POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Director of Educational Programs provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for MAWSECO’s Setting IV and Care & Treatment education programs. This role ensures high-quality programming, compliance with state and federal requirements, and strong collaboration with internal teams, district leaders, and external agencies. The Director supports student achievement through the development, evaluation, and continuous improvement of programming, staffing, and instructional practices.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead and oversee the effective operation of MAWSECO’s eight Educational Programs to promote student success.
- Supervise Program Administrators, CIAS, the School Nurse, and other shared personnel.
- Collaborate with administrators to develop and implement policies, procedures, and handbooks.
- Coordinate program schedules and academic calendars.
- Align program structures with best practices and regulatory changes.
- Facilitate professional learning aligned with MAWSECO’s mission, emphasizing due process and instructional excellence.
- Provide guidance on education laws and propose innovations to enhance teaching and learning.
- Serve as primary liaison with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) for program compliance and reporting.
- Attend IEP meetings as needed, particularly in complex or high-conflict situations.
- Collaborate with the Director of Special Education to respond to special education complaints.
- Oversee Extended School Year (ESY) program planning and delivery.
- Keep the Executive Director informed about program operations, challenges, and initiatives.
Requirements
- Minnesota licensure as a Director of Special Education (required)
- Minimum of five years of leadership experience in special education
- Demonstrated knowledge of special education laws, regulations, and best practices
- Proven experience in supervision, compliance, and program development
- Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills
- Commitment to student-centered, inclusive educational practices
ABOUT MAWSECO:
MAWSECO is an agency of seven-member school districts (Annandale, Dassel-Cokato, Delano, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, Litchfield, Maple Lake and Rockford) that have joined together to provide services in the area of special education. In addition to services and leadership within its member districts, the cooperative also operates eight educational programs providing Federal Setting IV special education programming as well as schools that provide general and special education for students in residential care and treatment programs. The mission of the Cooperative is to provide quality special education leadership, services, and support to its seven-member school districts’ staff, students and families as well as other agencies/districts that purchase its services. The MAWSECO central office is located in Howard Lake, MN which is west of the metro and south of St. Cloud.
POSITION QUESTIONS:
Contact Melissa Hanson, Executive Director, by phone (320) 543-1122 or email at: [email protected]
MAWSECO is an equal opportunity employer
District Application Guidelines
Meeker and Wright Special Ed Coop #938 utilizes an online application system. Please visit the site to apply: https://www.applitrack.com/mawseco/OnlineApp/
If you have questions or concerns regarding the application process, please contact Elizabeth Sullivan (612) 417-6491 or email at: [email protected]
Please complete your application by clicking the box below:
District ApplicationAPPLICATION PROCESS
- Be sure to review the district’s requirements for the application process and provide all required documents.
- Some districts may require that candidates apply through an external link. If that is the case, the link will be noted in the job posting.
- If the posting does not indicate an external link, apply using your MASA online candidate profile and click on the box below.
- If you have not completed your candidate profile within our site, please do so by clicking here. Many districts search the profiles for promising candidates. To improve your outcome, please complete all requested information.
You will need to have a Jobsite account and be signed in to view your candidate profile.