Assistant Director of Special Services

First Review of Applications: Monday, April 21st, 2025

This is a 1.0 FTE position (260 days), with an anticipated start date of July 1st, 2025. Starting salary will be determined based on applicable experience. This position is fully benefit eligible, offering competitive medical, dental, life and retirement plans and generous paid time off. This position is also eligible for an annual performance incentive.

Nature of Work:

The Assistant Director of Special Services provides leadership, coordination, and oversight to ensure the delivery of special education services and other specialized services in compliance with state and federal regulations. This role is responsible for ensuring that students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. Additionally, the Assistant Director defines and supports change initiatives, organizational strategies, and best practices that align with the mission of Northeast Metro 916 while promoting educational equity for all students.

Typical Class Responsibilities:

• Provides leadership, coordinates, and oversees special services programming across Northeast Metro 916.
• Serves as a liaison between the Special Services department and the Teaching and Learning team to ensure the necessary alignment and scope of curriculum and instructional resources.
• Provides administrative, operational, and leadership direction to assigned areas, which may include serving as a strategic advisor; assigning projects and objectives; conducting performance evaluations; developing, motivating, and training employees; and making hiring, termination, and disciplinary recommendations.
• Serves as the primary liaison between Northeast Metro 916, member districts, and the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).
• Leads or facilitates district and building level discussions for program development and/or continuous improvement.
• Supports the implementation of MTSS to meet the needs of all students.
• Identifies and leads opportunities for the development and implementation of new services.
• Develops the vision for the professional learning program in collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Team to align with organizational goals.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Training and Experience Requirements:

Master's degree in educational administration or related field; two (2) years of experience in an administrative or director level role; two (2) years experience in supervision, coordination, and development in a PreK-12 setting.

Licensure Requirements:

Licensed as a Director of Special Education issued from the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board.

Knowledge Requirements:

• State and federal laws, rules, regulations, and due process requirements relating to special education
• Staffing, supervision, and programming models pertaining to a wide range of disabilities and needs
• ADA and 504 (and office of civil rights)
• General education curriculum, special education curriculum, and alignment for district and site-based determinations
• Special education curriculum, teaching principles, and best practices

Skill Requirements:

• Define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Supervision and coaching of administrators
• Group facilitation, team building, and conflict resolution training and experience

Physical Requirements:

Positions in this class typically require: standing, fingering, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions.

Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Commitment to Equity:

At Northeast Metro 916, equity means that everyone has access to what they need in order to learn, grow and thrive.
Northeast Metro 916 will not discriminate against individuals based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, parental status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, age or sexual orientation.