Special Education Coordinator

Special Education Coordinator  

Reports To: Building Principal

FLSA Status: Exempt

School Classification: Certified Staff Onsite 

Starting Pay Range:    $44,683 - $80,456

Hiawatha Academies is a network of college-preparatory schools focused on closing the opportunity gap in Minneapolis. We seek to create a K-12 school experience for scholars that empowers them with knowledge, character, and leadership skills. At Hiawatha Academies, we are committed to making our city and our world a more inclusive, equitable, and just place. 

Our equity vision: to honor the humanity of all people, we actively disrupt systemic inequity in pursuit of an equitable world. Hiawatha Academies permanently disrupts educational inequity by ensuring a great school for every child. 

Role Description:

The Special Education Coordinator is the campus compliance anchor for the Special Education team. This role owns IEP due process management, compliance monitoring, family engagement, and data integrity for all students with IEPs on the assigned campus. This is not a caseload-carrying teaching role. The Special Education Coordinator is a compliance and coordination specialist who works alongside Special Education teachers, the Dean of Special Education, and the Network Support Team to keep every student's IEP on track and every family meaningfully informed.

At Hiawatha Academies, the Special Education Coordinator is the person who makes the system run. They know every timeline, every student file, every family relationship, and every documentation requirement on their campus. They are the first line of compliance defense and the primary partner to Case Managers in building high-quality, compliant IEPs.

The Special Education Coordinator will work collaboratively to create a school community where ALL Hiawatha Academies scholars are empowered with the knowledge, character, and leadership skills to graduate from college and serve the common good.  

Responsibilities

Due Process and Compliance Management

• Support Hiawatha campus as assigned to provide full Special Education Coordinator coverage , managing all IEP and evaluation timelines, meeting facilitation, documentation, and family communication with no drop in service
• Schedule, coordinate, and facilitate all IEP and evaluation meetings on assigned campuses , managing all paperwork and documentation to meet compliance deadlines under IDEA and MN Rule 3525
• Monitor all IEP and evaluation timelines during coverage assignments to maintain zero overdue annual meetings, reevaluations, or initial evaluation timelines,flag risks to the Network Special Education Team immediately
• Draft and distribute Prior Written Notice (PWN) for all changes to a student's IEP in the family's preferred language with accuracy and timeliness
• Confirm procedural safeguards are provided to families at all legally required intervals and documented in each student's file
• Lead Manifestation Determination Review (MDR) coordination for students facing suspension of 10 or more days, convene the team and complete all required documentation
• Conduct file audits on assigned campuses and flag compliance gaps to the Network Special Education Team with a corrective action recommendation
• IEP Quality and Program Support
• Serve as a resource and thought partner for Special Education teachers on IEP goal writing, in-class supports, accommodations, and service delivery alignment
• Support teachers in completing quarterly IEP progress reports with accurate, standards-aligned data
• Collect and maintain ESY eligibility data in partnership with Case Managers and flag students who meet eligibility criteria before required deadlines
• Facilitate student scheduling sessions using IEP Playground , build service grids that match IEP requirements to the campus master schedule during coverage assignments
• Identify and escalate gaps in service delivery, scheduling, or IEP fidelity

Records, Data, and Systems

• Maintain accurate and complete special education student records across all required platforms, SpEdforms, IEP Playground, MARSS, and any network-designated tracking systems, during all coverage assignments
• Conduct periodic file audits across campuses to verify records are complete, accurate, and compliant
• Identify and recommend improvements to due process systems and data collection practices across the network

Network-Level Responsibilities

When not assigned to full campus coverage, the Special Education Coordinator contributes to the following:

• Manage a coaching caseload focused on instructional practices and managerial development for Special Education teachers and paraprofessionals
• Provide classroom-based coaching to teachers and paraprofessionals on IEP-aligned instructional delivery, behavioral supports, progress monitoring routines, and daily managerial systems
• Serve as a network resource for complex IEP or evaluation situations that campus teams need support navigating
• Support cross-campus compliance projects, file reviews, and timeline monitoring as directed by the Network Special Education Team
• Support onboarding for new Coordinators and Special Education teachers across campuses and orient new hires to Hiawatha compliance systems, data platforms, and due process expectations
• Observe IEP implementation during coverage assignments and coach paraprofessionals on delivering supports as written in scholars' IEPs while flagging fidelity gaps

Hiawatha Employment Logistics

• The Special Education Coordinator is a member of the Network Support Team
• This is an onsite role, and presence at Hiawatha campuses is required; candidates must provide their own transportation.

Skills & Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree
• At least 3 years of work experience as a special education teacher and/or leader in a K-12 setting
• Teaching licensure in special education or related service area such as special education by disability, school social worker, or school psychologist
• Explicit commitment to and experience providing equitable experiences and outcomes for Black and Indigenous students and students of color. 
• Knowledge of K-12 curricula, vertical standards alignment, assessments, and instructional practices with expertise developed in special education
• Experience coaching and developing teachers 
• Knowledge of Special Education law and compliance 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and ability to build trust with colleagues

Preferred:

• Experience evaluating special education and  instructional programs
• Bilingual or multilingual (Spanish and/or Somali preferred)
• Master's degree in a relevant field

Compensation

Salary for this position is competitive and based on prior experience.  Hiawatha offers a collaborative and committed team of colleagues, and a comprehensive benefits plan including medical, dental, life, and retirement.

Anti-Discrimination Policy and Commitment to Diversity

We believe that diversity is strength, and we are committed to maintaining an inclusive, multicultural network. We are an equal-opportunity employer and welcome all qualified applicants.