input from team members and others.
- Provides leadership through own professional development and provision of professional development to department staff.
- Monitor Special Education staff attendance daily & plan for ARD substitutions (as needed) as well as distribute an absentee list to diagnosticians
- Maintain records of absences to monitor attendance and discuss with administration when excessive absences are compromising students receiving services
Beginning of the the Year Expectations
- Meet all deadlines outlined in the DC/TL Timeline
- Develop/distribute Case Management list to Special Education Teachers
- Submit requests to give special education teachers access to eSchool, eSped, and Eduphoria (for students they teach & case manage)
- Ensure teachers (who have not attended Summer Institutes) sign up to attend SBIEP training and ARD/IEP eStar Training
- Ensure all teachers can access eLearn for the subjects/grade levels they need
- Review & discuss with team your expectations surrounding the case manager timeline
- Ensure case management binders are being developed
- Hold a beginning of the year meeting with the team to discuss monthly action items and campus expectations
- Develop/distribute campus SpEd teacher roster to campus coordinator
- Begin to look at SpEd student data in Eduphoria
- Schedule regular meetings with your Campus SpEd Coordinator (individual and Department)
- Maintain accurate student numbers by program for 15 day count submission (submit to Campus Coordinator by Wednesday September 5th).
- Discuss, encourage, and monitor teacher attendance at connection meetings
- Ensure teacher attendance/participation at content or grade level PLCs
- Put all DC/TL meetings on your calendar
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