Senior Manager, Special Services

The Senior Manager for Extended School Support serves as a leading member of the Special Education and Special Services administrative and decision-making team.  Analyzes and identifies operational and strategic needs of an area of specialization related to special education. Supervises, provides leadership, and goal attainment for the Out of District Services, Extended  School Year (ESY), Jail Service, Specialized Homebound Services and collaborative oversight of our district separate school program.

• Collaborate with district departments and schools, the Colorado Department of Human Services and as appropriate, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). 
• Coordinate transition strategies when students are returning back to the district. 
• Communicating expectations, requirements, and directives uniform to district facilities, Denver Human Services, other school districts and other outside stakeholders.    
• Ensure compliance with all state and federal mandates concerning the provision of services and educational opportunities for children and families relying on Student Equity and Opportunity.
• Oversees members of the Extended School Supports team that implement Out of District services, Extended School Year (ESY), Specialized Homebound programming, Jail services and the district separate school program and any other team as assigned by providing leadership, direct supervision, evaluation, monitoring, reporting, goal accountability and support.
• Supports the development of district resources, website pages, materials and reports for district implementation oversight of IDEA for out of district facilities, jail services, required Extended School Year and specialized services homebound, including creating, editing, publishing.
• Monitoring educational progress, Individualized Education Programming (IEP), and attending IEP meetings for district students with special education needs who are attending out of district facilities.    
• Analyzes district-level special education data (IEP compliance metrics, assessment outcomes, complaint trends, due process, school support patterns) and identifies systemic areas for improvement.
• Executes functional or departmental plans and contributes to the development of functional or departmental strategies; provides input and advises others on strategy, outside of their function or department. Recommends innovation, significantly modifies and improves current policies and practices. Devises long-term operational goals and makes decisions that affect results delivered.
• Manage and work with respective teams to both influence and implement policies, procedures, programs and initiatives that pertain to their functional unit.
• Set clear goals, organize work plans, and divide work accordingly. Develops operational plans such as resources, budgets, schedules, and performance.
• Oversee the development of professional development curricula that includes: Application of effective instructional practices and data-driven decision making focused on increasing academic growth for students with disabilities; Ensuring compliance with appropriate IDEA timelines and processes 
• Provide assistance to DPS Central Departments, school leaders, and special education teams on a broad range of special education topics, including Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), Parental Participation and Procedural Safeguards, and the development of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).
• Mediate resolutions between families and schools / facilities in regards to the implementation of the IEP.
• Maintains relationships with out of district facilities to refer students, attend IEP meetings as appropriate for discussion about LRE3+, work with families regarding enrollment at facilities.
• Stays up to date on any updates and changes to relevant laws, regulations and policies.
• Other duties as assigned
  
   

• Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education is required; Master’s Degree preferred
• A minimum of five (5+) years' experience cooperatively working with culturally diverse racial, ethnic, linguistic, disability and socio-economic students, families and communities.
• A minimum of two (2+) years of prior supervisory or managerial experience is required.
• Lead for racial and educational excellence and work to dismantle systems of oppression and inequity in our community, along with believing in and supporting all students so they feel seen and heard with access to high quality education. 
• Live and work with a permanent home address in Colorado while working with us.  
• Have the ability with or without accommodations to meet the physical demands of the position.