Executive Director of SPED Quality Instruction

JOB SUMMARY

The Executive Director of Special Education Quality Instruction provides strategic leadership and oversight to ensure that all students receiving special education services have access to high-quality instruction in all instructional settings. This role ensures fidelity of program implementation, effective instructional delivery, and alignment with district-wide goals for student growth and achievement. The Executive Director leads and supports teams responsible for instructional quality monitoring, professional learning, program evaluation, and campus-based supports to strengthen teaching and learning for students with disabilities.

MAJOR DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

1.        Strategic Leadership 
Develop and implement a districtwide vision for quality of instruction across all special education instructional settings (e.g., inclusion, co-teach, resource, life skills, specialized programs). 
Establish clear expectations and accountability measures for instructional fidelity, progress monitoring, and student outcomes. 
Collaborate with the Office of Academics and Schools Office to align special education instructional initiatives with district instructional priorities and state/federal compliance. Use data and evidence-based practices to guide decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
2.        Program Fidelity & Instructional Quality 
Monitor the fidelity of instructional program implementation, ensuring adherence to curriculum standards, IEP goals, and individualized supports. 
Oversee systems to evaluate instructional quality and support differentiated coaching for teachers and campus leaders. 
Partner with Curriculum, Interventions, and Professional Development teams to ensure instructional alignment and coherence. 
Lead quality audits and instructional walkthroughs to assess impact and identify trends and needs.
3.        Campus & Network Support Systems 
Design and implement support structures for campuses to strengthen instructional quality, differentiation, and accommodations/modifications. 
Collaborate with Schools Office leadership to develop school-level plans for improvement based on student outcome data. 
Coordinate targeted professional learning and follow-up coaching for teachers and instructional staff across all SPED settings. 
Ensure technical assistance and problem-solving protocols are in place for instructional quality and proqram fidelity challenqes.
4.        Data, Accountability, and Reporting 
Develop and monitor metrics related to instructional quality, student outcomes, and compliance indicators (e.g., growth in MAP and STAAR results for students with disabilities). 
Collaborate with district teams to build tools and dashboards for real-time instructional performance tracking. 
Use data trends to inform leadership decisions, identify bright spots, and drive instructional interventions across schools. 
Ensure quality assurance of reporting aligned to TEA requirements and board goals.

MAJOR DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES CONTINUED

5.        Team Leadership & Capacity Building 
Lead a team of directors, coordinators, and specialists focused on instructional quality, fidelity monitoring, and campus support. 
Build internal capacity through coaching, performance feedback, and professional growth plans. 
Promote a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and results-driven action. Ensure team structures and communication systems are designed to support high performance and service to schools.
6.        Policy, Compliance & Continuous Improvement 
Ensure alignment of instructional systems with IDEA, TEA, and HISD policy requirements. 
Collaborate with the Compliance and Legal teams to address instructional noncompliance through corrective action and professional development. 
Anticipate regulatory changes and proactively adjust systems to maintain quality and compliance. 
Lead the design of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for instructional quality monitorinq and campus support delivery.
7.        Other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's Degree

WORK EXPERIENCE

3 to 5 years

SKILL AND/OR REQUIRED LICENSING/CERTIFICATION

Microsoft Office
Office equipment (e.g., computer, copier)

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

Senior Management. Manages a department or multiple major disciplines, often through subordinate management. Regularly manages staff in the completion of large-scale projects or a very closely related set of 
projects/initiatives often spanning multiple disciplines. Receives strategies and broad departmental objectives from senior leadership; establishes operational objectives and work plans; delegates assignments to subordinate management and staff. Allocates resources according to priorities and serves as the primary decision maker regarding hiring, performance, and budget
WORK COMPLEXITY/INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT
Work is non-standardized and widely varied, involving many complex and significant variables including significant time spent planning, evaluating complex solutions and issues, and negotiating outcomes. Strong analytic ability and inductive thinking are frequently required to devise new approaches to situations where previously accepted solutions have proven inadequate. Position regularly makes recommendations to management on areas of significance to the division. Supervision received typically consists of providing periodic coaching, advice, and feedback.

WORK COMPLEXITY/INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT

Participates in a group plan and/or budget development.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Decisions are made with greater freedom and discretion, including recommendations that are subject to approval on matters that may affect multiple departments across HISD. Job is frequently expected to recommend new solutions to problems, to improve existing methods/procedures/services and generate new ideas. May also review decisions made by other individuals on more routine matters.

BUDGET AUTHORITY

Participates in a group plan and/or budget development.

PROBLEM SOLVING

Decisions are made with greater freedom and discretion, including recommendations that are subject to approval on matters that may affect multiple departments across HISD. Job is frequently expected to recommend new solutions to problems, to improve existing methods/procedures/services and generate new ideas. May also review decisions made by other individuals on more routine matters.

IMPACT OF DECISIONS

Decisions have considerable impact to multiple divisions or the organization causing risks or improvements to relationships, significant efficiencies, or delays in operations, and/or significant financial gains or expenses. Errors are serious and difficult to discover, normally involve decisions not subject to detailed review and will result in excessive costs and/or significant project delays.

COMMUNICATION/INTERACTIONS

Negotiate and influence - interprets department strategies and services, resolves conflicts, influences outcomes on matters of significance for the division, conducts final negotiations and coordinates approvals/decision making below the executive level. Interactions are typically with customers and Top Management.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

Anticipates customer needs, identifies, and champions opportunities for the development and implementation of new services and methods to meet or exceed customer needs. Establishes customer service standards and feedback mechanisms across departments.

WORKING/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Work is normally performed in a typical interior work environment which does not subject the employee to any hazardous or unpleasant elements.
Light Carrying I Lifting: Physically transporting, raising items from a lower to a higher position, or moving objects horizontally weighing less than 15 pounds from one location to another.
Sitting: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
Walking: Moving about on foot, particularly for long distances.
Visual Requirement: Computer use, presentations, development of deliveriables