Special Education Coordinator

We are excited to consider your application for anticipated vacancies in the 2025-2026 school year. We are thrilled that you’re considering applying for openings expected in the 2025-2026 school year at Friendship Public Charter School. Our formal interview process will begin in January 2025, for our confirmed vacancies only. Non-vacant positions may still be posted during this time. 

Friendship Public Charter School operates a dynamic network of college-preparatory charter schools headquartered in Washington, DC. We proudly serve more than 4,800 preschool through 12th-grade students and support a growing network of alumni as they complete college. Our mission is to provide students with a world-class education that fosters ethical, literate, well-rounded, and self-sufficient individuals. We aim to inspire students to reach high academic standards, enjoy the learning process, succeed in their endeavors, and contribute actively to their communities. For 25 years, thanks to the dedication and expertise of our outstanding faculty, our students have excelled—achieving high graduation rates, college acceptance, and success both academically and socially.

We are seeking professionals who are responsible, confident, respectful, caring, committed, persistent, and patient to join our community for the 2025-2026 school year, starting in August 2025. At Friendship, we believe that every child has the potential to reach and succeed in college—and we invite those who share this belief to apply.

For more information about our Teacher Evaluation Method, see the Danielson Framework for Teaching.

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Please also see the available salary scales: FPCS Compensation

Responsibilities

The Special Education Coordinator (SEC) is responsible for organizing, facilitating, and supporting the Special Education Team's sharing of special education requirements both administrative and instructional. The SEC, like all Special Education teachers, is expected to exhibit the same skills, knowledge, and qualities required of the general classroom teachers in the areas of curriculum, instruction, assessment, classroom management, professional responsibilities and relationships, family involvement, and school community.

• Consistently seek and share best practices as an active and effective participant that contributes to a Professional Learning Community.
• Communicate regularly with the Director of Special Education about the student population, the evolution of the Special Education program, and professional development needs.
• Provide to the Director of Special Education regular updates on student and staff demographics, program development, and any concerns regarding compliance with special education law and regulations.
• Maintain current demographics and documents regarding all students on IEPs, as well as those in the referral process (development, updating, annual reviews, and triennials).
• Manage special education staff and related service providers within the school. Manage parent communications and support sessions regarding their child with special needs.
• Adhere to school management and discipline policies within the classroom and throughout school campus.
• Provide the principal and other decision makers in the school with information regarding relevant federal, state and local regulations governing special education, including placements, timelines, notifications, IEPs, parental roles, reevaluations, and procedural safeguards.
• Refining curriculum approaches and materials to increase students' involvement and progress.
• Establish working relations with colleagues, developing effective systems for reciprocal communication about students with special needs. This includes meeting regularly with house teams and focusing them on instructional solutions, as well as collaborating with teachers individually.
• Provide ongoing support for classroom teachers, including taking over classroom instruction, so they can provide intensive pull-asides for students with difficulties.
• Plan with classroom colleagues, swapping expertise and following up with supportive instruction, strategic modeling, and tailored instructional materials

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Special Education required; Master's degree in Special Education is preferred.
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and above, or Successful completion of the ETS PRAXIS II: Education of Exceptional Students (20353) (maybe substituted for a degree in Special Education content).
• Five years of relevant Special Education classroom teaching experience required.
• Five years of urban teaching experience preferred.

FPCS’s policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants and employees regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, veteran status, status as a special disabled veteran, or any other protected criteria as established by federal, state, or local laws.  This policy applies to recruitment and hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits, transfer, layoff, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment.  Employment decisions at FPCS are based solely upon relevant criteria, including an individual’s capabilities, qualifications, training, experience and suitability.