Director of Special Education Legal Compliance

KIPP Foundation • Full-time • Hybrid in Houston, Texas, United States • 3w ago

Fast Facts

The Director of Special Education Legal Compliance at KIPP Texas Public Schools will support compliance and operational excellence for students with disabilities across the Texas charter school network, ensuring high-quality educational programs.

Responsibilities: Lead compliance with special education laws, manage enrollment and records, analyze data for improvement, and develop professional development for staff.

Skills: Strong knowledge of IDEA, Section 504 regulations, educational compliance, effective communication, and data analysis.

Qualifications: Bachelor's degree required, Master's preferred; 3+ years of special education experience with knowledge of compliance regulations.

Location: Houston, Texas, United States

Compensation: Not provided by employer. Typical compensation ranges for this position are between $80,000 - $120,000.

Company Description

About KIPP Texas Public Schools

KIPP Texas Public Schools is a free, public charter school network with more than 45 Pre-K - 12 schools across Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. With over 30 years in Texas, we work together with our families and communities to prepare students for college, career, and beyond! Our schools provide a high-quality, well-rounded education built on academic success and personal growth, where all students learn and thrive in a productive, safe, and joyful way!

As one of the earliest charter networks in Texas—founded in Houston in 1994 and operating as KIPP Texas since

2018—we hire dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will

succeed. Join a Team and Family with an unwavering commitment to creating classrooms, offices, and communities rooted in academic success and joy.

If you are passionate about joining a mission-driven community that wants every child to "run to school," the KIPP Texas Team and Family is for you! KIPP Public Schools is a national network of public charter schools that prepares students with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are a network of 278 schools with nearly 16,500 educators and 190,000 students and alumni.

Job Description

The Director of Special Education Legal Compliance serves as a critical support to special populations, faculty and school leaders, providing guidance in the areas of state and federal compliance and student data systems. This role collaborates closely with state-level staff, regional curriculum teams, and school-based personnel to ensure the delivery of high-quality, individualized educational programs for students with diverse learning needs. By supporting effective teaching practices, ensuring adherence to legal and instructional standards, and ensuring compliance with IDEA and Texas State Education Law & Regulations, Section 504 Law & Regulations, the Special Populations Director helps advance the mission of KIPP Texas Public Schools—ensuring that every student has the tools and supportive environment necessary to thrive.

The Director of Special Education Legal Compliance is responsible for leading and implementing statewide systems that ensure legal and regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and equitable access to services for students with disabilities across KIPP Texas. This role oversees special education enrollment and records transfer, PEIMS reporting, TEA Complaints, Critical Cases, State Performance Plan Indicators and audits. This leader builds efficient processes to meet IDEA, Section 504, and state compliance requirements while promoting high-quality services and support for students, families, and campus teams.

General Role Description

Strategy: Support the strategic vision to ensure that KTX school and regional teams implement the Special Education Strategic Plan and provide comprehensive improvement of school performance using a collaborative approach to clear and specific performance targets aligned to the Special Education Strategic Plan and execute, monitor, edit strategic plans, annual goals and quarterly benchmarking for departmental improvement.
Communication: Assists the Managing Director of compliance in ensuring KTX special populations teams are provided excellent communication, customer service and well-coordinated support.
Legal Framework & Compliance: Possess experience and knowledge of IDEA and Texas State Education Law & Regulations, Section 504 Law & Regulations and understanding of the essential elements of high performing MTSS systems and structures.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Special Education Enrollment & Records Compliance

Lead and manage standardized procedures for identifying, enrolling, and tracking students with disabilities, ensuring adherence to IDEA and TEA timelines.
Supervise effective processes and procedures for New to KIPP enrollment for students with disabilities, transfer of special education records, and maintain timely coordination with campus-level teams to ensure immediately implementation and evaluation as required by state and federal law
Ensure accurate and timely communication with campus, regional, and network stakeholders to guarantee continuity of FAPE including but not limited to transportation services and placement decisions in collaboration with regional teams for students requiring self-contained or low-incidence programming.

2. PEIMS & Data Compliance:

Ensure that IEPs, other special education documentation, and 504 plans are compliant with federal, state, and district regulations.
Lead the implementation of data validation and monitoring systems to prevent compliance risks and funding loss.
Ensure updated state-compliance guidance and requirements relating to data reporting and all special education components of PEIMS reporting, special education coding, service tracking, and adherence to TEA deadlines are upheld.
Implement data validation and monitoring systems to prevent compliance risks and funding loss.
Provide training and support to campus and regional teams on special education coding, reporting expectations, and records management.

3. Data Analysis and Improvement:

Lead and manage school data in alignment with TEA indicators including MTSS, 504, and ARD compliance to inform school based support and assistance.
Analyze student data, to inform compliance decisions and interventions.
Recognize patterns in student performance data and make recommendations for professional development and instructional improvements.
Use data to identify and support the academic needs of special populations students.
Monitor ARD paperwork completed by campus personnel, including supplements with accompanying data collected by campus staff (i.e., all IEPs, BIPs, Transition, Transportation etc.)

4. Statewide Services:

Develop statewide special education operations, including oversight of IDEA compliance, special transportation, and Medicaid/SHARS in collaboration with key stakeholders
Develop standardized systems to ensure consistent policies, practices, and procedures for specialized transportation eligibility and documentation in alignment with IDEA and other key stakeholders
Oversee the implementation statewide guidelines and operational practices to ensure accurate SHARS documentation, compliance, and reporting.
Partner with cross-functional teams to deliver statewide professional learning aligned to special education, transportation, and SHARS requirements.

5. Stakeholder Engagement:

Cultivate the trust of all key stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and administrators, to support student success.
Maintain productive working relationships with other internal departments and lead troubleshooting efforts when issues arise with special populations.

6. Professional Development:

Develop professional development sessions focused on compliance and best practices for special populations.
Support/provide monthly PD, newsletter input, communication, to provide ongoing coaching and guidance to the school-based staff.
Develop and deliver training on organization structures, processes, and procedures necessary for compliance.
Collaborate with the Managing Director of Compliance and school staff to resolve TEA complaints.

7. Other Duties:

Perform all other tasks and duties as assigned by the Senior Director of Special Populations

Qualifications

Education/Experience

Bachelor’s degree required
Master’s degree preferred
3+ years experience teaching with a focus on special education services
Knowledge of MTSS, 504, and the 13 eligibility categories under IDEA and how they impact achievement
Knowledge of content standards and assessments
Experience in analyzing and implementing Federal, State and Local Special Education regulations, policies and procedures
Demonstrated proficient knowledge of computer operations such as Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and Outlook email

Additional Information

EEO:

KIPP Texas is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KIPP Texas ensures equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability. Any individual needing assistance in making an application for any opening should contact the Talent Team.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job duties. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.