Job Description:
POSITION SUMMARY: The Director of Out-of-District Placements is a key leadership position within the Special Education Department responsible for overseeing the districts out-of-district placement functions, a portfolio of assigned schools and programs, and services for justice-involved students, while leading the Out-of-District Specialists team. The Director ensures that students with disabilities receive appropriate, high-quality educational programming and services in accordance with IEP requirements, FAPE, LRE, and applicable state and federal requirements. This role requires exceptional leadership, sound judgment, and creative problem-solving to address complex student needs, placement considerations, service coordination, and transitions across district and external educational settings.
The Director serves as the districts primary operational leader for out-of-district placement coordination, working with families, school teams, external schools and programs, transportation, Finance, and other district departments to ensure placements are appropriate, services are implemented, costs and logistics are monitored, and students are supported in returning to district programs when appropriate.
RESPONSIBILITIES: This position requires extensive knowledge of special education law, strong leadership abilities, excellent communication skills, and a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach to supporting students with disabilities. The Director must be able to analyze complex student needs, develop creative and compliant placement and service solutions, and coordinate effectively with families, school teams, external programs, agencies, and district departments.
- Provide supervision and leadership for out-of-district placement functions, assigned schools and programs, and services for externally placed justice-involved students, while overseeing the Out-of-District Specialists team and ensuring effective case management, appropriate placements, and continuity of educational services.
- Oversee the review, authorization, coordination, monitoring, and ongoing evaluation of out-of-district placements to ensure each placement remains appropriate to the students IEP, educational needs, FAPE, LRE, and applicable district and regulatory requirements.
- Establish consistent case-review practices for students in external placements, including monitoring student progress, services, attendance, placement stability, and continued need for the placement, and ensure timely follow-up when concerns arise.
- Coordinate with families, district teams, external schools and programs, related service providers, transportation, and other agencies to resolve complex placement and service-delivery issues and support effective transitions into, between, and from out-of-district settings.
- Partner with Finance, Transportation, Procurement, and Special Education leadership to monitor placement-related services, transportation requirements, contracts, and other operational considerations associated with external placements.
- Partner with the Director of Accountability and Compliance to ensure accurate state and federal reporting, Child Count data, documentation, and audit readiness related to students served through out-of-district placements.
- Resolve complex and sensitive placement concerns, inquiries, and complaints through timely stakeholder communication, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution strategies, elevating matters to the Executive Director when appropriate.
- Prepare placement analyses, trend reports, recommendations, presentations, and other communications that support the Executive Director and inform district decision-making regarding external placements and specialized service needs.
- Lead continuous improvement of the districts out-of-district placement process, including referral, review, approval, monitoring, transition, and return-to-district practices.
- Supervise and engage in activities related to student eligibility, IEP development, placement determinations, service planning, and transportation as they relate to students considered for or currently served in out-of-district settings.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen district capacity and reduce unnecessary external placements by analyzing placement trends, student needs, service gaps, and opportunities for students to return to less restrictive district-based programs when appropriate.
- Coordinate transition and re-entry planning for students returning from external placements, ensuring timely transfer of records, services, supports, schedules, and communication with receiving school teams and families.
- Monitor external provider performance and student outcomes using available data, progress reports, IEP implementation information, attendance, and other indicators to inform placement decisions and program improvement.