Assistant Director of Special Education (Related Services)

TITLE: Assistant Director of Special Education (Related Services)

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Assistant Director of Special Education Related Services is responsible for providing districtwide leadership coordination and oversight of related services that support students with disabilities. This position ensures the effective delivery of speech-language occupational therapy physical therapy school health and nursing audiology and other specialized services identified through the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. The Assistant Director collaborates with school teams service providers families and district leadership to ensure high-quality equitable and legally compliant service delivery while strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and improving student outcomes.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Masters degree in Special Education Educational Leadership or related field.
2. Valid Arizona Administrative Certificate or ability to obtain.
3. Minimum of five years of experience in special education including experience working with related service providers.
4. Knowledge of IDEA requirements related to evaluations related services and special education service delivery.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supervising multidisciplinary teams and related service providers.
• Experience coordinating contracted therapy and health service providers.
• Knowledge of staffing allocation workload analysis and service delivery models.
• Strong organizational communication collaboration and leadership skills.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Therapy and Health Services

• Provide districtwide leadership coordination and oversight of related therapy and health services to ensure students receive high-quality equitable and legally compliant supports identified in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
• Oversee Speech-Language Pathology services ensuring effective assessment intervention and programming to support students communication articulation language development and social communication skills.
• Lead the implementation of Occupational Therapy (OT) services that promote students fine motor development sensory regulation self-help skills and access to the educational environment.
• Coordinate Physical Therapy (PT) services to support students gross motor development functional mobility balance positioning and safe participation in school activities.
• Supervise School Health and Nursing Services related to special education ensuring students receive appropriate medical accommodations health care procedures medication support and nursing services necessary for educational access.
• Oversee Audiology Services including hearing evaluations consultation hearing assistive technology classroom listening systems and collaboration with educational teams to support students with hearing impairments.
• Provide leadership and coordination for School Counseling Services supporting counselors in delivering comprehensive school counseling programs that address students academic social-emotional behavioral and postsecondary readiness needs while ensuring appropriate alignment with special education services.
• Coordinate service delivery for contracted and district-employed related service providers while ensuring compliance with district state and federal requirements.
• Monitor provider caseloads workloads staffing assignments service schedules and documentation to ensure efficient and effective implementation of related services.

Program Coordination & Student Support

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary evaluation teams to ensure timely comprehensive and educationally relevant evaluations.
• Support school teams in determining appropriate related services based on student needs and educational impact.
• Coordinate specialized supports including assistive technology augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) adaptive equipment and medically related accommodations.
• Facilitate collaboration among therapists nurses teachers administrators psychologists and families to ensure integrated service delivery.
• Support transition planning for students requiring specialized therapies and health services.

Staff Capacity & Professional Learning

• Provide coaching and professional development for related service providers and school teams regarding best practices collaborative service delivery documentation and inclusive instructional supports.
• Promote interdisciplinary collaboration between general education special education and related service providers.
• Support recruitment onboarding mentoring and retention of qualified therapy and health service personnel.
• Develop district procedures guidance documents and resources that support consistent implementation of related services across schools.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with the Director of Special Education and Assistant Directors of Compliance & Legal and Behavior Support to align service delivery compliance behavioral supports and student outcomes.
• Collaborate with Human Resources regarding recruitment staffing certification and evaluation of related service providers.
• Coordinate with business services and contracted agencies regarding provider contracts and service agreements.
• Build collaborative partnerships with families medical providers community agencies and outside service providers to support continuity of student services.

Data Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor implementation of related services to ensure students receive services as outlined in their IEPs.
• Analyze service delivery data provider workloads staffing patterns and student outcomes to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Review district trends related to evaluations therapy services nursing supports and specialized programming to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Recommend improvements to systems staffing models scheduling and resource allocation to enhance student access and outcomes.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The Assistant Director of Special Education Related Services works in a professional district office and school-site environment. The position requires frequent collaboration with district leadership school administrators multidisciplinary teams families community agencies medical professionals and contracted service providers. Work is primarily performed during standard business hours; however additional hours may be required to support staffing IEP meetings professional development specialized student programming or district initiatives. The role requires regular use of computers electronic documentation systems data management platforms and office technology. Regular travel between district office and school sites is expected.

PHYSICAL EFFORT:

The physical demands of this position are consistent with a professional administrative role requiring frequent school-site visits. The employee must be able to sit for extended periods while reviewing documentation analyzing data and planning district initiatives as well as stand and walk during meetings observations trainings and school visits. Occasional bending reaching and lifting of materials such as files instructional resources or technology equipment weighing up to approximately 20 pounds may be required. The position requires clear verbal communication sustained visual attention and the ability to manage multiple priorities while responding effectively to student staff and family needs.

Please note that the closing date for this posting may be changed at any time without prior notice

WORK YEAR: 12 months

DEPARTMENT/SCHOOL: Student Support

SALARY: Commensurate with experience (aligned to district administrative salary schedule)

REPORTS TO: Director of Special Education

EVALUATION: Administrative Evaluation

SUPERVISES: May supervise clerical staff

Required Experience:

Director