High School Special Education Chair 26/27 SY

TITLE: High School Special Education Chair

WELCOME TO INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS!

At IPS, we believe in the transformative power of education. We work collectively every day to prepare our students for success in the classroom and in life by providing equitable, high-quality educational experiences across our family of schools. IPS is a place to make an impact, grow your career, and ensure every student has access to a high-quality education, all while earning a good living in a district on the move. While the work is challenging, it is deeply meaningful and impactful. We seek innovators and trailblazers who bring varying experiences and expertise and share our belief that every child deserves access to an exceptional education. As part of TeamIPS, you’ll create lasting connections, find a sense of belonging, and feel supported to make a meaningful difference in students’ lives.

In return, no matter your role here, we expect a commitment to excellence and accountability. You’ll be held to high standards. Resilience and passion are key—you must be adaptable, handling adversity with flexibility while putting students at the heart of everything you do. Ethical conduct, clear communication, and mutual respect are fundamental. Being a dependable, collaborative team player who builds meaningful relationships is essential.

Together, we are Proving What’s Possible by building a community where everyone belongs and each student has the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHING CAREER IN IPS OFFERS...

Purpose and Impact:

• Champion for Students: Special Education Teachers play a crucial role in ensuring students with disabilities receive the individualized instruction and support they need to thrive. Your work directly impacts students’ ability to learn, grow, and achieve their goals.
• Equity in Action: At IPS, we are committed to removing barriers and creating inclusive learning environments. As a Special Education Teacher, you will be a key advocate for equity, ensuring all students receive high-quality education and access to necessary supports.
• Collaborative Support System: You won’t do this work alone. IPS provides a strong network of professionals, including general educators, related service providers, and student support teams, all working together to ensure student success.

Professional and Personal Growth:

• Ongoing Development: IPS offers specialized professional development for Special Education Teachers, including training on best practices, compliance with Article 7, behavioral interventions, and innovative instructional strategies.
• Pathways for Advancement: Whether you are early in your career or an experienced educator, IPS provides opportunities to grow. Leadership development, mentorship programs, and coaching support are available to help you take the next step in your career.
• Generous Compensation: We’re proud to offer the highest teacher starting pay in Indianapolis and one of the most competitive in the state, with teachers starting at $55,600 depending on experience, plus a generous benefits package. Our teacher salaries are continually on the rise, as IPS regularly advocates for stronger teacher compensation.

Work-Life Balance and Well-being:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Access top-tier health plans covering medical, dental, and vision needs, plus IPS offers a private clinic for staff and their families through our partners at Ascension St. Vincent.
• Flexible Wellness Leave: Take the time you need to care for yourself and your family with our generous leave policies. Teachers receive 70 hours of sick leave in their first year (56 hours annually after) for illness, family, or mental health, plus three personal days, two floating holidays, and school breaks. Unlimited accumulated sick leave adds flexibility, supporting teachers’ health and work-life balance.
• Incentivized Discounts through IPS Wellness Program: Opportunities to earn hundreds of dollars off your medical premium by participating in proactive and simple health screenings, plus discounted group fitness classes, health and fitness assessments, personal training, and more.

WHAT WE EXPECT...

Commitment to Excellence:

• High Standards for Learning: We expect our Special Education Teachers to deliver rigorous, high-quality instruction that challenges and engages students while meeting their individualized needs.
• Equitable and Inclusive Classrooms: IPS is committed to breaking down systemic inequities. You will be responsible for implementing best practices in special education, advocating for inclusive environments, and ensuring each student has access to the supports they need.

Resilience and Passion:

• Dedication to Students: Special Education requires patience, flexibility, and a deep commitment to student success. You will be an advocate, ensuring that students receive the necessary accommodations and services to reach their full potential.
• Adaptability in a Dynamic Environment: Each day brings new challenges and opportunities. You must be resilient, creative, and solution-oriented, working to provide the best possible educational experience for students with disabilities.

Professional Integrity:

• Ethical and Collaborative Practice: Upholding the highest standards of professionalism is critical. You will be expected to work closely with families, general education teachers, and service providers while maintaining clear, ethical communication and documentation.
• A Team Player Mindset: Special Education is a collaborative effort. IPS seeks educators who thrive in a team-based environment, contribute positively, and build strong relationships with students, colleagues, and families.

JOIN US

Indianapolis Public Schools is more than a workplace—it’s a community where purpose, impact, and belonging come together to help Prove What’s Possible in your career and in our schools. If you’re ready to make a difference, advocate for students, and bring excellence to Special Education, IPS is the place for you.

SUMMARY OF OPPORTUNITY:

The Unified Student Supports team is looking for a special education administrator who will positively impact student success by facilitating the delivery, monitoring, and assessment of both special education procedures and programming, ensuring that students with disabilities are provided with the curriculum and services appropriate to their needs. As a member of the IPS Team, you will receive excellent benefits, opportunities to grow within your role and the organization, and collaborative and supportive colleagues who put students first.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

The following outlines what your core duties and responsibilities will be for this position and provides a sample overview of what your day-to-day may look like.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the first and strongest advocate for racial and ableness equity and student-centered approaches to teaching, learning, service, and support.
• Support student achievement by way of staff development, compliance monitoring, student transitioning, etc.
• Serve as the public agency representative for case conferences and manifestation determination conferences.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the school and USS by ensuring systems and process are seamlessly communicated or cascaded in both directions.
• Participate in and attend USS designed training and monthly meetings on a regular cadence.
• Ensure all students with disabilities have access to accommodations, materials and technology that ensure an ability to reach their goals, regardless of LRE.
• Monitor and support with student transitions and transition planning.
• Facilitate PLC meetings for special and general educators to ensure SDI, UDL, and similar best practices are taught, practiced, and evaluated.
• Evaluate special education teachers, per building leadership’s expectations or mandates.
• Provide direct managerial support, in partnership with school leaders and Learning Community Directors, to the daily work of special education and student service programming, ensuring adherence to established special education policies, procedures, and standards.
• Monitor the implementation of the district coaching framework for all special education coaches assigned to your building.
• Work in collaboration with the Learning Community Directors/Principals in resolving school-based concerns and problems as they arise with special programming.
• Assist Learning Community staff and school principals in setting and attaining goals for student achievement, as well as all goals and big bets identified by the USS team.
• Facilitate RDA meetings and work collaboratively to support schools to increase student achievement.
• Create and implement a system to provide the school team with a platform to discuss, strategize and problem solve students who are struggling to progress with their current supports provided through their IEP.
• Ensure MTSS is the backbone of all special education programming, intervention planning and monitoring, etc.
• Assist in the coordination and articulation of the district’s special education programs and services across and between grade levels in their Learning Community.
• Provide specific feedback, support, and suggestions to principals to strengthen teaching and learning for students with disabilities, regardless of LRE.
• Provide technical assistance to principals in working with marginal teachers and staff.
• Assist principals with decision-making and problem-solving as it pertains to intensive programming.
• Advocate for and model strong school-family partnerships to ensure students have as few barriers to success as possible.
• Consistently contribute to a positive team culture by being direct and transparent and helpful and collaborative, while prioritizing a customer service orientation
• Other duties as assigned by the USS administrative team or building principal.
  

“Day In the Life” Overview

On a regular day, as the High School Special Education Chair, you might:

• Support principals in special education and student services human resource management, including recruiting, retaining, and developing staff
• PAR a manifest and with the assigned coach to strengthen a TORs approach to conference preparation
• Work with principals and other USS Staff to review their data and help them link best practices and materials to standards and Individual Education Plans
• Assist principals in the development of appropriate professional development programs for staff
• Work with Principals to resolve difficult special education situations quickly and effectively between schools and parents that are not resolvable at the school level
  

WHAT YOU’ll BRING: SKILLS AND MINDSETS

As an ideal candidate for this role, you will be able to achieve the following:

• Highly-developed communications skills (written/verbal) and interpersonal savvy
• Results/action-orientation; project management skills
• Racial equity mindset and other critical indicators related to DEI
• Organizational agility; developed negotiation skills
• Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity, diversity and trust
• Able to successfully navigate within varying degrees of ambiguity in a fast-paced environment
• Strong strategic analysis skills
• Ability to be creative in developing alternatives to meet students’ iInstructional needs
• A track record of developing and maintaining strong working relationships with and among a diverse group of actors
• Close attention to detail coupled with the ability to exercise good judgment
• Proactive nature; able to anticipate conflicts before they arise
• Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively
• Ability to execute meetings, calls and emails with professionalism, courtesy and accuracy
• Personal qualities of maturity, humility, strong work ethic, sense of humor, and diligence
• Ability to effectively allocate and prioritize time to several tasks to ensure completion of all

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS

• Hold or eligible for Indiana administrator and/or director license
• Special Education certification
• Master’s degree in Education Administration, 3 to 5 years of experience as a practitioner and 3 to 5 years of experience as a school assistant principal; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities
• Working knowledge of federal and state special education laws, rules, and practices including IDEA and Article 7
  

FLSA CLASSIFICATION:

Exempt

ELIGIBILITY FOR REMOTE WORK:

This role is ineligible for remote work. Any potential exceptions to this standard must be vetted with HR.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

EEOC STATEMENT:

Indianapolis Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, will not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, domestic violence victim status, homelessness or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations, or ordinances. Indianapolis Public Schools does not tolerate any form of retaliation or bias-based intimidation, threat, or harassment that demeans individuals’ dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.

DISCLAIMER:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the above representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This job description is illustrative only, and is not a comprehensive list of all essential functions and duties performed by the occupant of this position. Factors such as regular and punctual attendance are not routinely listed in job descriptions, but are an essential function.