The Special Education Coordinator serves as the primary liaison between Heritage Schools, affiliated school districts, families, and interdisciplinary teams to ensure legally compliant, individualized, and trauma-informed special education services for students with IEPs and ISPs. This role oversees IEP coordination, transcript and graduation tracking, special education documentation, and collaboration with educational and clinical stakeholders to support student success across academic, behavioral, and therapeutic domains.

Grounded in Heritage's commitment to individualized care and educational excellence, the Special Education Coordinator ensures that all special education processes are timely, accurate, compliant, and aligned with each student's unique learning profile, treatment goals, and long-term transition planning.

Core Expectations

IEP & Special Education Coordination

• Serve as the primary coordinator for all IEP and ISP processes for assigned students.
• Collaborate with affiliated school districts to develop, review, revise, and implement individualized education plans and academic goals.
• Attend and facilitate IEP/ISP meetings, providing updates regarding academic progress, accommodations, modifications, and recommended interventions.
• Ensure all special education documentation, timelines, and compliance requirements are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Maintain current knowledge of IDEA regulations, Utah special education requirements, and district-specific procedures.

Student Academic Planning & Progress Monitoring

• Monitor student academic progress, transcripts, graduation pacing, and credit completion in collaboration with districts and internal academic staff.
• Provide updated transcripts and academic records to school districts and funding sources as needed for evaluations and graduation planning.
• Identify academic barriers and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to implement appropriate interventions and supports.
• Track and maintain academic goals, objectives, accommodations, and related services within district-specific systems and internal documentation platforms.

Family, District & Interdisciplinary Communication

• Serve as the primary point of contact for parents, school district representatives, therapists, teachers, and other professionals regarding educational concerns, progress, and updates for students with IEPs.
• Maintain proactive, professional, and solution-focused communication with all members of the educational team.
• Collaborate closely with therapists, direct care leadership, and academic staff to ensure educational programming aligns with treatment goals and student needs.
• Support mediation and problem-solving conversations with professionalism, emotional steadiness, and clear communication.

Related Services & Educational Support Coordination

• Coordinate and oversee special education related services including Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) and Occupational Therapy (OT) supports.
• Maintain accurate records of approved service minutes, schedules, and documentation for related services.
• Communicate school calendar updates, schedule changes, and campus closures to contracted providers and district personnel.
• Coordinate tutoring services when requested by districts or identified as necessary for student support.

Assessment, Documentation & Compliance

• Support special education testing, academic evaluations, and eligibility-related processes as assigned.
• Assist in developing measurable, individualized academic and behavioral goals aligned with project-based learning and therapeutic programming.
• Maintain accurate, organized, and audit-ready academic and special education records.
• Ensure compliance with IDEA, FERPA, HIPAA, district agreements, and internal Heritage policies and procedures.

Campus Partnership & Program Support

• Assist with tours and visits for school district representatives and educational partners visiting campus.
• Participate in professional development, staff trainings, company hosted events, family workshops, and interdisciplinary collaboration meetings as required.
• Support the mission, values, and culture of Heritage Schools by promoting dignity, accountability, inclusion, and individualized student support.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position may provide coordination and oversight for contracted educational support providers, tutors, SLPs, and OTs related to student IEP implementation and service delivery. The role collaborates closely with academic leadership and interdisciplinary teams to ensure continuity of care, compliance, and educational excellence.

Qualifications

Education & Licensure

• Valid Utah Educator License required
• Special Education endorsement required
• Bachelor's degree in Education, Special Education, or related field required
• Master's degree preferred

Experience

• Minimum of five years of teaching or special education experience required
• Experience working with students with learning disabilities, or therapeutic/residential treatment settings strongly preferred
• Experience collaborating with school districts, IEP teams, and multidisciplinary professionals preferred

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong understanding of adolescent development and trauma-informed educational practices
• Knowledge of IDEA law, special education eligibility, compliance procedures, and IEP implementation
• Ability to write measurable, individualized academic and behavioral goals
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and documentation accuracy
• Exceptional interpersonal communication and relationship-building skills
• Ability to remain calm, solution-focused, and emotionally regulated in high-stress or escalated situations
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and digital documentation systems
• Ability to learn and utilize internal educational and clinical software systems

Core Competencies

• Special Education Coordination & Compliance
• IEP Development & Progress Monitoring
• Academic Planning & Credit Tracking
• Professional Communication & Relationship Building
• Trauma-Informed Student Support
• Organizational Excellence & Documentation Accuracy
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration
• Emotional Regulation & Crisis Navigation
• Mission Alignment & Student Advocacy

Physical Requirements

• This role requires the ability to perform both administrative and active campus responsibilities, including:
• Extended periods of sitting and computer work
• Frequent walking throughout campus and between buildings
• Participation in meetings, tours, and campus activities
• Occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds
• Physical and emotional readiness to respond to student escalations or emergencies as needed

Work Environment

This position operates within a therapeutic academic and residential treatment environment serving neurodiverse students and students experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges. Responsibilities include office-based administrative work, direct collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, participation in meetings with families and school districts, and engagement within educational settings across campus.

Employees regularly interact with students experiencing acute emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges and must demonstrate emotional steadiness, flexibility, professionalism, and trauma-informed leadership.

This position follows a year-round academic calendar with scheduled breaks between terms, holidays off, and designated professional development days throughout the year. Staff participation in quarterly family workshop events and evening meet-and-greet activities may be required.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance benefits
• Health Savings Account (HSA) options
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match eligibility after one year of continuous employment
• Paid Time Off (PTO) accruing upon hire
• Sundance Resort Corporate Pass access

This job description is intended to convey essential information about the scope and expectations of the role and does not constitute a contract of employment. Employment with The Heritage Community is at-will. The Heritage Community is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law.

We are committed to providing a safe and secure work environment for all employees. As a result, all new hires are required to successfully complete a background check, which may include verification of employment history, education, and criminal records.