Manager, Special Education Inclusion

Position Overview

The mission of the Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) is to provide educators with curricular resources, academic programs, and aligned professional development to ensure rigorous and joyful learning experiences for every student.

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.

The Office of Teaching and Learning has 6 divisions :

Divisions / Teams

• Academic and Creative Empowerment : The Academic and Creative Empowerment team sets a vision for serving the whole child and closing the opportunity gap through leading the work in academic programming focused on arts, health and PE, enrichment, innovation and high-potential learners.
• Content and Curriculum : The Content and Curriculum team 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.
• Extended Learning and Academic Recovery : The Extended Learning and Academic Recovery team develops extended learning opportunities such as afterschool programs and summer school, overseeing most of DCPS' K-12 summer school programs including enrichment and retention programs.

Additionally, the team supports the needs of high potential students in grades K-5 through the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM.)

• Language Acquisition : The Language Acquisition team welcomes families of linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds to DCPS, leads the process of identifying English Learner students, and supports schools in developing programs that supports English language acquisition and academic growth.
• Professional Learning : The Professional Learning team sets a vision for professional development for DCPS through systems, tools, and structures to increase the efficacy of professional learning initiatives.

This work includes LEAP, cluster based PD, district PD and other learning opportunities. The team works across all DCPS offices 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.

Specialized Instruction : The Specialized Instruction team supports students with disabilities by providing schools and families with practical, evidence-based resources to make a high-quality education accessible to all learners, so that DCPS students with disabilities become thriving independent members of society who will contribute to their communities and fulfill their highest potential.

The team 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 Division of Specialized Instruction (DSI) works to provide a high quality continuum of services in an inclusive environment so every student with disabilities is prepared for success in college, career, and life.

The division works with schools to design, implement, and monitor programs and supports for students with disabilities.

The Manager, Special Education Inclusion is responsible for leveraging deep expertise in specially designed instruction to support the full continuum of services for students with disabilities in DCPS.

The Manager, Special Education Inclusion will collaborate to ensure that instructional superintendents and local school leaders have the school-based capacity to meet the instructional needs of all students with disabilities.

This includes, and is not limited to, the development and implementation of adult professional learning, such as specific special education programs and interventions, as well as LEAP (Learning together to Advance our Practice).

This position is a safety-sensitive position. As a result, throughout employment this position will be subject to the Employee Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy.

The Manager, Special Education Inclusion will report to the Director, Special Education Inclusion.

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.

• Develops overall program strategy and clear, specific, and ambitious performance measures to build neighborhood school capacity to ensure the full provision of services for students with disabilities in collaboration with multiple teams.
• Leads the implementation of program strategy to ensure that neighborhood schools build capacity to educate students with disabilities;

assesses and tracks project progress regularly using various computer programs and tools; and drives project completion holding others accountable for responsibilities and deadlines.

Collaborates with school leaders to assess special education instructional needs across the full continuum of services;

and assists in the development of professional development opportunities to address those needs and increase the quality of specially-designed instruction.

Helps manage the analysis and presentation of data and progress of data-driven initiatives in collaboration with multiple teams 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Special education classroom experience strongly preferred.
• Dynamic presentation experience with deep expertise in adult professional learning.
• Mobility and flexibility to work across multiple sites.

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.
30+ days ago