Indianapolis Public Schools

WELCOME TO INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS!

At IPS, we believe in the transformative power of education. We work collectively every day to prepare our students for success in the classroom and in life by providing equitable, high-quality educational experiences across our family of schools. IPS is a place to make an impact, grow your career, and ensure every student has access to a high quality education, all while earning a good living in a district on the move. While the work is challenging, it is deeply meaningful and impactful. We seek innovators and trailblazers who bring varying experiences and expertise and share our belief that every child deserves access to an exceptional education. As part of TeamIPS, you’ll create lasting connections, find a sense of belonging, and feel supported to make a meaningful difference in students’ lives.

In return, no matter your role here, we expect a commitment to excellence and accountability. You’ll be held to high standards. Resilience and passion are key—you must be adaptable, handling adversity with flexibility while putting students at the heart of everything you do. Ethical conduct, clear communication, and mutual respect are fundamental. Being a dependable, collaborative team player who builds meaningful relationships is essential.

Together, we are Proving What’s Possible by building a community where everyone belongs and each student has the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

A Career in IPS Offers…

Purpose and Impact:

• Essential Contributions: In every non-teaching and non-leadership role, your work directly supports the success of IPS students and schools. Whether you’re maintaining facilities, providing student services, or managing administrative operations, you play a key part in ensuring an equitable and high-quality educational environment.
• Belonging and Community: IPS is a place where every employee is valued. You’ll join a supportive community that promotes respect, teamwork, and a shared commitment to serving students and families.

Professional and Personal Growth:

• Training and Development Opportunities: IPS offers a variety of training programs to help staff build new skills and grow professionally. This includes access to development opportunities for administrative, technical, and operational roles, as well as pathways to becoming a certified teacher.
• Skill Enhancement: Whether you’re new to your role or seeking to deepen your expertise, IPS provides resources and support for continuous improvement.

Comprehensive Compensation and Benefits:

• Fair Compensation: IPS ensures competitive wages and regularly reviews pay structures to maintain equity.
• Extensive Benefits Package: Employees enjoy comprehensive health coverage, dental and vision plans, life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement plans. Additional financial benefits include flexible spending accounts and eligibility for federal loan forgiveness programs.

Work-Life Balance and Well-being:

• Generous Leave Policies: IPS offers vacation, personal, and sick leave, along with paid holidays. Twelve-month employees benefit from floating holidays, and unused personal leave rolls into the sick leave balance.
• Wellness Programs: IPS prioritizes staff well-being with access to wellness initiatives, including health screenings and an employee assistance program for confidential support and counseling.

What We Expect:

• Professionalism and Reliability: Every role at IPS is vital to the district’s success. We expect staff to demonstrate professionalism, dependability, and a commitment to providing excellent service to students, educators, and families.
• Collaboration and Communication: IPS values teamwork. Working collaboratively with your colleagues ensures a supportive environment for all. Clear communication and mutual respect are key to maintaining this culture.
• Flexibility and Problem-Solving: As a large, dynamic district, IPS needs staff who are adaptable and proactive in solving problems to meet the ever-changing needs of students and schools.

JOIN US!

Indianapolis Public Schools is more than a workplace; it’s a community where purpose, impact, and belonging come together to help Prove What’s Possible – in your career and in your school. If you’re ready to embrace challenges, strive for excellence, and make a meaningful impact, IPS is the place for you.

SUMMARY OF OPPORTUNITY:

We are looking for a Director of Alternative and Intensive Learning Supports who will positively impact student success by providing strategic leadership, monitoring, and improvement across a portfolio of specialized student support environments, including diversion programming, virtual instruction, and alternative education settings. This director-level role ensures the quality and continuity of support for students with intensive academic, behavioral, and emotional needs through cross-functional collaboration, systems oversight, and continuous progress monitoring. As a member of the Unified Student Supports (USS) Team, you will receive excellent benefits, opportunities to grow within your role and the organization, and collaborative and supportive colleagues who put students first.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

The following outlines your core duties and responsibilities and provides a sample overview of what your day-to-day may look like.

Core Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage and monitor diversion placements for students with intensive needs (PK–12), ensuring appropriate support, progress tracking, and reentry planning.
• Collaborate with service providers and school teams to oversee program quality, student participation, and outcomes across diversion sites.
• Maintain up-to-date data systems to track student placement, service participation, and reentry timelines; escalate systemic barriers or equity concerns.
• Lead the oversight of virtual instruction for students receiving online learning due to IEPs, 504 plans, or alternative programming needs.
• Facilitate monthly virtual progress review meetings with instructional staff and service providers to ensure alignment of services, accommodations, and academic supports.
• Resolve technical, instructional, and communication breakdowns in the virtual learning model and document emerging trends for system-level response.
• Ensure high-quality oversight of the Margaret McFarland Learning Academy (MMLA) and Positive Supports Academy (PSA), including academic and behavioral supports, placement tracking, and transition planning.
• Monitor fidelity to program expectations and collaborate with internal leaders to improve student outcomes through systems refinement and staff support.
• Ensure 100% of students in alternative placements have documented transition plans and receive appropriate academic, behavioral, and wellness support.
• Lead strategic oversight of districtwide CPI (Crisis Prevention and Intervention) training and certification for required staff.
• Track compliance, identify training quality issues, and analyze incident trends to improve staff preparedness and reduce the need for restrictive interventions.
• Participate in District Behavior Intervention Team meetings and other cross-functional settings to inform responsive, inclusive pathways for students with intensive needs.
• Submit monthly data reports and trend analyses to the USS Officer and maintain audit-ready documentation across all areas of responsibility.

“Day In the Life” Overview

On a regular day, as the Director of Alternative and Intensive Learning Supports, you might:

• Run a report to identify students in virtual instruction with low attendance and coordinate support plans with school teams.
• Visit MMLA to conduct a structured walkthrough and review documentation of transition plans for students nearing program exit.
• Meet with a diversion provider to review service fidelity, address quality concerns, and document findings for monthly reporting.
• Analyze restraint/seclusion reports from the previous month and identify training implications or school-level trends.
• Review CPI certification records and contact principals whose schools have not met compliance benchmarks.
• Facilitate a student case review meeting with staff from PSA, Cadre, and the student’s home school to align reentry supports.
• Respond to a family inquiry regarding a student’s virtual services and coordinate with school staff to resolve the issue within the designated timeline.
• Collaborate with Cadre and Learning Coordinators to troubleshoot persistent behavior issues impacting a student’s return from alternative placement.

WHAT YOU’ll BRING: SKILLS AND MINDSETS:

As an ideal candidate for this role, you will be able to achieve the following:

• Strategic thinking and systems-level problem-solving, especially in complex or cross-functional initiatives.
• Demonstrated expertise in alternative education models, intensive intervention supports, and/or special education.
• Ability to lead and manage programs for students with high levels of need and coordinate services across departments and teams.
• Deep knowledge of trauma-informed care, behavior intervention frameworks, and inclusive practices.
• Data fluency in reviewing academic, behavioral, and attendance trends to inform decisions and resource allocation.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills for engaging with families, partners, and school-based staff.

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS:

• Required: Master’s Degree in Education, Special Education, Counseling, Educational Leadership, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience working in student services, special education, behavior programming, or school leadership.
• Experience with alternative placements, virtual learning environments, or intensive behavioral programs preferred.
• CPI trainer certification or ability to obtain upon hire preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of IDEA, Section 504, and MTSS frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams to support students with complex needs.
• Ability to travel between schools and engage in on-site case reviews or observations as needed.

FLSA CLASSIFICATION:

Exempt

ELIGIBILITY FOR REMOTE WORK:

Not eligible

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to sit; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

EEOC STATEMENT:

Indianapolis Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, will not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, domestic violence victim status, homelessness or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations, or ordinances. Indianapolis Public Schools does not tolerate any form of retaliation or bias-based intimidation, threat, or harassment that demeans individuals’ dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.

DISCLAIMER:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the above representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This job description is illustrative only, and is not a comprehensive list of all essential functions and duties performed by the occupant of this position. Factors such as regular and punctual attendance are not routinely listed in job descriptions, but are an essential function.

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