The director of special education job can be a unique position in a school, or it may be integrated into the responsibilities of a principal or assistant principal. A small school district may incorporate special education administration responsibilities into another school administrator's role. Large school districts typically employ a director of special education who has responsibility only for special education and related services and not other education issues. The job responsibilities of the director of special education include ensuring the school district is in compliance with special education regulations, setting standards and goals for special education, developing policies and procedures for implementing special education services, developing and monitoring budgets, supervising and reviewing programs and meditating disputes.
The assistant director of special education's job is defined differently by school systems. In general, the assistant director supports the director in meeting special education regulations and acts as the director in her absence. The assistant director is involved in recruiting, interviewing and hiring new special education personnel. He can be responsible for the supervision of staff and staff evaluations. He also monitors, collects and maintains documentation required by the state, such as diagnostic evaluation reports, individualized education programs (IEPs), parent contact reports and complaints. In addition, he may coordinate and supervise the implementation of the Extended School Year Program and the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development training for special education staff.
There are three typical ways a special education coordinator job is configured. If a school district does not employ a director of special education, the coordinator may work as the director and be responsible for the special education program. If another administrator is the designated director, the coordinator's job is to support the administrator in meeting compliance with special education regulations. When a district hires all three administration positions, the role of the coordinator generally includes working with the diagnostic team to ensure timely evaluations and eligibility decisions, monitoring special education teachers to ensure IEP implementation, mediating with families to resolve questions and forestall disputes, and working with special education personnel to collect and analyze student data and required reports.