Senior Associate Commissioner for Special Education

The Education Secretariat is committed to equity and valuing the unique and diverse characteristics and experiences of every member of its workforce. We encourage an authentic workplace where colleagues show up as their full selves and where collaboration, innovation, and connections are key to realizing our mission that all children, youth, and families thrive socially, academically, and economically. We seek teammates committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive work environment where everyone is valued and engaged. We encourage you to apply and identify your strengths in these areas.  

Educational Vision of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Our educational vision describes the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) aspiration for elementary and secondary public education and adult basic education in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This vision is anchored in our commitment to high-quality teaching and learning in the Commonwealth. We will continue to work with districts, schools, and educators to promote teaching and learning that is antiracist, inclusive, multilingual, and multicultural; that values and affirms each and every student and their families; and that creates equitable opportunities and experiences for all students, particularly those who have been historically underserved. For more information on our vision, click here.    

The Senior Associate Commissioner of Special Education is a senior level position, serving on cabinet, and reporting to Deputy Commissioner Robert Curtin.

       The Senior Associate Commissioner of Special Education will directly supervise four special education-related offices (Approved Special Education Schools, the Problem Resolution System, Special Education in Institutional Settings, and Special Education Planning and Policy). The role will be to coordinate efforts across these four offices and to coordinate closely with the Monitoring and Compliance Unit so that the Department provides coherent and consistent supports for students with disabilities throughout the Commonwealth. The Senior Associate Commissioner of Special Education will organize coordination meetings of the directors and assistant directors of those four teams, data review meetings with the leaders of the four special education offices and the Bureau of Special Education Appeals (three times per year), and quarterly all special education staff meetings.

Special Education in Institutional Settings provides direct services to students in facilities maintained by the Department of Corrections, the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Public Health, and the Department of Youth Services and is the only instance in which the Department is ensuring the actual provision of educational services for students, similar to school districts. The Senior Associate Commissioner of Special Education will be needed to provide oversight and direction for those services, which is a unique undertaking for Department staff. 

 In addition, the Senior Associate Commissioner of Special Education will represent the Department in regular coordination meetings with special education advocacy and professional organizations. The Senior Associate Commissioner of Special Education will also serve as the Commissioner’s designee to the Autism Commission and will co-chair the Ages 0-14 Subcommittee of the Autism Commission. The Senior Associate Commissioner will also serve as the Commissioner’s designee to the Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA) Advisory Council and will coordinate the Department’s oversight of the BSEA.

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