Director of Special Education Legal Projects - IDEA Public Schools

Director of Special Education Legal Projects

Role Mission: The Director of Special Education Legal Projects is responsible for coordinating and investigating Texas Education Agency (TEA) and Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Complaints, Resolution and Mediation meetings and requests for Due Process Hearings. The role sits on the Regulatory Affairs team of IDEA’s Governance division, reporting to the Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. By leading IDEA's responses to TEA and OCR Special Programs-related matters, you will be charged with creating, maintaining, and communicating a coherent system for IDEA’s internal stakeholders and external counsel.

Given IDEA’s scale, this work will be complex. It will require swift, thorough, and effective coordination with campus staff, regional staff, network staff, and various legal counsels. In addition, you will collect and analyze data to identify trends and synthesize recommendations for IDEA’s Special Programs team. As a result of your work, the rate and severity of Special Programs-related complaints at IDEA will decline over time, IDEA will realize savings in legal expenditures related to Special Programs, and IDEA will ultimately be able to better meet the needs of students receiving special education services.

Location:

This is a full-time remote position based in Texas with preference given to candidates who live in Austin, El Paso, Houston, Permian Basin (Midland/Odessa), Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, and Tarrant County (Fort Worth), or who are willing to relocate.

Travel Expectations: Up to 20% of the time during the busiest parts of the year

What You’ll Do – Accountabilities

Essential Duties:

• Responsible for coordinating and investigating Texas Education Agency (TEA) and Office of Civil Rights (OCR) Complaints
• Responsible for resolution and mediation meetings and requests for Due Process Hearings
• Responsible for leading IDEA's responses to TEA and OCR Special Programs-related matters and creating, maintaining, and communicating a coherent reporting/tracking system for IDEA’s internal stakeholders and external counsel.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop systems to analyze, report, and identify trends in non-compliance and litigation.
• Use data and other artifacts as evidence in evaluating program effectiveness including identifying gaps to measure and communicate compliance improvements, to project manage to close gaps.
• Collaborate with the Special Programs team to develop effective corrective action plans, understand background/context for compliance issues, and plan for long term improvements.
• Catalog Special Programs-related compliance matters into a user-friendly tracker for key users to track case progression and resolution.
• Consult with the charter’s legal counsel on all potential and active litigious cases and compile all necessary corresponding documentation from campus and charter stakeholders.
• Investigate and compose formal responses to TEA and OCR complaints incorporating stakeholder expertise, including identifying root causes, immediate actions needed, long term corrective action steps, and timelines.
• Effectively monitor internal and external deadlines related to complaints and corrective action plans related to TEA and OCR complaints to ensure submissions are timely and of high quality.
• Adeptly determine what documentation is needed for certain cases and gain access to them swiftly.
• Prepare necessary documentation for use in mediations and hearings, including coordinating the collection and organization of files amongst campus staff, national staff, and external legal counsel.
• Prepare the Sr. VP of Special Programs or other related staff to attend necessary mediations and hearings.
• Develop strong organizational systems including buy-in and participation amongst stakeholders to make processes efficient and effective.
• Monitor and communicate legislative changes and new developments in Special Programs-related law, and align forms, compliance processes and procedures to legal requirements.
• Review documents for accuracy and identify gaps in compliance.
• Collaborate and assist with troubleshooting and investigating internal complaints from parents and staff.
• Collaborate with the Risk Management team to notify insurers of claims for which IDEA may have insurance coverage.
• Provide and/or review training to charter administrators and other staff regarding compliance issues.
• Assist in data and documentation validation of special programs records to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.
• Establish and maintain a collaborative and responsive department culture.
• Assist with other projects as determined by the VP of Regulatory Affairs

Knowledge and Skills – Competencies

• Build Trust and Psychological Safety: This individual offer empathy and active listening to build deeper one-on-one relationships in their direct work with others. They can coach others and emphasizing importance of psychological safety in their interactions.
• Communicate Deliberately: This individual can express ideas clearly and listen actively. They have developing skills in empathetic listening and responsive speaking, with ability to tailor messages for individual direct reports or peers with the aim to build stronger, more effective relationships
• Grow Self and Others: This individual takes an active role in their own development as well as the development of others. They use coaching techniques to help others identify growth opportunities, set development goals, and achieve their potential, all while continuing their own personal development journey.
• Make Sound Decisions: This individual can coach others in decision-making and is involved in complex decision-making in line with their responsibilities. They use feedback and data to inform their decisions and with support, they consider the broader impact of their choices on those they work with.
• Manage Work and Teams: This individual is responsible for managing their own work as well as supporting others. They focus on delegation, performance management, and coaching to help others achieve their work goals and develop professionally.

What You Bring – Competencies

Required education experience:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred
• Valid Texas Special Education EC-12 Certification preferred
• Experience teaching and/or leading Special Education in a Texas public school setting required
• Case management, project management, or paralegal experience preferred
  
  
   

Knowledge and Skills:

• In-depth knowledge of federal and state special education law, including familiarity with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and state-specific education code, such as the Texas Education Code (TEC).
• Knowledge of Admission Review and Dismissal (ARD) procedures, special education, emergent bilingual, and 504 students, curriculum requirements, state assessment, and graduation requirements. Skilled in applying local, state, and federal regulations related to students with disabilities.
• Ability to manage changing priorities, pay close attention to detail, and produce an accurate work product under minimal supervision with multiple distractions.
• Excellent organizational skills
• Outstanding formal written communication
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships, manage conflict and maintain a student-centered focus.
• Demonstrated ability to use good judgement and discretion in sensitive confidential issues.
• Ability to receive and respond positively to constructive feedback.
• Proficient in Excel, Outlook, and Word
   

Physical Requirements:

•  Remote work.
• Sedentary 95% of the time.
• Bending, crawling, stooping, standing, vision, lifting, walking.
• The ability to move safely over uneven terrain or in confined spaces.

What We Offer:

Compensation & Benefits:

Salaries for people entering this role typically fall between $89,600 and $105,300, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications and in alignment with internal equity. This role is also eligible for performance pay based on organizational performance and goal attainment.

Additionally, we offer medical, dental, and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, referral bonuses, professional development, and a 403(b) plan. You can find more information about our benefits at https://ideapublicschools.org/careers/benefits/.

* IDEA may offer a relocation stipend to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

Application process:

Submit your application online through Jobvite. Please note that applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Learn more about IDEA

At IDEA the Staff Culture and Belonging Team uses our Core Values to promote human connection and a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging for all Team and Family members.  Learn more about our Commitment to Core Values here: https://ideapublicschools.org/our-story/#core-values