Job Description

Special Services Liaison – Dispute Resolution & Professional Support

REPORTS TO: Director and/or Supervisor of Special Services

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: 10 Month employee - temporary for the school year

Salary: Current teacher salary schedule

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Valid Delaware educator license and appropriate certification.
• Significant successful professional experience in special education.
• Comprehensive knowledge of IDEA procedural requirements, Individualized Education Plans, evaluation and eligibility, LRE, Procedural Safeguards, and special education documentation.
• Exceptional written communication, organization, record-management, and attention-to-detail skills.
• Ability to analyze complex educational records.
• Ability to manage multiple complex matters and strict timelines simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and facilitate professional learning.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in special education, educational leadership, policy, law, or related field.
• Experience with due process, state complaints, mediation, resolution sessions, corrective actions, or special education compliance.
• Experience working collaboratively with legal counsel.
• Experience conducting educational record reviews and developing case chronologies.
• Experience developing special education procedures, resources, and professional learning.

POSITION PURPOSE

The Special Services Liaison – Dispute Resolution & Professional Support provides centralized coordination and case management for formal special education disputes while also supporting districtwide professional learning, procedural consistency, and systems improvement.

The liaison coordinates the operational and educational components of due process complaints, state complaints, mediation, resolution proceedings, settlements, corrective actions, compensatory education, and other formal special education matters under the direction of Special Services administration and District counsel.

The position also supports development of Special Services procedures, resources, onboarding, and professional learning based on identified district needs, compliance trends, and lessons learned through dispute resolution.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain a centralized system for tracking active special education disputes and related matters.
• Maintain calendars of deadlines, meetings, hearings, submissions, and required actions.
• Develop educational timelines and case chronologies.
• Coordinate collection, review, and organization of educational records and relevant documentation.
• Maintain organized case files and current case-status information.
• Coordinate information and documentation requested by Special Services administration and District counsel.
• Support preparation for due process proceedings, state complaints, mediation, and resolution meetings.
• Coordinate staff participation and availability as directed.
• Support scheduling and coordination of litigation-related Individualized Education Plan meetings.
• Track required follow-up and implementation activities.
• Identify approaching deadlines, unresolved actions, or potential implementation concerns and communicate them promptly to Special Services leadership.
• Coordinate District preparation for special education state complaints.
• Support collection and organization of records needed for District responses.
• Track required response timelines and subsequent actions.
• Coordinate administrative preparation for due process matters.
• Assist Special Services leadership with organization and preparation for resolution meetings.
• Support coordination of mediation processes.
• Track agreements, commitments, and required follow-up resulting from resolution or mediation.
• Maintain accurate documentation of District actions and completion.
• Maintain centralized implementation trackers for settlement agreements, corrective actions, compensatory education, and other required remedies.
• Communicate implementation requirements to responsible District staff under the direction of Special Services administration.
• Monitor timelines and completion of required actions.
• Maintain documentation demonstrating implementation and completion.
• Identify delays, barriers, or concerns and escalate them to the Director and/or Supervisor of Special Services.
• Coordinate with appropriate liaisons, schools, programs, related-service providers, and District departments to support timely implementation.
• Serve as a central Special Services coordination point for documentation and case-management needs involving District counsel.
• Prepare educational records, timelines, summaries, data, and other requested information.
• Coordinate staff participation in meetings, interviews, proceedings, and case-preparation activities as directed.
• Provide Special Services administration with regular updates regarding case status, deadlines, required actions, and emerging concerns.
• Support litigation holds and preservation of records as directed.
• Maintain confidentiality and applicable attorney-client and attorney-work-product protections as directed by counsel.
• Immediately elevate matters requiring legal interpretation or administrative decision-making to the Director/Supervisor and District counsel.
• Coordinate Special Services professional learning in collaboration with Special Services administration and other district liaisons.
• Support onboarding of new SECs, special education teachers, and other Special Services staff as assigned.
• Develop and facilitate professional learning related to Individualized Education Plan processes, PWN, Procedural Safeguards, documentation, meeting procedures, and other identified areas of need.
• Support development of ongoing professional-learning opportunities based on compliance data, dispute trends, monitoring findings, and staff needs.
• Maintain organized professional-learning resources and calendars.
• Support implementation of District-selected special education professional-learning resources and platforms.
• Collaborate with other liaisons and specialists to ensure professional learning reflects current district procedures and identified needs.
• Assist Special Services administration in developing, reviewing, and maintaining district special education procedures.
• Develop and update guidance documents, templates, checklists, forms, and staff resources.
• Support consistent implementation of Special Services procedures across schools and programs.
• Translate recurring issues identified through litigation, complaints, monitoring, and staff support into practical resources and guidance.
• Maintain organized access to current Special Services procedures and resources.
• Support communication of procedural updates to staff.
• Analyze dispute-resolution data and case trends to identify recurring areas of concern.
• Collaborate with the Compliance & Accountability Liaison to identify systemic areas requiring additional monitoring, support, or professional learning.
• Recommend procedural, training, or systems improvements to Special Services administration.
• Assist in evaluating whether corrective actions, professional learning, and procedural changes are improving District practice.
• Support a districtwide approach that moves from reactive dispute management toward prevention, early intervention, and stronger implementation.
• Identify opportunities to reduce legal and financial exposure through improved systems, documentation, communication, and staff practice.
• Participate in Special Services leadership and liaison meetings.
• Collaborate with grade-band liaisons and specialty liaisons when formal disputes involve their assigned schools, programs, or areas of expertise.
• Collaborate with Curriculum & Instruction, Student Services, Human Resources, Finance, Operations, and school leadership as directed and appropriate to case implementation or systems improvement.
• Provide technical assistance within the scope of the position.
• Maintain current knowledge of IDEA procedural requirements and Delaware special education regulations.
• Perform other duties directly related to dispute resolution, professional support, special education procedures, and systems improvement as assigned by the Director or Supervisor of Special Services.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Advanced knowledge of IDEA procedures and special education documentation.
• Strong knowledge of Individualized Education Plan development and implementation, evaluation and eligibility, LRE, PWN, Procedural Safeguards, and dispute-resolution processes.
• Exceptional organization and attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze large and complex educational records.
• Ability to synthesize information into accurate timelines, summaries, and implementation trackers.
• Strong professional writing and oral communication.
• Ability to design and facilitate effective adult professional learning.
• Ability to recognize systemic patterns and translate them into practical procedures, resources, and training.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively under strict deadlines.
• Ability to communicate professionally with administrators, educators, families, attorneys, outside agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Sound judgment regarding confidential and legally sensitive information.
• Strong collaboration and problem-solving skills.

PHYSICAL/OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Ability to travel among District schools, programs, private schools, and community settings as required and participate in meetings and professional activities associated with districtwide responsibilities.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hand and /or fingers to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk and sit. The employee must occasionally lift an/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Standard Requirements:

• Favorable Criminal Background Check and Child Abuse Registry Check for the candidate who is offered employment
• Tuberculin Test and physical
• Mandatory Direct Deposit of paycheck

Application Procedures

Interested candidates who meet the minimum qualifications may apply by completing an employment application no later than 11:59 PM on the closing date indicated above. A cover letter, resume and three letters of reference, dated within the last year, are required. Please note that incomplete application packages will not be considered.

Applicants needing special accommodations in the application process of the vacancy announcement may contact the Human Resources office at 302-857-4215.

The Capital School District is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), national origin, citizenship or ancestry, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity, against victims of domestic violence, sexual offenses, or stalking, or upon any other categories protected by federal, state, or local law. Inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies should be directed to the Title IX, District 504 and ADA Coordinators: Capital School District, 198 Commerce Way, Dover DE 19904. Phone (302) 672-1500