Manager of Special Education Legal Compliance

About the role

The Manager of Special Education Legal Compliance serves as a critical support to special education, faculty and school leaders, providing guidance in the areas of compliance and student data systems. This role collaborates closely with state-level staff, regional curriculum teams, and school-based personnel to ensure the delivery of high-quality, individualized educational programs for students with diverse learning needs.

By supporting effective teaching practices, ensuring adherence to legal and instructional standards, and ensuring compliance with IDEA and Texas State Education Law & Regulations, Section 504 Law & Regulations, the Special Education Manager of Legal Compliance helps advance the mission of KIPP Texas Public Schools-ensuring that every student has the tools and supportive environment necessary to thrive.

The Manager of Special Education Legal Compliance is responsible for leading and coordinating statewide systems that ensure legal and regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and equitable access to services for students with disabilities across KIPP Texas. This role oversees special education enrollment and records transfer, PEIMS reporting, TEA Complaints, Critical Cases, State Performance Plan Indicators and audits. This leader builds efficient processes to meet IDEA, Section 504, and state compliance requirements while promoting high-quality services and support for students, families, and campus teams.

• Strategy | Support the strategic vision to ensure that KTX school and regional teams implement the Special Education Strategic Plan and provide comprehensive improvement of school performance using a collaborative approach to clear and specific performance targets aligned to the Special Education Strategic Plan and execute, monitor, edit strategic plans, annual goals and quarterly benchmarking for departmental improvement.
• Communication | Assists the Senior Director of compliance in ensuring KTX special populations teams are provided excellent communication, customer service and well-coordinated support.
• Legal Framework & Compliance | Possess experience and knowledge of IDEA and Texas State Education Law & Regulations, Section 504 Law & Regulations and understanding of the essential elements of high performing MTSS systems and structures.

Role Responsibilities

Special Education Enrollment & Records Compliance

• Lead and manage standardized procedures for identifying, enrolling, and tracking students with disabilities, ensuring adherence to IDEA and TEA timelines.
• Oversee transfer of special education records and coordinate timelines for ARD/IEP implementation and evaluation.
• Ensure accurate and timely communication with campus, regional, and network stakeholders to guarantee continuity of FAPE.

Additional information

Support placement decisions in collaboration with regional teams for students requiring self-contained or low-incidence programming.

Data Analysis and Improvement

• Analyze school data including MTSS, 504, and ARD compliance to inform school based support and assistance.
• Analyze student data, to inform compliance decisions and interventions.
• Recognize patterns in student performance data and make recommendations for professional development and instructional improvements.
• Use data to identify and support the academic needs of special education students.
• Monitor ARD paperwork completed by campus personnel, including supplements with accompanying data collected by campus staff (i.e., all IEPs, BIPs, Transition, Transportation etc.)

Stakeholder Engagement

• Cultivate the trust of all key stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and administrators, to support student success.
• Maintain productive working relationships with other internal departments and lead troubleshooting efforts when issues arise with special education.

Professional Development

• Co-facilitate professional development sessions focused on compliance and best practices for special education.
• Support/provide monthly PD, newsletter input, communication, to provide ongoing coaching and guidance to the school-based staff.
• Develop and deliver training on organization structures, processes, and procedures necessary for compliance.
• Collaborate with the Senior Director of Compliance and school staff to resolve TEA complaints.

PEIMS & Data Compliance

• Ensure that IEPs, other special education documentation, and 504 plans are compliant with federal, state, and district regulations.
• Participate in IEP meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and other relevant meetings to discuss student progress.
• Direct special education components of PEIMS reporting, ensuring accurate coding, service tracking, and adherence to TEA deadlines.
• Implement data validation and monitoring systems to prevent compliance risks and funding loss.
• Provide training and support to campus and regional teams on special education coding and reporting expectations.

Other Duties

Perform all other tasks and duties as assigned by the Director of Special Education Compliance

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required
• Master's degree preferred
• 3+ years experience teaching with a focus on special education services

Competency and Skills

• Knowledge of MTSS, 504, and the 13 eligibility categories under IDEA and how they impact achievement
• Knowledge of content standards and assessments
• Experience in analyzing and implementing Federal, State and Local Special Education regulations, policies and procedures
• Demonstrated proficient knowledge of computer operations such as Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and Outlook email

Physical Requirements

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The person in this position needs to be able to move about inside and outside the school throughout the workday.
• The candidate is expected to attend conferences, meetings and training sessions both virtually and in person within the Region.

Additional Requirements

• Reliable transportation is needed for travel between campuses
• Ability to maintain emotional control under stress.
• Work with frequent interruptions.

Work Environment

Hybrid work - Reports to the central office or schools three days a week

Travel Requirements

Minimal travel: May travel to other school sites or regional offices for professional learning, meetings and other work related activities.

KIPP

Public Schools is a national network of public charter schools that prepares students with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are a network of 278 schools with nearly 16,500 educators and 190,000 students and alumni.

What We Bring to the Table

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with coverage options for employees and their families.
• Competitive vacation and flexible paid time off (PTO) policies.
• Paid family leave.
• Flexible spending account or high-yield HSA.
• Employee assistance programs.
• KIPP also offers the following employee-paid benefits: legal plans, LifeLock identity protection, life insurance and disability insurance.