Director of Student Support
Position Title: Director of Student Support
Reports To: Senior Director of School Programs
Supervises: Case Manager; Social Worker, Student Intervention Specialist, Dedicated Aides
Work Schedule: 12-month position, generally Monday through Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM (attendance at some school events will be required outside of these hours)
FLSA Status: Exempt
Do Work that Matters – Join a Turnaround School on the Rise!
IDEA Public Charter School is at an inflection point—and we’re looking for smart, hardworking, mission-driven leaders to help shape what comes next.
Over the past two years, IDEA PCS has achieved significant, measurable improvement, including a nearly 40% increase in our four-year graduation rate and strong gains across multiple academic and organizational indicators. The school is stable, focused, and moving forward with urgency—creating a rare opportunity for new directors to step into a leadership role where their work will truly matter.
As a small, single-site charter high school, IDEA offers autonomy in exchange for results, clear priorities, and the ability to see the direct impact of your leadership on student outcomes. This is not a role for someone looking to maintain the status quo. It is an opportunity for leaders who want ownership, responsibility, and the chance to help build a high-quality college and career program at a pivotal moment in time.
If you are driven by results, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and want to help build something meaningful, we invite you to apply.
About the Role
The Director of Student Support provides leadership and oversight of the school’s student support systems to ensure that all students receive timely and effective academic, behavioral, and socio-emotional support. This role oversees special education services, intervention systems, and related student supports, ensuring alignment with the school’s mission, goals, and accountability framework.
The Director is responsible for the development, implementation, and monitoring of all IEPs in collaboration with the Case Manager, service providers, and instructional staff, while ensuring compliance with IDEA, OSSE guidance, and school policies. In addition, the Director oversees systems for progress monitoring, interventions, accommodations, and related services to ensure supports are implemented with fidelity and adjusted based on student data.
The Director is fully accountable for the compliance, effectiveness, and continuous improvement of special education and student support programs and plays a key role in strengthening staff capacity and improving student outcomes.
As a member of the school’s leadership team, the Director contributes to schoolwide operational responsibilities, including supporting student arrival and dismissal, monitoring lunches and hallways, reinforcing behavioral expectations, and supporting schoolwide events and initiatives. While the Director maintains primary responsibility for the school’s student support systems, they are also expected to collaborate closely with other leaders to help ensure a safe, orderly, and positive school environment for all students.
Key Responsibilities
Student Support Systems & Program Oversight
- Provide leadership and oversight of the school’s student support systems, including special education, academic interventions, behavioral supports, and socio-emotional services.
- Develop and maintain systems that ensure students receive timely, appropriate, and coordinated support based on identified needs.
- Ensure student support practices are aligned with the school’s mission, goals, and accountability framework.
Special Education & IEP Oversight
- Oversee and execute student eligibility determinations and associated IEP development in compliance with IDEA, OSSE, and school-based timelines and procedures.
- Oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of all Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in collaboration with the Case Manager, service providers, and instructional staff.
- Ensure all IEPs are compliant with IDEA, OSSE guidance, and school policies, and are implemented with fidelity across instructional settings.
- Monitor accommodations, modifications, and placement decisions to ensure students are served in the least restrictive environment.
Intervention & Progress Monitoring
- Develop, implement, and monitor systems for identifying at-risk students and implementing academic, behavioral, and socio-emotional interventions.
- Establish and implement systems to monitor student progress and to assess the effectiveness of interventions and adjust supports based on student data.
- Use data to evaluate individual student progress and overall program effectiveness.
Related Services & Provider Coordination
- Oversee the delivery of related services (e.g., counseling, speech/language, OT, behavior services), ensuring services align with student plans and required timelines.
- Coordinate schedules, documentation, and communication with internal and external service providers.
- Monitor service delivery to ensure fidelity, documentation accuracy, and timely resolution of service gaps.
Compliance & Documentation
- Maintain accurate, complete, and audit-ready documentation for special education and student support services.
- Ensure all required timelines, reporting requirements, and compliance obligations are met.
- Prepare for and respond to monitoring, audits, and compliance reviews as needed.
Staff Collaboration & Capacity Building
- Collaborate with teachers, counselors, and support staff to strengthen implementation of student supports and accommodations.
- Provide guidance, training, and coaching to staff on student support practices, compliance expectations, and inclusive strategies.
- Support the development of consistent practices across classrooms and programs.
Family & Stakeholder Engagement
- Partner with families to support student needs, including participation in IEP meetings and ongoing communication regarding student progress and support.
- Coordinate with external agencies and partners to support comprehensive services for students.
Schoolwide Leadership & Operations
- Serve as a member of the school’s leadership team, contributing to schoolwide operational responsibilities such as arrival and dismissal, hallway and lunch supervision, behavioral expectations, and schoolwide events.
- Collaborate with other leaders to maintain a safe, orderly, and positive school environment.
Note: This list of responsibilities is not exhaustive, and additional duties may be assigned as organizational needs evolve. We are seeking candidates who are adaptable and responsive to change.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum of 5 years of successful experience as a special education teacher.
- Minimum of 2 years of leadership experience (e.g., department chair, director of special education, etc.).
- Demonstrated experience ensuring compliance with IDEA, OSSE requirements, and related state and federal regulations, including IEP timelines, documentation, and monitoring processes.
- Experience designing, implementing, and/or overseeing multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), academic interventions, behavioral supports, or other schoolwide student support systems.
- Experience supervising, coaching, and developing staff (e.g., case managers, service providers, counselors, or support staff).
- Experience partnering with families and external stakeholders to support student needs, including leading meetings, communicating complex information clearly, and navigating sensitive situations.
- Comfort operating in a school-based leadership role that requires visibility, responsiveness, and real-time problem-solving.
- Commitment to IDEA PCS’s mission and to serving historically underserved student populations.
Key Competencies
- Instructional Expertise in Math & Science: Deep understanding of content, pedagogy, curriculum design, and assessment.
- Extreme Ownership and Personal Accountability: Takes full responsibility for outcomes; solves problems without excuses; closes gaps proactively; operates with a “do whatever it takes” mindset.
- Bias Toward Action and Speed: Acts quickly, decisively, and thoughtfully; moves work forward without delay; executes with urgency in service of students and organizational goals.
- Adaptability and Flexibility: Thrives in a fast-moving environment; adjusts quickly to shifting priorities; willingly takes on new or unexpected responsibilities to meet organizational needs.
- High-Level Problem Solving and Critical Thinking: Breaks down complex issues; identifies root causes; generates innovative, practical solutions; anticipates challenges before they arise.
- Grit and Resilience: Maintains high performance under pressure; persists through obstacles; demonstrates stamina and commitment in the face of demanding circumstances.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Builds strong relationships across teams; integrates work across academics, operations, and student support; communicates with clarity and purpose.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Uses quantitative and qualitative data to assess performance, inform strategy, and drive continuous improvement.
- Initiative and Resourcefulness: Identifies opportunities, challenges, and gaps without being prompted; takes action early; finds ways to get the job done even with limited resources.
- High Follow-Through and Reliability: Meets deadlines, honors commitments, and consistently delivers high-quality work.
Additional Details
The position is based in Washington, D.C. and is a fully in-person role that includes periodic participation in school events outside of regular work hours.
