Associate Director of Special Education

Who We Are

KIPP SoCal Public Schools is a nonprofit organization that operates 20 tuition-free, open-enrollment charter public schools, within 17 Local Education Agencies (LEA), educating more than 10,000 students and supporting 8,300 alumni to and through college and beyond. Our award winning schools are part of the national KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) network, dedicated to meeting the needs of all learners and providing the social, emotional and academic support for success in high school, college, and life.

Mission

Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and create a more just world.

What We Do

At KIPP SoCal we build trusting relationships that are strengthened by high expectations and collaboration alongside laughter and joy. We set ambitious goals and hold each other accountable for students achieving their greatest potential. We work together with each other and in partnership with families and communities in the active pursuit of a more equitable world. We do the right thing, even when it's not always comfortable standing up and speaking out against anti-blackness, racism, oppression, and injustice. We persevere through obstacles and treat failure as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Associate Director of Special Education Overview

The Associate Director of Special Education serves as the primary SPED leader for a portfolio of schools, ensuring strong alignment between instruction, IEPs, services, and student outcomes. This role leads both instructional quality and compliance implementation across the portfolio while coaching school teams, supporting complex student needs, and ensuring schools receive coordinated, responsive support.

The Associate Director succeeds when schools experience SPED support as coherent, proactive, and deeply connected to student learning outcomes. The role sits on the Student Services team and reports to the Director of Special Education.

You Should Apply If

You are an instructional and systems leader who believes students with disabilities deserve coherent, high-quality educational experiences. You thrive in schools, coaching leaders and teachers toward stronger instructional practice while also ensuring systems, compliance, and service delivery are executed with rigor and consistency. You are energized by complexity, able to balance strategic leadership with hands-on problem solving, and committed to building systems that create both equity and accountability for students.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Leadership & School Support

Serve as the primary SPED leader supporting a consistent portfolio of schools
Build strong relationships with school leaders, SPED Team Chairs, teachers, and service providers
Ensure schools receive coordinated, responsive support aligned to portfolio and organizational priorities
Support schools in solving complex student, staffing, scheduling, and service delivery challenges

Instructional Leadership & Program Quality

Coach SPED Team Chairs, Resource & Inclusion Teachers, SDP teachers, and school leaders on instructional quality, inclusion practices, and IEP alignment
Ensure IEPs, instruction, and services are aligned to student learning needs and grade-level expectations
Support implementation of inclusion-focused instructional models and service delivery practices
Monitor portfolio-wide trends in student outcomes, instructional quality, and implementation consistency

Compliance, Systems & Implementation

Monitor implementation of compliance expectations, timelines, documentation, and service delivery requirements across schools
Support schools in maintaining legally compliant and instructionally meaningful SPED systems
Identify implementation gaps and proactively intervene to improve execution
Ensure regional initiatives, tools, and systems are implemented consistently across the portfolio

Training, Change Management & Cross-Functional Leadership

Support rollout of SPED initiatives, professional learning, and organizational priorities
Facilitate training and onboarding aligned to SPED instructional and compliance expectations
Partner across SPED, student services, mental health, and school leadership teams to ensure coherent implementation
Contribute to continuous improvement efforts and organizational problem solving

Desired Outcomes and Role-Specific Competencies

Schools within the portfolio demonstrate strong and consistent implementation of KIPP SoCal’s SPED model, reflected through aligned instructional practices, effective implementation of IEP services and accommodations, and proactive monitoring of compliance and implementation concerns.

IEP compliance, documentation, service delivery, and monitoring systems consistently meet federal, state, and organizational expectations through timely implementation, accurate reporting, consistent data collection, progress monitoring, and proactive resolution of compliance concerns.

Students with disabilities experience aligned instruction, consistent access to grade-level content, and inclusive learning environments through effective implementation of accommodations, services, IEP goals, and inclusion-focused instructional practices.

School leaders, SPED Team Chairs, and school teams demonstrate increasing ownership, capacity, and effectiveness in leading SPED systems and supporting student outcomes, as evidenced by strong implementation of instructional and compliance expectations, effective cross-functional collaboration, and positive feedback regarding the responsiveness, partnership, and support provided by the portfolio SPED team.

Instructional Leadership & Inclusion Practices. Demonstrates strong understanding of special education instruction, inclusion-focused service delivery, IEP development, and progress monitoring; coaches school teams to align instruction, services, accommodations, and student supports around grade-level learning and student outcomes.

Compliance & Systems Leadership. Applies comprehensive knowledge of special education laws, policies, timelines, and compliance practices; proactively monitors implementation, identifies risks, and supports schools in maintaining compliant and instructionally meaningful systems.

Strategic Challenge Navigation. Demonstrates strong problem-solving and decision-making skills when navigating complex student situations, staffing challenges, family concerns, and implementation barriers; balances legal, instructional, operational, and relational considerations to drive effective outcomes.

Performance & Capacity Building. Builds the capacity of school leaders, SPED Team Chairs, teachers, and support staff through coaching, feedback, modeling, and development planning; creates conditions for continuous improvement and stronger implementation across schools.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Management. Collaborates effectively across SPED, student services, behavior, mental health, instructional, and school leadership teams; builds strong relationships, aligns stakeholders around shared priorities, and ensures coordinated support for schools and students.

Data Analysis & Continuous Improvement. Analyzes and interprets qualitative and quantitative data to identify trends, monitor implementation quality, and drive continuous improvement; uses data to inform coaching, intervention planning, staffing considerations, and strategic decision-making.

The Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher learning is required; Master’s degree with emphasis in special education highly preferred

Valid California credential for Preliminary or Clear Education Specialist (Mild/Moderate with Autism Authorization, Moderate/Severe, Mild to Moderate Support Needs or Extensive Support Needs) credential

Possession of either BCLAD or CLAD certification highly desirable

4 years of successful and demonstrated case management skills required

Minimum of 4 years of highly effective teaching experience demonstrating a strong track record of student performance gains with students with IEPs

At least 2 of those years that include school leadership experience (e.g. managing, coaching)

Minimum of 2 years overseeing special education programs across multiple school sites

Knowledge of LAUSD special education policy, computer-based IEP, and Welligent preferred

Compensation

KIPP SoCal Public Schools offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience in a similar position. The salary range for this position is $101,393 to $152,090 per year. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint of $126,742 depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budget allocated for this role.

Signing and relocation bonuses are available for this role

100% of healthcare premium costs covered by employer, dependents added at 50% of cost

Employer paid KIPP SoCal life insurance

401(k) plan with up to 6% match by KIPP SoCal

Voluntary Benefits (Supplemental Life, Accident, Short Term Disability, Pet Insurance, etc.)

Generous paid time off program includes 22 holidays, 10 sick days and 10 vacation days per year

Other great benefits (Flexible spending account, EAP, etc.)

KIPP SoCal Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation/gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

KIPP SoCal strives to ensure that our careers website is accessible to all, including individuals with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, please contact us. You can find our contact information on our website, http://www.kippsocal.org/. Information will be sent to a talent acquisition representative who will provide assistance to ensure appropriate consideration in the hiring process.