ABOUT US
The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is one of the leading school systems in Maryland and the nation. To learn more about us and our 2024 -2029 Strategic Plan, please visit our website and our careers page. Join our award-winning workforce and make a difference in the lives of our students!
ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Before you begin, please read the job posting below carefully including the Application Requirements specific to this position. Be sure your application reflects experience and education required to meet the minimum and any preferred qualifications listed. Our application guide includes detailed instructions to assist you. Once your application has been submitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes.
Please note that application submission will be available only through 11:59 PM on the date prior to the indicated end date. If no end date is indicated, the posting will remain open indefinitely.
Job Posting End Date:
08-11-2026Reminder: Current permanent and temporary employees must apply through the Jobs Hub in Workday, not the external career site.
DESCRIPTION
Under the direction of the Director of Special Education, the Coordinator, Special Education, Early Childhood provides leadership in ensuring high-quality special education services in the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) to children birth to five. This position leads the implementation of policies, procedures, and programmatic oversight, fostering collaboration between school-based and central office staff for the efficient and fiscally responsible use of resources. By providing leadership and training, the Coordinator ensures compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations, regarding early childhood special education and Blueprint for Maryland's Future requirements. Through strategic partnerships and engagement with HCPSS stakeholders, community partners, and families, the Coordinator champions inclusive and equitable practices. The Coordinator ensures access to both high-quality first instruction and specially designed instruction, focusing on foundational skills, including early academic, social-emotional, and functional independence across home, community and school-based settings.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants must meet all qualifications below to be considered for the vacancy.
Education:
Master's degree from an accredited college or university in education, applied behavior analysis, psychology, or a related field.
Certification/Licensure:
Hold a current Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) professional certificate or license in Generic Special Education - Infant/primary (birth - grade 3) and any of the additional endorsements below:
Administrator I or II
Supervisors of Instruction, Assistant Principals, and Principals
Applicants may be considered who:
Hold a current out-of-state educator license and are eligible for MSDE licensure with the appropriate endorsements in special education and administration.
Applicants who do not already possess the required administrator licensure may be considered if you are eligible through one of the pathways below:
Hold a current MSDE professional certificate or license and complete all MSDE requirements for the Supervisors of Instruction, Assistant Principals, and Principals endorsement by the position effective date.
Have completed a Maryland Approved Program which leads to licensure as a supervisor of instruction, assistant principal, or principal by the position effective date.
Have completed an approved out-of-state program which leads to licensure as a supervisor of instruction, assistant principal, or principal and includes a supervised clinical practicum AND earn passing score on the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (Praxis 6990) by the position effective date.
Hold a valid professional state license in administration from another state or country and have verification of five years of effective performance as an administrator in a PreK-12 school setting.
Out-of-state applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the application process for educator licensure with the Maryland State Department of Education in addition to uploading all required materials to your HCPSS employment application.
Experience:
Five years of experience as an early childhood special educator (birth through grade 3) within a PreK-12 setting or as an early interventionist for an Infants and Toddlers program.
Three years of experience in a leadership role or leading programs or projects.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate for this role will also possess a combination of the additional qualifications below. If you don’t meet every one of the preferred qualifications, we still encourage you to apply, as we welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Experience as an early childhood special educator (birth to 5) within a PreK-12 setting.
Experience utilizing the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process.
Experience implementing evidence-based practices for early childhood special education.
Experience developing and conducting professional learning for a variety of stakeholders in the areas of special education or instructional leadership.
Experience managing grant and operating budgets.
Prior supervisory experience.
ESSENTIAL POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
The below list is a summary of the functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties.
Leadership and Oversight
Implements and evaluates special education services across all Early Childhood Special Education programs for children birth to five with an emphasis on evidence-based practices.
Collaborates with level leaders to ensure fidelity of programmatic implementation across schools, including data analysis.
Supports the full continuum of services for children, birth to five, who have Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
Promotes the inclusion of children with disabilities across natural environments, including home, community, and school-based settings.
Provides direct support to school administrators and teams providing special education services to children birth to five.
Problem-solves issues identified by staff and families.
Engages in special education program development, improvement, and evaluation.
Collaborates with other system personnel to increase student participation and achievement across natural environments.
Conducts formal evaluations of special education and support staff.
Compliance
Oversees compliance with federal, state and local law, regulations, policy and procedures regarding the provision of special education services for children birth to five.
Provides consultation, guidance, and professional learning to school system staff regarding federal and state special education regulations (IDEA/COMAR) and HCPSS procedural guidelines.
Ensures implementation of a cycle of continuous improvement for systemic and state initiatives that impact students with IFSPs and IEPs.
Professional Learning
Participates in the design, implementation and evaluation of professional learning related to Early Childhood Special Education for HCPSS staff across all levels.
Ensures alignment of DSE priorities and initiatives within the HCPSS Strategic Plan, Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and MSDE.
Supervises, supports, and evaluates the performance of the DSE professionals and support staff.
Grant and Operating Budgets
Conducts on-going data analyses with DSE leaders to support the preparation of information required for annual budget requests (local and grants).
Coordinates with HCPSS stakeholders in budget planning and maintenance.
Maintains up-to-date knowledge of expenditures of supplies/materials including challenges and grant deadlines.
Plans proactively and strategically for forecasting budget sessions.
Family and Community Partnerships and Outreach
Communicates effectively and positively with all stakeholders including staff, families, and community partners.
Coordinates outreach efforts and serves as a liaison to involve parents, community members, advocacy groups and advisory groups in system/dept initiatives.
Collaboration with stakeholders, including Early Childhood Programs and community partners, as part of the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, Pillar 1, Early Childhood Special Education.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
The below list is a summary of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for success in this position, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list.
Knowledge
Comprehensive understanding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA Parts B and C), Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), and HCPSS procedural guidelines regarding special education services from Birth to Age 5.
In-depth knowledge of the development, implementation, and continuum of services for Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
Deep expertise in natural environment principles (home/community) and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) requirements for early childhood inclusion.
Thorough understanding of the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process to measure functional progress.
Strong grasp of evidence-based practices (EBPs), research-backed instructional strategies, interventions, and assessment methodologies tailored for early childhood special education.
Knowledge of local and grant-funded budget processes, forecasting models, financial reporting, and expenditure tracking for early childhood programs.
Understanding of quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques used to measure program fidelity, student progress, and systemic effectiveness.
Skills
Skill in designing, executing, and evaluating early childhood special education initiatives to ensure fidelity across all school and community settings.
Proficient in leading continuous improvement cycles that drive student achievement and refine service delivery models.
Experienced in designing and delivering high-impact professional development for school administrators, educators, and support staff.
Skill in conducting needs analyses to project budgetary needs, allocate resources efficiently, and meet strict grant deadlines.
Demonstrated capability in supervising, supporting, and conducting formal performance evaluations for DSE leadership, specialists, and support personnel.
Skilled at establishing transparent, ongoing communication with internal offices, school-based administrators, community partners, and families.
Expertise in mediating complex issues identified by staff and families with empathy and regulatory alignment.
Abilities
Ability to advocate for and operationalize full inclusion for children with disabilities across diverse, natural environments (home, school, and community).
Ability to interpret complex federal, state, and district mandates and turn them into actionable, school-level operational procedures.
Ability to build consensus and collaborate across multi-tiered levels of district leadership (HCPSS, MSDE, school-based teams) to ensure cohesive service delivery.
Ability to maintain professional composure, solve high-stakes problems, and maintain trust among diverse administrative teams, educators, and parents.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Working Hours
This position will require occasional evening or weekend hours for Board of Education meetings or outreach activities.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Complete applications must be submitted, and once your application has been submitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.
Supplemental Application Questions
This position requires applicants to provide responses to the below supplemental application questions to determine whether you meet the minimum and preferred qualifications. Please upload your responses in a separate file to the supplemental application questions section of the application.
1) Please list the specific positions you have held in early childhood special education. For each, identify the position title, start and end dates, school/district, ages/grades of students served, and number of direct reports or supervisory scope if applicable.
2) Please identify the leadership experience you have in early childhood special education and highlight up to two key accomplishments or outcomes you have achieved. In your response, include the position you held and your specific role in the process.
3) Please describe any experience you possess utilizing the Child Outcomes Summary (COS) process. In your response, include the position you held and your specific role in the process.
4) Please highlight up to two examples of experience you possess implementing evidence-based practices for early childhood special education. For each, identify the specific practices utilized and key outcomes achieved as a result.
5) Please describe up to two key accomplishments or outcomes you have achieved developing and conducting professional learning for a variety of stakeholders in the areas of special education or instructional leadership. In your response, include the position you held, the stakeholders served, and delivery method for professional learning.
6) Please describe any experience you have managing grant and operational budgets. In your response, include the position you held, the type of budget(s) managed, and the total funds managed for each.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be included in further evaluation. Interviews will be limited to those applicants who, in addition to meeting the basic requirements, have experience and education which most closely match the position qualifications and the needs of the school system.
EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
Compensation
This is a 12-month per year position in the Howard County Association of Supervisors and Administrators (HCASA) employee unit. The current salary range for this position is in the Grade III lane on the Central Office Administrators salary scale. Actual placement will be in accordance with the salary procedures of the Howard County Public School System and the HCASA Master Agreement which considers relevant prior experience. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, this position is exempt from overtime.
Retirement
Membership in the Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) pension plan is a mandatory condition of employment for all employees who meet the eligibility and membership criteria defined in the State Personnel and Pensions Article and the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR). A qualifying employee cannot reject membership, nor can an ineligible employee elect membership. The annual contribution to the pension plan will be 7% of an employee’s annual salary.
Benefits
HCPSS offers a comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees. Information about additional benefits such as paid time off can be found in the negotiated agreement for employees in this bargaining unit.
Pre-Employment Requirements
Professional references will be contacted prior to any offer of employment. Recommended candidates will be required to provide references from current and recent supervisors.
All employees, regular and temporary, must be fingerprinted, have a criminal background investigation completed, and successfully complete the Maryland Employment History Review, pursuant to Section 6-113.2 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland. In addition, some positions will require completion of a physical examination and/or drug testing.
Anyone offered employment is required to provide proper identification and documentation of eligibility for employment in the United States. HCPSS participates in E-Verify and does not offer employee sponsorship.
For questions regarding this posting, please contact Sandy Saval at [email protected].
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
To request an accommodation during the application or interview process due to a documented disability, please email [email protected].
HCPSS celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any kind. HCPSS is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees in providing them with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at HCPSS are based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, veteran status or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.