Assistant Director of Special Programs

Assistant Director of Special Programs

Position Type: Administration Special Education
Reports To: Assistant Superintendent of Student Services
Location: Central Office

Dedham Public Schools seeks an Assistant Director of Special Programs to support the design coordination and continuous improvement of special education services across the district.

This role oversees out-of-district (OOD) placements and caseload management while advancing in-district program development early intervention systems and professional learning that builds staff capacity to deliver high-quality Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) in inclusive settings.

The Assistant Director also provides flexible leadership support across Student Services balancing program development regulatory requirements and student-centered decision-making.

• Manage the districts OOD caseload including placement coordination monitoring and communication with providers and families
• Identify and secure appropriate placements aligned with student needs
• Chair and coordinate TEAM meetings related to OOD placements (initial annual and re-evaluations)
• Monitor student progress attendance and program effectiveness
• Support transitions to less restrictive environments when appropriate
• Maintain records related to placements tuition timelines and Circuit Breaker reimbursement
• Ensure compliance with state and federal special education requirements related to placement timelines and documentation

• Collaborate with the Assistant Superintendent for Student Services and school teams to design and implement pre-referral and pre-OOD interventions
• Support development and refinement of in-district programs and services to increase capacity and inclusion
• Assist teams in implementing evidence-based interventions and SDI
• Promote alignment with UDL MTSS and inclusive practices
• Analyze referral and placement trends to inform program development

• Collaborate with the Assistant Superintendent and ETLs to design and deliver high-quality job-embedded professional learning
• Focus on Least Restrictive Environments through SDI inclusive practices and UDL
• Support teams in translating professional learning into classroom practice and service delivery
• Use data (referrals OOD trends student outcomes) to target professional learning and build in-district capacity

• Provide leadership support across Student Services initiatives including:
• Students experiencing homelessness (McKinney-Vento)
• Foster care placements and transitions
• Complex case consultation and crisis response
• Preventative and wraparound programming aligned with the districts system of care
• Support district compliance efforts including timelines documentation and preparation for audits or reviews

• Participate in department and district meetings
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services

• Massachusetts licensure as a Special Education Administrator
• Demonstrated knowledge of special education law procedures and compliance
• Experience with OOD placements and program development preferred
• Strong collaboration communication and problem-solving skills

Required Experience:

Director