2026-2027

ANTICIPATED

DISTRICT OFFICE

DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATOR FOR 6-12 SPECIAL EDUCATION

7/13/2026 – 6/11/2027

Hiring range: $84,000-$103,305

Salary range: $84,000-$112,957

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR LICENSE WITH LBS1 ENDORSEMENT REQUIRED

GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE OR PRINCIPAL ENDORSEMENT PREFERRED BUT NOT REQUIRED

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Teaching experience in special education settings; Knowledge of effective instructional practices and curriculum design; Flexibility and ability to work with multiple grade levels and buildings simultaneously; Leadership experience.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: ESL Endorsement

See Attached Job Description

From PDF Description

West Aurora
Department Administrator
Job Description
POSITION TITLE: Department Administrator for 6-12 SPED
REPORTS TO: Executive Director for Curriculum, Instruction & Professional Learning
CONTRACT LENGTH: 11 months
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Department Administrator works cooperatively with the entire administrative staff and provides direct
leadership and oversight of the identified content area. The job of the Department Administrator is to lead and
support the day to day workings of their content area. This includes, leading, managing, and overseeing all
aspects of the department including teachers, support staff, and department meetings. The Department
Administrator oversees the development and implementation of curriculum, curricular documents and instruction
in designated content area(s). In addition, this role is responsible for supervising and evaluating the delivery of
instruction in compliance with district and building policies and procedures for the purpose of advancing student
learning.
QUALIFICATIONS:
● Evidence of professional certification.
● Minimum five (5) years of demonstrated teacher leadership experiences
● Successfully completed modules to evaluate certified staff or willingness to complete
● Knowledge of current teaching methodologies, curricular innovations and educational research within the
designated content/curricular area.
● Have teaching/clinical experience within the department/grade level of assigned supervisory responsibility.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Curriculum Development, Implementation, Evaluation and Revision:
● Articulate a vision for the department and see it through to implementation. Conceptualize short
and long-term goals and align those with those of the building/district. Provide a structure and
support system to help staff work toward those goals.
● Supervise all aspects of curriculum change including development, implementation, evaluation, and
revision and internal articulation.
● Demonstrates support to District, school, and department goals. The curriculum leader will demonstrate a
willingness to examine student data and facilitate changes necessary to produce efficient and effective
practices that will increase student achievement, by:
○ coordinating and having an awareness of the curriculum that is being taught in the classroom.
○ facilitating in the development of measurable and meaningful goals within the content area that
support school wide goals.
○ facilitating content level discussions on student performance data for the purpose of curricular or
instructional modification.
● Promote department efforts with implementation of the most current standards and objectives, formative
and summative assessments, common assessments for courses, and effective instructional practices.
● Facilitate content area committees for new resource/text adoptions, and recommend supplementary
materials for the content area.
● Conduct review of instructional materials and make recommendations for change through involvement of
instructional staff through district approved procedures. Upon approval, coordinate ordering and
distribution of materials.
● Lead annual (or more frequent) reviews of the curriculum in the department to ensure vertical continuity
and appropriateness of content, skills, and assessment.
● Unify and provide recommendations for departmental and district policies (such as course outlines,
pacing plans, common assessments, grading scales, etc.)
● Act as the curricular leader of the department for all staff by overseeing curriculum workshops, reviewing
course proposals, lead textbook/resource adoption, improving instruction, interventions, and services.

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Department Management, Leadership & Fiscal Responsibility:
● Supervise and monitor all departmental operations.
● Assist in development of master schedule by recommending course offerings, schedule of classes,
teacher assignments, articulation, student placement, and room usage.
● Assist in the interview, selection and assignment of certified and non-certified staff.
● Assist articulation efforts between elementary/middle and middle/high school curriculum specialists.
● Resolve and de-escalate conflicts that arise. Identify conflicts, listen to various parties and empower
others to come to a resolution, or be directive when the situation necessitates it. Understand that conflict
can be an opportunity for growth and approach situations with that mindset.
● Submits any department budget requests. Facilitates the department discussions regarding the allocation
of resources when assigned to the department
Professional Learning:
● Work with classroom, building grade level, or content area data, in order to identify student trends as well
as to support identification of professional development needs.
● Assist staff in understanding and implementing national, state, and district standards, in analyzing student
achievement data, and in determining how to focus instruction to remediate and reinforce skills and
knowledge in the content area.
● Plan and coordinate district-wide staff development activities.
● Support growth opportunities for staff members in the department and facilitate collaboration among all
members of the department.
Intended Outcomes and Success Measures:
● Written curriculum is created, revised and updated according to the SD129 Scope of Work
● Improve student and teacher performance in targeted areas as identified.
● Take accountability for resolving content area issues.
Other:
● In general, the Department Administrator will be available on-site before, after, and during school hours to
meet their professional responsibilities and lead and support their content areas. Will include some night
events as assigned by supervisor.

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