Academic Director 

Job Description Updated 11/20/2024

This position is responsible for providing the support and guidance necessary to administer and assist academics, Special Education, Exceptional Students, tiered instruction, Response to Intervention, English as a Second Language, Elementary Education (K-5) and state testing programs, policies, and activities of the schools to ensure high quality educational experiences and services for the students in a safe and enriching environment.

The Executive Director will assess the effectiveness of the Director of Special programs and Elementary Education annually with respect to the performance of specific responsibilities and in accordance with state and school board policies.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Compliance

1. Monitor compliance of documentation and legally mandated services for students with IEPs, 504 plans, ESL, RTI, and Gifted programs
2. Establish and maintain relationships between district contacts for special populations
3. Attend all manifestation meetings as the MSE regional representative
4. Review data for FBAs after 4 weeks and data on BIPs biweekly
5. Attend all mandatory professional development for special populations as the MSE regional representative for the district and turn-key information as needed
6. Complete all documentation for audits and compliance
7. Attend all school meetings related to alternative placements for students
8. Act as the District Test Coordinator and support BTCs with state testing 
9. Collect and evaluate end of year data and work with the Executive Team to construct academic goals and progress monitoring
10. Follow past and upcoming legislation applicable to elementary students and special populations, and support schools in meeting compliance

School Support

1. Assist schools with developing programs for special populations, intervention, and RTI
2. Provide direct services hours to students if needed
3. Monitor consistency and quality of all MSE special populations, intervention, and RTI programming through walkthroughs, observations, data digs, and one-on-one's
4. Facilitate professional development for leaders and teachers regarding compliance, instructional support, and best practices
5. Inform school based personnel of district, LEA, and additional professional development offerings
6. Monitor teacher, related services, and student schedules to ensure students are receiving the appropriate amount of direct service hours through walkthroughs, observations, and service logs
7. Support teachers with the lesson internalization process through modeling and coaching
8. Assist counselors with the S-team process
9. Assist school personnel with resolving parent complaints regarding services for special populations
10. Support teachers in developing instructionally appropriate IEPs, ILPs, and 504 plans through professional development, office hours, and practice clinics
11. Observe special populations team members informally and formally and provide feedback to teachers and managers
12. Train and assist school-based counselors, ESL teachers, special education teachers, and multi-tiered student support personnel
13. Ensure the appropriate accommodations for students are active when using on-line platforms
14. Research and apply for grant opportunities on both district and school levels
15. Monitor homebound requests and updates
16. Update resource bank with Special Populations resources as needed
17. Work closely with K-5 instructional staff and instructional coaches to support elementary students
18. Collaborate heavily with the Director of Instruction and Secondary Education to ensure continuity from K-12
19. Duties and responsibilities may be reviewed and amended as necessary according to Network needs

Enrollment/Files

1. Identify students that meet or may meet the qualifications for Special Populations using PowerSchool Registration July-September
2. Ensure students are coded correctly in MSE and SCS PowerSchool subgroups
3. Ensure students have the correct course codes attached to their schedule in MSE and SCS PowerSchool
4. Maintain and monitor accuracy of all databases for special populations including Easy IEP, ELLevation, MSE and SCS PowerSchool, etc.
5. Ensure proper transfer of student files between districts and schools, including troubleshooting errors
6. Monitor compliance of 504, ILP, and IEP hard files for compliance throughout the school year

Related Services

1. Work on special projects or programs as assigned by the Executive Director
2. Serve as the Direct Report for K-5 coaching staff
3. Obtain bids from potential related service providers and assist in final contract decision
4. Review contracts to determine renewal
5. Maintain relationships between contracted providers throughout the school year
6. Serve as point of contact for concerns or needs in MSE regarding contracted services
7. Monitor compliance and service hours for related services across MSE
8. Obtain schedules and contact information for all contracted workers
9. Develop partnerships with organizations to provide resources to MSE

PERFORMANCE APTITUDES:

• Data Utilization: Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification, and in referencing such analysis to established standards for the purpose of recognizing actual or probable interactive effects and relationships.
• Human Interaction: Requires the ability to provide guidance, effective supervision, assistance, and/or interpretation to others regarding the application of procedures and standards to specific situations.
• Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data, and information.
• Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to utilize principles of fractions; and the ability to interpret graphs.
• Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems, philosophies, laws, regulations, and procedures; to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form; and to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.
• Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria and the goals and priorities of planning and development programs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Requires a Bachelor's degree 
• Masters Degree in education field is preferred
• Minimum of two years administrative experience
• Minimum of 5 years teaching experience is preferred
• TN ILL Administrator licensure is preferred (or other states’ similar certification)
• Governed by the Rules and Regulations of the Tennessee Code Annotated and the Tennessee Board of Education
• Must be physically and mentally able to perform the responsibilities and duties of the position 

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Light Work: may require occasional light lifting
• Nights and weekend activities will be occasionally required
• The position is in the office setting and may involve prolonged work at a desk in one location
• Moderate travel is required