Special Education Chairs

[Anonymous]

Just read this article.
https://www.4publiceducation.org/post/appreciation-and-concerns-raised-about-superintendent-s-budget-for-next-year?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=blog.post-promoter&utm_campaign=8ca7932b-d023-4d9b-b5c9-878a50d8c0b5

Could someone please explain to me what a Special Education Chair does?
Is this like a department chair in a high school who also teachers? Or, is it basically an additional administrator?

Just curious.

[Anonymous]

At the high school level, they do not teach any classes. They are responsible for scheduling and running all of the IEP meetings, local screenings, testing, etc.

[Anonymous]

The same has been true at the two middle schools I have worked at. The SpEd Department chair runs many (but not all) IEP meetings and oversees the department.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The same has been true at the two middle schools I have worked at. The SpEd Department chair runs many (but not all) IEP meetings and oversees the department.

Elementary is the same. If the department chair is strong and knowledgeable they can really help alleviate stress from teachers who are juggling a lot. If they are inexperienced or don't care and do nothing-then it becomes a waste of a position and teachers start to think enough give this person a caseload so my load will have less students and I can do the other side of my job. Both kinds are out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same has been true at the two middle schools I have worked at. The SpEd Department chair runs many (but not all) IEP meetings and oversees the department.

Elementary is the same. If the department chair is strong and knowledgeable they can really help alleviate stress from teachers who are juggling a lot. If they are inexperienced or don't care and do nothing-then it becomes a waste of a position and teachers start to think enough give this person a caseload so my load will have less students and I can do the other side of my job. Both kinds are out there.

I believe this. Fits my experience as a teacher--not with this chair specifically, but with similar "non student facing" specialists.

I would think this would be troubling in a small elementary school. A lot would depend on the caseload.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same has been true at the two middle schools I have worked at. The SpEd Department chair runs many (but not all) IEP meetings and oversees the department.

Elementary is the same. If the department chair is strong and knowledgeable they can really help alleviate stress from teachers who are juggling a lot. If they are inexperienced or don't care and do nothing-then it becomes a waste of a position and teachers start to think enough give this person a caseload so my load will have less students and I can do the other side of my job. Both kinds are out there.

I believe this. Fits my experience as a teacher--not with this chair specifically, but with similar "non student facing" specialists.

I would think this would be troubling in a small elementary school. A lot would depend on the caseload.

Agreed so many people in the building considered "specialists" and "coaches".....who don't work with kids and honestly do little to help with overloaded teachers. They are always in meetings or "looking over data". Here's an idea-help some kids learn-as said by a PP alleviate some stress from teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same has been true at the two middle schools I have worked at. The SpEd Department chair runs many (but not all) IEP meetings and oversees the department.

Elementary is the same. If the department chair is strong and knowledgeable they can really help alleviate stress from teachers who are juggling a lot. If they are inexperienced or don't care and do nothing-then it becomes a waste of a position and teachers start to think enough give this person a caseload so my load will have less students and I can do the other side of my job. Both kinds are out there.

+1 We've experienced some interesting ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same has been true at the two middle schools I have worked at. The SpEd Department chair runs many (but not all) IEP meetings and oversees the department.

Elementary is the same. If the department chair is strong and knowledgeable they can really help alleviate stress from teachers who are juggling a lot. If they are inexperienced or don't care and do nothing-then it becomes a waste of a position and teachers start to think enough give this person a caseload so my load will have less students and I can do the other side of my job. Both kinds are out there.

+1 We've experienced some interesting ones.

Yes, and sometimes they expect the teacher to do their job, too.

[Anonymous]

Ideally they run all the local screening committee meetings including scheduling, facilitating and all the follow up paperwork and ensuring deadlines are met. They would test students. They would be a support to sped teachers through coaching and reviewing data to make instructional decisions. They would keep the team updated on policy changes. They would sit in as the administrator in IEP and 504 meetings. They would review progress notes. And in some cases, they might serve as the case manager for students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ideally they run all the local screening committee meetings including scheduling, facilitating and all the follow up paperwork and ensuring deadlines are met. They would test students. They would be a support to sped teachers through coaching and reviewing data to make instructional decisions. They would keep the team updated on policy changes. They would sit in as the administrator in IEP and 504 meetings. They would review progress notes. And in some cases, they might serve as the case manager for students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ideally they run all the local screening committee meetings including scheduling, facilitating and all the follow up paperwork and ensuring deadlines are met. They would test students. They would be a support to sped teachers through coaching and reviewing data to make instructional decisions. They would keep the team updated on policy changes. They would sit in as the administrator in IEP and 504 meetings. They would review progress notes. And in some cases, they might serve as the case manager for students.

Waste of a position. Give them a caseload-caseloads are too big in schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ideally they run all the local screening committee meetings including scheduling, facilitating and all the follow up paperwork and ensuring deadlines are met. They would test students. They would be a support to sped teachers through coaching and reviewing data to make instructional decisions. They would keep the team updated on policy changes. They would sit in as the administrator in IEP and 504 meetings. They would review progress notes. And in some cases, they might serve as the case manager for students.

Waste of a position. Give them a caseload-caseloads are too big in schools.

Then no one would want to be chair.

[Anonymous]

Special Ed Department Chair is a TERRIBLE job, BUT it is also a super busy and tedious job that keeps the school system from getting sued by all the NEEDY Parents in FCPS!

[Anonymous]

Every year at my school there are sped department shortages so the sped chair ends up being case manager for those kids until they are able to hire someone qualified/certified.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Special Ed Department Chair is a TERRIBLE job, BUT it is also a super busy and tedious job that keeps the school system from getting sued by all the NEEDY Parents in FCPS!

Only if they are good at the job.