Staff Attorney - Dispute Resolution

Serves as an unclassified employee pursuant to O.R.C. Section 3301.13 and performs the following educational and/or research duties:

On behalf of the Office for Exceptional Children (OEC) ensures compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and state regulations through the formal complaint process:

• Advises on IDEA formal complaints and credible allegations within the applicable federal timeline;
• Ensures formal and neutral complaint, allegations, and investigation processes are followed;
• Provides technical assistance to parties regarding the process, develops and reviews various complaint letters, and credible allegations letters;
• Reviews and advises on the sufficiency of complaints and on areas of concerns regarding IDEA compliance;
• Reviews a letter of allegation, including issues based on the original complaint, and provides legal conclusions and citation;
• Reviews letter of findings including restating issues from the letter of allegations, facts pertinent to each issue, finding of a violation or non-violation, and provide legal citations;
• Reviews letters of areas of concerns or credible allegations and provide legal citations;
• Negotiates, drafts, and monitors corrective action plans if there is noncompliance;
• Reviews and drafts letters that analyze special education facts and provides legal conclusions and citations;
• Collaborates with Associate Administrator and Assistant Administrator on letters regarding special education facts and legal conclusions and citations.
• Provides technical assistance to district administrators, advocates, attorneys, parents, and organizations regarding the dispute resolution process and IDEA;
• Responds to inquiries regarding the dispute resolution processes and IDEA;
• Makes presentations to State agencies, committees, parents, school districts, and other groups on a variety of special education topics.
• Collaborates with the other sections of the Office for Exceptional Children and other offices within DEW regarding compliance and monitoring, policies and procedures, and other issues related to services for students with disabilities.

Performs other duties as assigned:

• Participates and organizes statewide meetings for administrators, teachers, and parents of children with disabilities;
• Conducts workshops and makes presentations.

Admission to Ohio Bar pursuant to Section 4705.01 of Revised Code; 12 mos. exp. as licensed attorney; 6 mos. exp. in employee training & development.

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and team-building skills
• Systems thinker with creativity and strong problem-solving skills
• Investigative experience

Job Skills: Attorney/Legal

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer that values diversity and seeks talented individuals from diverse backgrounds. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class. Questions or concerns about this should be directed to the Office of Human Resources (human.resources@education.ohio.gov).

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.