Job Description: Special Education Evaluation Team Leader / Department Chair

Special Education Evaluation Team Leader (Anticipated)

 

Position Overview:  The Special Education Evaluation Team Leader serves as the instructional leader and compliance coordinator for the special education department in school buildings. While this is a district-level position, the Team Leader is primarily based at assigned school sites. This role ensures high-quality instruction and services for students with disabilities, oversees evaluation and IEP compliance processes, and supports special education staff as both a mentor and resource.

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Leadership & Supervision

• Provide instructional leadership to special education teachers, related service providers, and paraprofessionals 
• Serve as the liaison between the special education department, building administration, and special education directors 
• Mentor and support teachers in best practices for instruction, inclusion and student engagement 
• Promote a culture of equity, collaboration, and high expectations for students with disabilities. 
• Compose initial IEPs for students found eligible for services. 
• Review and edit IEPs for Annual Reviews and Reevaluations

 

Evaluation & Compliance

• Coordinate and oversee special education evaluations, reevaluations, and eligibility determinations in accordance with IDEA and state regulations. 
• Administer academic testing for special education evaluations. 
• Ensure IEP’s are developed, and monitored within compliance timelines. 
• Facilitate evaluation / eligibility team meetings, ensuring meaningful family participation.
• Maintain systems to monitor timelines, service delivery, and documentation requirements. 
• Serve as the building expert on compliance and special education procedures.

 

Collaboration & Communication

• Act as primary contact for families with evaluation or eligibility concerns.
• Collaborate with building administrators, general education staff, and service providers to support inclusive practices.
• Support transition planning (PreK to K, elementary to middle, middle to high school, high school to post-secondary) 

 

Instructional Support & Professional Development

• Support teachers in aligning IEP goals with state standards and student needs.
• Provide coaching on differentiated instruction, co-teaching models, and progress monitoring. 
• Organize and deliver professional development in compliance, instruction, and data-driven practices.
• Assist in the development and implementation of intervention systems (academic and behavioral).

 

Department Management

• Oversee caseload assignments and balance workload across staff If caseloads become disproportionate, expect to support at other schools as needed 
• Ensure progress reports, progress monitoring data and IEP documentation are completed accurately and on time. 
• Monitor student data to inform instructional decisions and program development.
• Participation in scheduling, resource allocation, and staffing decisions in collaboration with administration.

 

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Special Education or related field (required)
• State certification / licensure in Special Education
• Minimum 5 years of successful experience as a special education teacher (secondary level preferred) 
• Strong knowledge of IDEA, Section 504, State and Federal Special Education Regulations
• Demonstrated skills in leadership, collaboration, and communication. 
• Demonstrated skills in problem solving / resolution
• Experience facilitating IEP, evaluation, and procedural special education meetings. 

 

Reports to

• Director of Special Education

 

Non- Discrimination Notice: Waltham Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.

 

Waltham Public Schools has partnered with the Massachusetts Partnership for Diversity in Education (MPDE) in our effort to welcome diverse candidates to our school system. We value and prioritize the hiring of educators who bring a wealth of perspectives and experiences to our schools, and who reflect the diversity of the students we serve.

 

MPDE is a collaborative of public school districts with a 40-year uninterrupted history committed to supporting the interest of its members to increase the numbers of teachers of color for their schools by providing recruitment support and related services.