Position Type: Administration and Professionals
Date Posted: 2024-06-05
Location:Administration or As Assigned
INTRODUCTION: CONTEXT AND MISSION The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) serves approximately 37,000 students in 100+ schools. Over the past several years, the Greater Cleveland community has united behind the collective goal of ensuring every child in Cleveland attends a high-quality school and every neighborhood has a multitude of great schools from which families can choose. The Cleveland Plan defines CMSD's approach to the reinvention of public education and holds our community accountable for the success of Cleveland's schoolchildren. The Cleveland Plan is supported by Ohio House Bill 525, which provides much-needed flexibility and autonomy for the district and its schools. Our schools have autonomy over human and financial resources in exchange for accountability for performance. The principal has primary responsibility and accountability for establishing his or her school as a high-quality, high-expectations academic center with a focus on personalized instruction, professional support for teachers, and school-wide practices that lead to measurable results. The Cleveland Metropolitan School District has developed standards of excellence that the district applies to all parts of the organization inclusive of schools, principals, school leadership teams, networks, and central office. Alignment between Standards of Excellence (SoE) and the district's Theory of Action helps ensure that principals are able to focus on scholar achievement and that central office supports are timely and effective.
Our Vision for Learning in a Post-Pandemic World: In our pursuit of a more fair, just, and good system of education, we want each of our learners, both each of our scholars and each of their educators, to be individually and collectively presented with academically / intellectually complex tasks that are worthy of their productive struggle and allow them authentic opportunities to demonstrate their work and their learning of academic content and transferable skills in a joyful and adventurous environment.
THE OPPORTUNITY: Location: Administration or As Assigned Reports To: Director/Executive Director Special Education FLSA Status: Exempt Salary Band: 14 Compensation: $ 63,240. - $ 88,536. **Internal applicants are required to upload a resume to their application** CMSD is seeking a Special Education Program Manager (K-12) to support a network of CMSD schools and/or classrooms in providing specialized instruction and accommodations to students with a wide range of exceptionalities. The Program Manager will provide access to technical support, professional development, and resources for school teams to ensure that each student has a pathway to success, from evaluation to graduation. Additionally, the Program Manager will collaborate with educators, families, and students to ensure that each child, in every school and classroom, has access to a robust system of support and a welcoming educational environment. The ideal Program Manager is an advocate for diversity, inclusion, and belonging for all children, and uses data and effective practices to change systems that disadvantage children with learning, communication, and other differences. Although the Program Manager will need to be well-versed in federal, state, and local compliance requirements, their focus is on high-quality instruction and student achievement. The Program Manager role is a versatile position that provides the employee with the opportunity to build leadership skills in the field of special education, while also contributing to the District's Strategic Priorities and Core Values within CMSD's Academics Division.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: Design curriculum, resources, and instructional protocols that are aligned with Universal Design for Learning principles and evidence-based, high-leverage practices in special education. The candidate should be knowledgeable of the following practices:
- Explicit, systematic instruction (including structured literacy)
- Consistent, organized, and responsive learning environments
- Scaffolded supports
- Adult collaborative structures
- Assessment and progress monitoring
- Culturally inclusive pedagogies and practices
- Multi-tiered system of supports
Design and deliver professional learning in support of high-leverage practices that are grounded in data, adult learning principles, and equity
Support intervention specialists, paraprofessionals, and other school staff in their implementation of high-leverage practices through non-evaluative coaching, modeling, and co-planning as appropriate
Support principals and school-based leaders to develop their understanding of and ability to monitor high-leverage practices through modeling, leadership coaching, and co-planning as appropriate
Support assigned CMSD schools by:
- Communicating with families to help problem-solve when issues arise at the school level;
- Participating in IEP team meetings upon request of parents or school or when decisions about District resources are required
- Partnering with other network support team members from key central office departments to support school-based leaders in strategic planning and execution of their schools' Academic Achievement Plans
- Assisting in the transitions of students from PreK to Kindergarten, from 8th to 9th grade, and from secondary to postsecondary life
Implement data-driven planning cycles to support IEP team decision-making, with the intent of maximizing student inclusion while meeting individual needs
- In collaboration with the Student Services and Teaching & Learning divisions, implement and monitor high-quality, grade-level curriculum in each subject area that is scaffolded and/or adapted to meet the needs of all learners
Monitor academic and functional student performance data for students with disabilities; help partner schools develop improvement strategies that will close achievement and performance gaps
- With other Special Education Department staff, serve on ad hoc work groups focusing on specific populations (PreK-8, High School, Intensive Academic Support, Low Incidence/Autism, etc.) or specific bodies of work (ELA curriculum, protocols and procedures, secondary transition, etc.); execute on action items determined by the team
- Manage and complete projects as assigned by the Executive Director
QUALIFICATIONS: - Master's degree in Special Education or related field required
- At least 5 years of experience as an Intervention Specialist, Special Education Teacher, and/or administrator required
- Ohio Intervention Specialist License or Professional Teaching License OR Ohio Licensure in Pupil Services Administration required
Preferred characteristics: - A strong commitment to the students in CMSD and a personal sense of accountability around the ultimate success of the CMSD transformation
- Deep knowledge of the issues and dynamics of inequity in education and passion for CMSD's mission
- Knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of school staff in developing, implementing, and monitoring students' individualized education plans
- Ability to provide objective feedback on special education programming, compliance, and implementation
- Knowledge of laws relevant to special education (IDEIA, Ohio Operating Standards, FERPA/HIPAA)
- Proven experience working collaboratively in a team-oriented environment
- Results-driven, with excellent planning and organizing skills
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills, both verbal and written
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including experience navigating difficult and emotional conversations
- Proven success in overcoming significant barriers to meet goals in a fast-paced and changeable environment
- Ability to critically assess challenges and identify flexible, effective solutions
- Ability to perform multifaceted tasks with minimum supervision
WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS - Expected moving, walking, and standing consistent with an office environment and occasionally lifting up to 15 pounds
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms
- The employee is frequently required to talk and/or hear.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to a normal office environment
- Local travel may be required for training/meetings
- Travel to schools will be required; must have reliable transportation
NOTE: The above-stated duties are intended to outline those functions typically performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This description of duties is not intended to be all-inclusive or to limit the discretionary authority of management to assign other tasks of a similar nature or level of responsibility.
Education To Apply Please submit your resume and application using Workday, our online human capital management system. Please note that an offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of an FBI/BCI background check and drug screen.
EEO Statement We believe that equity and inclusion at CMSD is an essential call to action, a catalyst to ensure value and appreciation among all our employees, so we may be fair and welcoming now and in the future. CMSD provides equal opportunities for employment, retention and advancement of all personnel by administering all terms and conditions of employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, sex, disability or genetic information, age, citizenship status, military status, sexual orientation or expression, socio-economic status, title, other dimensions of identity, or any other characteristic protected by law. The District's Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment, and Sexual Harassment and the District's Title IX grievance procedures, including information on how to report or file a complaint of discrimination, how to report or file a formal complaint of sexual harassment, and how the District will respond, may be accessed on the District's Civil Rights Notices webpage, available at ClevelandMetroSchools.org/domain/105. The District's Title IX Coordinator / Director of Equal Employment Opportunity may be reached at: 1111 Superior Avenue East, Suite 1800 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 (216)-###-#### ...@ClevelandMetroSchools.org