Director Of Specialized Services Of Due Process

About Mastery:

Founded in 2001, Mastery Schools is a public charter network of 23 K-12 schools in Philadelphia and Camden, serving more than 14,000 students.

At Mastery, we're on a mission to provide all students with the academic and personal skills they need to succeed after graduation and pursue their dreams. Student achievement is not just a goal for our organization; it's the reason we exist, and every member of our team is dedicated to securing student success. We are also committed to pursuing equity, actively disrupting systemic racism, and addressing the disparities that limit our students' choices.

Our culture is built on respect, service, and the belief that the success of our students, their families, and the communities we serve will help us achieve our mission. We foster a positive, open, and inclusive environment where honesty, humor, and continuous improvement are celebrated.

Join us in creating a model urban school district that serves all students with excellence. Together, we can make a lasting impact.

Director of Specialized Services of Due Proces at Mastery can expect a starting salary between $115,246 - $136,937, based on education and experience, with opportunities for growth as your career progresses. Each offer is made in alignment with Mastery's compensation philosophy and commitment to pay equity, ensuring fairness and consistency across our team.

Position Summary:

The Director of Specialized Services, Due Process is a leader on the Equity team and drives Mastery's approach for Specialized Services. The Director collaborates with Directors and Assistant Directors of Specialized Services and works to ensure that our developmental support of Assistant Principals and teachers leads to marked growth in classrooms and, ultimately, increased student achievement. The Director reports directly to the Deputy Chief of Specialized Services and provides direct support to principals and assistant principals, supports a network strategy for Special Education, and promotes the use of best practices aligned to both Federal and State guidelines under IDEA, and supports the legal process when necessary.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Essential Job Functions:
• Supports the organizational vision for Special Education AP and Teacher development based on a strong foundation of best practices in Special Education aligned to both Federal and State guidelines under IDEA.
• Proactively learns best practices in Special Education both Federal and State guidelines under IDEA.
• Monitors Special Education litigation and analyzes data regularly to assess the effectiveness of our model and makes adjustments to network strategy based on data.
• Serves as a liaison to our Special Education legal counsel.
• Monitors and manages the use of Mastery's compensatory funds.
• Represents Mastery within the Office of Dispute Resolution proceedings.
• Other Job Functions:
• Leads regular high-impact professional development and trainings for school leaders and teachers.
• Supports a caseload of schools to provide direct support to the Assistant Principal and Lead Case Manager in their implementation of Specialized Services.

Qualifications:

• An expert in Special Education, including strong knowledge of Disabilities, Learning and Instruction, the IEP Process, and IEP Implementation
• An expert in State and Federal Laws under IDEA.
• Strong experience within the Office of Dispute Resolution proceedings including, complaint resolution, mediation, and Due Process Hearings.
• Strong experience with compensatory services.
• Strong management of the IEP process
• Strong facilitation of IEP meetings, with or without Counsel in attendance.
• Strong skill in engaging all stakeholders and utilizing a student first, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Have a deep belief in the Mastery Charter School mission and values.
• Possess a ferocious desire to provide our students with a world class education.
• Have strong experience analyzing and interpreting data.
• Have strong communication and interpersonal skills - exceptionally high emotional intelligence.
• Be detail-oriented and highly organized with strong analytical writing skills.
• Have experienced a high level of measurable success working with urban youth.
• Have zest and a sense of humor and operates as a team-player.
• Thrives in a high-accountability, fast-paced environment.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree preferred
• 5+ years of successful Specialized Services leadership experience
• Prior management experience required

Physical/Environmental:

• Ability to physically perform the essential duties of the role - either on-site or remotely - as required, and to work in the environmental conditions required, such as: traveling to network campuses; maneuvering in office spaces (including standing, walking, sitting for long periods of time, speaking loudly and clearly, seeing and hearing things both near and far away); stooping, kneeling, reaching file cabinets/shelves; fine finger and hand manipulation in use of computer, chalkboard, dry erase, &/or projectors; filing, faxing, scanning, coping, typing, mailing, and making phone calls; sitting for up to two (2) hours looking at a computer monitor, using a keyboard/mouse, and typing.

Other Requirements:

• Position requires local travel to Mastery and other sites. Must have access to reliable transportation.

Mastery's Benefits Package:

We offer a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth. Some of our most popular benefits include our 403(b) retirement plan for PA employees (with a 5% match from Mastery), enrollment in the State of New Jersey Pension Plan for NJ employees, a robust Employee Assistance Program, mental health and counseling programs, an annual Professional Development Fund, and discounts and perks at a myriad of retailers, travel organizations, insurance providers, and so much more, as well as a Benefits VIP Helpdesk to help you navigate various benefits-related topics. Please go here to see all of our Benefits offerings!

Annual Calendar:

As you plan to make Mastery your new work home, please feel free to review our Calendar for the 25/26 School Year. We like to think our calendar is a benefit of working here too!

Why You Should Apply:

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background. Mastery may consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.