Special Education Compliance Specialist

Achieving the Promise partners with organizations to strengthen systems and drive implementation of high-priority initiatives. We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Special Education Compliance & Systems Consultant to provide hands-on technical support, compliance monitoring, and systems oversight for a network of early childhood schools in Washington, DC.

This is not solely an advisory role. We need someone who can identify a compliance or systems problem, determine how to resolve it, and carry the issue through correction or closure.

The consultant will serve as a technical expert on DC special education compliance and DC Special Programs (PowerSchool) and maintain a reliable, leadership-ready compliance dashboard that provides clear visibility into deadlines, risks, outstanding actions, and areas requiring escalation.

The ideal candidate already knows the DC special education landscape and can make an immediate contribution with limited onboarding. This role is designed for a highly competent professional who can provide significant value in approximately eight hours per week because they already know the systems, requirements, and processes.

This role reports to Achieving the Promise, which provides system-level strategy, oversight, and accountability.

What you’ll do…

Resolve Technical Compliance and Systems Issues to Implement Specialized Instruction

• Troubleshoot and resolve complex Special Programs issues, including student records, provider and teacher caseload assignments, user access, and workflow issues.
• Support the correction and implementation of transportation requirements for students with disabilities, including navigating applicable DC processes and systems.
• Review DC CATS findings, determine required corrective actions, make or coordinate necessary corrections, and track findings through closure.
• Resolve or direct the resolution of compliance and documentation problems that go beyond routine case management.
• Escalate issues requiring OSSE, legal, vendor, or leadership involvement and actively track them through resolution.
• Provide hands-on technical assistance when school-based staff or Special Education Coordinators need support resolving a compliance or systems issue.

Monitor Compliance & Manage Risk

• Monitor upcoming and overdue IEPs, evaluations, reevaluations, eligibility timelines, progress reports, service-delivery concerns, and other required special education actions.
• Identify compliance risks early and communicate clear actions, owners, and deadlines.
• Conduct targeted reviews of Special Programs records, compliance trackers, and student documentation.
• Identify high-risk cases requiring immediate leadership attention.
• Support responses to OSSE inquiries, monitoring, audits, corrective actions, and other compliance matters.
• Verify that required corrective actions have actually been completed.

Ensures timely documentation of IEP services and compliance data

• Maintain an accurate, network-wide special education compliance dashboard covering approximately 150 students.
• Reconcile dashboard information against Special Programs and other source records to ensure data are accurate and current. The dashboard should provide clear visibility into:
• Overdue compliance actions;
• Actions due within the next 30 days;
• High-risk students/cases;
• Unresolved Special Programs or systems issues;
• Open CATS findings/corrective actions;
• Responsible owners; and
• Expected resolution dates.
• Use a clear risk structure, such as Red/Yellow/Green, so leadership can quickly determine where intervention is required.
• Provide a concise weekly summary of what is off track, why it matters, who owns the fix, and when it will be resolved.

Strengthen Systems & Staff Capacity

• Strengthen systems for tracking IEPs, evaluations, MDT referrals, service delivery, progress reporting, and required documentation.
• Provide targeted technical assistance to Special Education Coordinators on complex compliance and case-management issues.
• Clarify roles, owners, and next steps when compliance issues arise.
• Help distinguish routine case-management issues from matters requiring immediate escalation.
• Recommend practical process improvements that reduce recurring compliance problems.

What we’re looking for…

● At least 5 years of progressively responsible special education experience, including significant responsibility for compliance, case management, or special education operations.

● Demonstrated, hands-on expertise with DC Special Programs (PowerSchool).

● Strong working knowledge of IDEA and District of Columbia special education requirements and timelines.

● Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve—not simply identify—special education compliance and systems problems.

● Experience monitoring IEP, evaluation, eligibility, service-delivery, and documentation compliance.

● Strong data-management skills and experience developing or maintaining compliance dashboards, trackers, or similar management tools.

● Ability to independently identify risk, diagnose problems, determine corrective actions, and follow issues through resolution.

● Ability to work independently and deliver results with limited supervision.

● Organized, detail-oriented, and responsive to deadlines; able to manage multiple priorities while ensuring timely and accurate completion of tasks

● Entrepreneurial; Skilled in identifying problems and implementing effective solutions and taking initiative to seize opportunities for continuous improvement

● Strong belief in AppleTree’s mission and values and passion for early childhood education

● Proficient in the use of online technologies such as (but not limited to): Google, Zoom, Canvas, PowerSchool

Strongly Preferred

• Previous experience as a Special Education Coordinator, Compliance Manager, LEA Representative, Special Education Director, or similar role within a DC public or public charter school.
• Experience with DC CATS and OSSE corrective-action processes.
• Experience resolving special education transportation issues in DC.
• Experience responding to OSSE monitoring, audits, compliance inquiries, or corrective actions.
• Experience supporting multiple schools or campuses.
• Early childhood special education experience.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first 30 days, we expect the consultant to establish or validate a compliance management system that allows leadership to quickly prioritize status, open actions, and next steps. Most importantly, when a complex compliance or Special Programs problem arises, we expect this person to be able to help solve it—not simply tell us that it exists.

Schedule & Compensation

This is a part-time consulting engagement averaging approximately 8 hours per week. Most work may be completed remotely, with periodic on-site support in Washington, DC as needed. Compensation is $90–$100/hour based on experience and demonstrated DC Special Programs expertise. Additional hours beyond the agreed weekly/monthly scope require prior approval. Because this is a limited-hours senior consulting role, the successful candidate must already possess the technical expertise necessary to work independently and contribute immediately.

Pay: $90.00 - $100.00 per hour

Application Question(s):

• Describe your experience providing targeted technical assistance to Special Education Coordinators on complex compliance and case-management issues.
• Describe your experience with DC CATS and OSSE corrective-action processes
• Describe your experience responding to OSSE monitoring, audits, compliance inquiries, or corrective actions.

Education:

• Master's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Special Education Coordinator, Compliance Manager: 5 years (Required)

Location:

• Washington, DC 20032 (Preferred)

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Washington, DC 20032 (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Washington, DC 20032