SY 24-25 Special Education Coordinator

School Mission

Compass Collegiate Academy provides every scholar with the academic foundation and strong habits that inspire and cultivate lifelong learners who lead purposeful, civic lives.

Compass Collegiate Academy strives to create a diverse, inclusive, and anti-racist community. People from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

School Overview

Compass Collegiate Academy (CCA) is a public charter school that opened in Charleston, South Carolina with grades K-1 in August of 2021. The school is adding a grade each year thereafter until it is a full K-8 school serving approximately 720 scholars. CCA has intentionally built its school model and structured its budget to ensure that the student body is representative of the student population in North Charleston and the Charleston peninsula, the school’s geographic target area. CCA is driven by the following core beliefs for its school model:

All Means All - The school will operate with a non-negotiable belief in the potential of every child. Every adult employed at the school will operate with a daily mindset that every scholar can achieve at high levels irrespective of a scholar’s family income, disability, language proficiency or prior developmental experience.

Rigorous Curriculum - The school’s rigorous curriculum and academic program is designed to assist scholars to acquire a foundation of knowledge and advanced literacy skills in the early grades that will prepare scholars to undertake higher order analysis, evaluation, and critical thinking skills in later grades.

An Intentional Commitment to Scholar Social and Emotional Growth - Preparing scholars for successful secondary and postsecondary pursuits involves growing both sharp minds and big hearts. CCA will focus on helping scholars to better understand their own identities, their communities, and how to successfully build relationships with peers across lines of difference. Scholars will develop character strengths such as kindness, determination, curiosity, gratitude and integrity and will be better equipped to positively impact their diverse local communities and world.

High-quality Staff - The school will have a robust hiring and development model based on some of the nation’s best public schools to ensure a high-quality teaching and learning environment for scholars. Teachers and leaders will be respected as skilled practitioners and professionals in a culture that prioritizes continuous growth and development for adults as well as scholars. 

Personalized Learning through Data-Driven Instruction - Through a continuous cycle of assessment, analysis, and action, the school will identify personalized needs to close academic gaps while also differentiating instruction for scholars with more advanced achievement. 

Parental Involvement and Intentional Community - The school values families as partners in the academic growth and human development of scholars. Families can expect regular updates on scholar progress, weekly phone communication and availability with a scholar’s teacher, open doors to the school, and access to workshops and seminars on childhood human development. The school will intentionally cultivate a supportive school community among diverse families.

Role Expectations

The Special Education Coordinator sits on the leadership team and works closely with Lead Teachers, the Dean of Academics and the Executive Director to support CCA scholars who are at-risk for academic underperformance so that they can succeed in the school’s academic program. The Special Education Coordinator holds primary responsibility for managing the school’s special education program, monitoring scholar IEPs, and providing academic, emotional, and physical support and interventions for scholars who require additional support to thrive within the school’s inclusion model. Special Education Coordinator will support teachers in all academic subject areas.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Special Education Program

• Ensure that the school operates in compliance with special education law and procedures at all times. 

• Serve as the primary liaison with the charter school sponsor’s Special Education Team.

• Attend all required charter school sponsor special education training and workshops.

• Monitor and respond to special education scholar data requests from the charter school sponsor.

• Manage the school’s pre-referral and IEP and 504 processes.

• Develop Individual Educational Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans as required.

• Ensure scholar IEP requirements and 504 plan accommodations are being met.

• Assess and report mastery of IEP goals to parents and other members of the scholar’s support team.

• Maintain all special education records according to privacy and confidentiality requirements. 

• Communicate regularly with parents and as required by law to support special education scholar learning needs.

• Lead multi-disciplinary team meetings, including but not limited to annual, eligibility, re-evaluation, and manifestation determination meetings.

• In collaboration with the Executive Director, select, schedule and supervise appropriate service providers including, but not limited to speech/language, occupational therapy, psychological services, etc.

• Develop expertise with the school’s literacy program and ways to successfully adapt literacy instruction to all special education scholars. 

Instructional Collaboration and Support

• Provide direct intervention (i.e. instruction) to scholars in accordance with their IEP requirements.

• Assist teachers to adapt weekly lesson plans and instructional for individual scholars that require additional support to experience a high-quality curriculum.

• Assist teachers to utilize effective teaching strategies to support special education scholars in the least restrictive manner.

• Implement scholar behavior supports consistent with special education laws and scholar IEPs to achieve an optimal learning classroom learning environment.

Assessment and Data

• Participate cooperatively in CCA’s assessment system and data platforms to monitor special education scholars’ learning and progression.

• Administer alternative assessments in accordance with CCA’s testing programs and state testing requirements.

• Evaluate scholar’s academic and SEL growth, keep appropriate records, prepare scholar reports and regularly communicate with parents regarding their scholar's progress.

General Responsibilities

• Regularly participate in CCA’s professional development program, including CCA’s annual summer professional development prior to school opening.

• Actively participate in CCA’s instructional coaching program (coach and be coached).

• Supervise scholars in out-of-classroom activities on rotating schedules. Examples include, but are not limited to: cafeteria duty, bus monitor, and recess duty.

• Communicate with parents, CCA leadership team, and CCA colleagues in a timely, consistent manner.

• Attend school wide functions and community events as requested.

The Special Education Coordinator will perform other duties as required to achieve the school’s mission.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree is required; Master’s degree is preferred.

• South Carolina teaching certification in relevant special education teaching field is required.

• Expertise and knowledge of applicable special education laws and procedures.

• At least 1 year serving as a special education coordinator required.

• Proven track-record of achievement as a teacher, instructional coach, or academic leader.

• Experience working with a culturally diverse student body preferred.

Ability to:

• Work hard to achieve the school’s mission.

• Improve the minds and lives of scholars in and out of the classroom.

• Communicate clearly and effectively in both oral and written language.

• Establish and maintain positive relationships with a variety of people. 

• Engage families and the larger community in the life of the school.

All employment with CCA is AT-WILL and nothing contained in this job description or in any other document provided by CCA creates a contract of employment for a specified term. In at-will employment, both the employee and employer retain the right to terminate the employment relationship at any time and for any reason, with or without cause and with or without any advance notice.

Compass Collegiate Academy is committed to providing equal access to educational and employment opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, pregnancy, age, sex, or any other protected characteristic, as may be required by law.