Regional Director of Special Programs - Greater Houston (26-27)

Regional Director of Special Programs

Role Mission: The Regional Director of Special Programs is responsible for all special programs instruction and compliance within the region of up to 15 schools in support of each student achieving their individual goals. This leader ensures the implementation of high-quality individualized student plans, oversees related services when applicable, and drives student achievement through aligned support structures and compliance. The Regional Director manages and coaches regional special programs staff, fosters strong partnerships with national and regional teams, and ensures that special programs deliver the intended impact for every student.

Note: In this document, the term “Special Programs” includes the following: special education (compliance and instruction), 504 support, English Learner/Emergent Bilingual support (compliance and instruction), dyslexia support, multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), and Critical Student Intervention (CSI).

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Regional Special Programs Coach(es)
• Lead School Psychologist
• Lead SLP
• Lead OT
• BCBA
• RIC

Location:

This is a full-time on-site position located in Houston. Preference will be given to candidates who live in the region, or who are willing to relocate. 

Travel Expectations:    

Travel within the region throughout the year as necessary

What You’ll Do – Accountabilities

Essential Duties:

Capacity-Building: The SpD builds capacity in regional and school-based leaders, and regional special programs staff in their region, to ensure that each student has the support needed to meet and exceed their goals, including the development, execution, and evaluation of individualized student learning plans. The SpD provides training, resources, guidance, and accountability in the programs managed by the national team and in alignment with the vision and mission of special programs at IDEA Public Schools.  In order to ensure that each student receives an individualized, highly effective program, the SpD provides on-going training and real-time coaching to regional and school-based leaders to increase their own skills and knowledge to effectively support diverse student needs. By building skills and knowledge in their regional and school based leaders and staff, the SpD supports special programs staff satisfaction, and therefore retention, in their role and therefore facilitates on-going student success.

Training: The SpD is the regional leader for special programs training and capacity-building for regional and school-based leaders. The SpD designs or curates training from the national professional development catalog to deliver to staff in their region on topics including special education, 504 support, English Learner/Emergent Bilingual support, dyslexia support, MTSS, and CSI. The SpD trains the staff listed above at strategic points before and during the school year, and will hold staff accountable to implementation of their learning through in-field follow-up and overseeing documentation of all programmatic requirements. The SpD may assign training responsibilities to regional special programs staff in alignment with their programmatic expertise and capacity-building skills.

Coaching: The SpD serves the region as the local expert on all special programs content and requirements. The SpD is responsive to questions, concerns, problem-solving requests, and program planning support for regional and school-based leaders (Executive Directors, Vice Presidents of Schools, Principals, Assistant Principals) and to special programs staff (Regional Special Programs Coaches and Assessment Team leads). The SpD facilitates capacity-building among staff in the region through real-time modeling and sharing resources so that local leaders are increasingly skilled in planning, executing, and evaluating programs.

Regional Leadership: The SpD partners closely with the regional senior leadership team (the Executive Directors, Vice Presidents of Schools and other content-specific regional directors) to define regional priorities and goals for student achievement in the annual planning process. The SpD is responsible for monitoring priority improvements, and provides the data (including but not limited to: semester exam data for each student sub-population- SpEd, EB/EL and CSI students; Renaissance STAR quarterly data for students in CSI; overall instructional management of the CSI program; and mock state assessment for EB students each semester) and analysis to support course corrections or development of new strategies. The SpD shares relevant data with the regional senior leadership team on a consistent and frequent basis, and in doing so proposes action plans to improve progress toward goals. The SpD shares regional special programs compliance data with regional leadership.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

Support effective planning and use of special programs funding streams by:

• Attending budget meetings with business and grants team partners at IDEA Public Schools;
• Educating regional special programs leads (school psychology; speech & language pathology; occupational therapy), regional assessment staff, regional special education clerks, school leaders and special programs school-based staff on allowable and non-allowable expenses within the fund categories overseen by the SpD before and during the school year;
• Sharing school spending targets before and during the school year, and ensuring that schools meet timelines for end of year accounting as directed by the IDEA business office; and
• Ensuring that all documentation for funding and/or reimbursement programs is submitted on time and with complete accuracy.

Coordinate region-wide contract services by:

• Determining the need for various related service contracts needed for students in the region and vet potential service providers;
• Overseeing the onboarding and training of all contract service personnel working in schools in the region; and
• Monitoring implementation in collaboration with the regional special programs leads (school psychology; speech & language pathology; occupational therapy) through regular review of service logs and invoices to ensure all timelines are met.

Provide timely, coordinated, and consistent training and real-time coaching to develop the capacity of regional leaders, school leaders, and special programs staff in the region to effectively design and manage special programs, including special education, 504 support, English Learner/Emergent Bilingual support, dyslexia support, MTSS, and CSI, through the following:

• Designing a prioritized training program for leaders in their region on an annual basis;
• Preparing to execute that training by developing their own knowledge and skills, and engaging in professional development provided by the national Special Programs Team as needed; and
• Seeking feedback on the training to make improvements for future sessions.

Provide strategic guidance and oversight to regional leaders by:

• Providing timely support on instruction planning, compliance planning, evaluation, regional and campus staffing, dispute resolution, and budgeting to ensure all individualized student learning plans are executed in support of students achieving their goals.

Manage and coach regional special programs staff by:

• Ensuring staff are equipped to effectively execute all individualized student learning plans
• Utilizing proactive, individualized, and responsive coaching methods to build staff capacity and support growth in targeted areas.

Monitor timelines and student-level compliance by:

• Ensuring 100% of Special Programs timelines are met for all students in the region
• Collaborating with the national Special Programs team to submit all state-specific required documentation for all schools in the region
• Overseeing Special Education student records compliance through operating mechanisms with the regional Special Education clerks.

Use data to drive performance and program improvement by:

• Continuously reviewing key data points to assess for gaps in service or outcomes
• Leading regional and school-based teams in action planning to address identified needs.
• Additional Duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Skills – Competencies

• Make Strategic Decisions: This team member uses data and trends to drive decisions that impact multiple teams, while anticipating risks and planning contingencies for key initiatives. They apply strategic frameworks to clarify challenges and guide coherent action, and they actively support others in strengthening their strategic thinking and decision-making capabilities.
• Manage Work and Teams: This team member leads cross-functional coordination to align efforts with strategic goals, optimizing resource use and minimizing silos. They build accountability frameworks, monitor key performance indicators to guide adjustments, and mentor emerging leaders, while implementing scalable systems that enhance efficiency and team effectiveness.
• Grow Self and Others: This team member identifies development needs across multiple groups and integrates them into broader strategic plans. They create structures that support ongoing growth, engage in succession planning, and continuously refine development strategies based on outcomes and data. Through this work, they foster a culture where continuous learning is a core part of daily work and leadership.
• Build a Culture of Trust: This team member builds trust and drives positive engagement across multiple groups, as reflected in strong feedback and survey results. They proactively address concerns, model transparency and authenticity, and foster collaboration through open, honest communication and shared ownership.
• Communicate Deliberately: This team member communicates a clear and compelling vision that aligns team efforts with organizational goals. They proactively identify and address communication gaps across workstreams, implementing solutions to enhance coordination, while anticipating and resolving stakeholder concerns before they surface.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• At least 2 years of successful teacher experience or professional experience aligned with certification area (e.g., school psychologist, educational diagnostician, speech language pathologist)  
• Proven success with Special Education student achievement  
• Track record of managing compliance
• Experience in instructional coaching
• Certification: in-state teaching certification or certification as a School Psychologist, Educational Diagnostician, Speech Language Pathologist.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Master’s Degree preferred
• Direct Instruction Decoding program knowledge preferred
• State-specific certification in English as a Second Language or an alternatively appropriate certification.
• ELA content knowledge a plus  

Physical Requirements:

• This role requires ability to frequently drive/travel in automobile.
• The ability to be able to navigate moving through campuses and classrooms to observe
• The ability to spend long periods of time in front of the computer

What We Offer:

Compensation & Benefits:

Salaries for people entering this role typically fall between $103,800 and $122,400, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications and in alignment with internal equity.This role is also eligible for performance pay based on organizational performance and goal attainment.

Additionally, we offer medical, dental, and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, referral bonuses, professional development, and a 403(b) plan. You can find more information about our benefits at https://ideapublicschools.org/careers/benefits/.

* IDEA may offer a relocation stipend to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

Application process:

Submit your application online through Jobvite. Please note that applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Learn more about IDEA

At IDEA the Staff Experience Team uses our Core Values to promote human connection and a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging for all Team and Family members.  Learn more about our Commitment to Core Values here: https://ideapublicschools.org/our-story/#core-values