Position Type:
Administration and Professionals
Date Posted:
2024-06-28
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:
Job Description Summary
Location: Administration or As Assigned
Reports to: Director, Special Education Compliance
FLSA Status: Exempt
Salary Band: 12
Compensation: $ 45,900. - $ 64,260.
The SPECIAL EDUCATION COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST will report to the Director of Special Education Compliance. The mission of Special Education and Intervention Services in CMSD is to ensure that inclusive, learner-centered services and supports are provided to all children with special needs and their families, in every school, so that all students graduate from high school prepared for college, careers, and fulfilling independent lives. Students with special needs are entitled to high-quality Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that not only meet federal and state compliance requirements, but also serve as a commitment to each scholar of a free, appropriate public education with the right services and supports to achieve rigorous educational goals. The SPECIAL EDUCATION COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST, also known as an IEP Auditor, will work closely with the Building Principals, Intervention Specialists, Related Service Providers and Program Managers within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The SPECIAL EDUCATION COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST is accountable for monitoring the completion and compliance of special education documents (IEPs, Progress Reports, Discipline Documentation, etc.). for students with disabilities, providing assistance to Principals and School staff on the completion of special education paperwork, and for carrying out the work with a sense of urgency for overall school improvement. The SPECIAL EDUCATION COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST is a key figure in supporting the Department’s goals to promote student academic achievement. He or she must have solid project management and strong technical experience with demonstrated follow through skills and a strong desire to provide excellent customer services under tight timelines.
Responsibilities
- Check the reliability, validity, and accuracy of data submitted by school staff through required special education documentation and the District-approved Student Information Systems
- Monitor the completion of special education documentation, including but not limited to IEPs, Progress Reports, Manifestation Determinations, and Behavior Intervention Plans
- Ensure that schools meet federal timelines for completion of these documents
- Utilize District-approved Compliance Audit Rubrics to provide feedback to IEP teams, specifically Intervention Specialists/Case Managers, regarding the content of IEPs and other special education documentation
- Follow up on any changes that are required by IEP teams in order to ensure compliant IEPs for every scholar
- Respond promptly to inquiries from Principals, Intervention Specialists and Related Service Providers regarding document compliance
- Work with the compliance requirements from the Ohio Department of Education as they change, and adjust approach accordingly
- Share information with schools on IEP development and completion as reported through District-approved Student Information Systems
- Verify EMIS data in the District system for accurate submission to the Ohio Department of Education
- Gather information and documents as requested during annual review periods; ensure that original documents are submitted for archiving
- Work collaboratively with Special Education Program Managers on issues related to compliance with federal and state laws and regulations for special education
- Assist with Departmental initiatives
- Serve as a liaison between schools and district
- Assist with the Departmental and Building level Professional Development and other events
- Perform other duties as assigned
Qualifications
- 3+ years successful project management experience
- Special Education experience preferred but not required
- College degree preferred
- High expectations and willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty for CMSD children
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint
- Excellent customer service skills, tact and good verbal communication
- Ability to manage time independently to complete all assigned work
- Demonstrated organizational skills, motivation, exceptional, resourcefulness, willingness to work flexibly, and cooperatively as member of a team
- Capable of handling challenging situations and people, with high tolerance for ambiguity and the ability to maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive district, school or personnel matters
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 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
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)-838-0070
TitleIX_EEO@ClevelandMetroSchools.org