Director of SPED na KIPP

KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power Program, is a national network of free, open enrollment, college preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and life. There are 255 KIPP schools across the nation and the District of Columbia, serving more than 100,000 students. Nationally, KIPP students are graduating at 3x the national average for low-income students.

Founded in 2008 with 50 students in 5th grade, KIPP Columbus currently serves nearly 2,000 students in grades Kindergarten through twelfth.  The mission of KIPP Columbus is to create a system of schools where students develop the intellectual, academic, and social skills needed to understand and take action on issues they encounter in everyday life.

KIPP Columbus continues to rank as one of the top five schools for academic growth of any school in the state of Ohio, and is a top performing urban school in the state for academic growth. In our second class of graduating high school seniors in the spring of 2021, 100% of students were accepted to college with over $20 million in merit scholarships from colleges and universities awarded.

In addition to academic excellence, KIPP Columbus also partners with more than 100 community organizations to provide extracurricular activities, programming, health and wellness services, meals, and more to KIPP students, families, and the broader community. KIPP is also a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, offering more than 10 varsity sports.

The KIPP Columbus learning campus will continue to advance student learning, expand partnerships, enable superior programming, and serve as a teaching and leadership lab for schools nationwide, reimagining education through a deeper lens of antiracism, excellence, and joy.

Interested in learning more about our school?  Please check out our website: https://www.kippcolumbus.org/

The Opportunity

At KIPP Columbus, it is critically important that we provide an excellent and equitable education to all students. Under the direction of the Chief Schools Officer, the Director of Literacy is responsible for providing leadership to all aspects of the region's K-12th grade literacy instructional program. The Director of Literacy will work closely with School Leaders and Assistant School Leaders to align current practices, curriculum, lesson delivery, and development to the Science of Reading and principles of effective and joyful literacy instruction.This position offers an exciting opportunity for a talented and committed educational leader to accelerate KIPP’s efforts to drive toward high quality student achievement outcomes and positively impact the lives of our students in Columbus.

The Opportunity

The Director of Special Education leads and improves special education programming by overseeing the full continuum of services, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local requirements, and promoting delivery in the least restrictive environment. The role also manages compliance reporting, facilitates stakeholder collaboration, provides performance data, and builds staff capacity through professional development, targeted feedback, and leadership in IEP, ETR, and disciplinary processes.

Key responsibilities of the the Director of Special Education include the following: 

• Directs the delivery and continuous improvement of special education programming. 

• Directs the implementation of the internal monitoring system, tracks participation & ensures implementation with fidelity. 

• Keeps current with the K-12 courses of study, scope and sequence framework, and state standards/guidelines. 

• Complies with state model policies and procedures for the education of students identified as having a disability. 

• Serves as a liaison and information resource for special education.

• Coordinates placement procedures and ensures that services are provided in the least restrictive educational environment.

• Provides guidance, communicates high expectations, and shows an active interest in student progress. 

• Helps teachers and administrators with discipline and pupil management issues.

• Participates in staff selection, orientation, and evaluation processes as directed.

• Expresses high expectations and monitors staff performance & collaborates with administrators to improve staff competencies. 

• Completes staff evaluations as requested. 

• Creates differentiated, ongoing professional development for special education team members.

• Monitor and correct EMIS reporting in partnership with META & Ops team

• Assist with tracking and monitoring required submissions to Fordham or EpiCenter on behalf of the Student Services Department

• Collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure that all records are effectively maintained and that timelines are consistently met as outlined in federal, state and local requirements;

• Facilitate regular meetings with intervention specialists, related service providers and coaches to ensure students are making progress towards academic goals;

• Serve as a district representative for IEP and ETR meetings & Manifestation Determination Reviews.

• Coordinates Home Instruction caseload, assigns courses in Edmentum & oversees home instruction intervention specialist. 

• Leads the SPED record request and fulfillment process & the document transfer process, including adoption, rejection and amendments.

• Manages master SPED roster and ensures caseloads are assigned in accordance with Ohio’s Operating Standards

• Strongly Preferred: Masters degree from an accredited college/university or a combination of education and experience commensurate with the job description;

• Mandatory: Special Education certification/licensure or comparable experience and education;

• Mandatory: Previous experience in Special Education grade-band or district role; 

• Mandatory: Minimum of 3 years of successful, full-time, lead teaching experience in low-income communities;

• Experience in analyzing student data and using data to inform instruction;

• Experience with and strong knowledge of local, state, and federal Special Education, laws and Ohio's Operating Standards;

• Strong record of helping all students achieve academic success;

• Understanding of MTSS/RTI programs and experience in implementing these programs in schools;

• Belief that outstanding school leaders, staff, and teachers can achieve excellent outcomes for all students;

• Ability to persevere with a sense of optimism, strong problem solving skills, and desire to learn and grow in a collaborative professional learning community;

• Willingness, and commitment, to go above and beyond to prove the possible with students;

Compensation and Benefits

KIPP Columbus offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefit plan including medical and dental insurance, as well as group term life insurance, retirement plan and paid time off.

Statement of Non-Disclosure

KIPP Columbus is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying to the school for consideration of any position (admission, employment, etc.). KIPP Columbus does not discriminate on the basis of disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 4112.02 of the Ohio Revised Code.