CANDIDATE PROFILE

▶️ The Green Beret of Education: A high-impact operative who believes that Special Education is the "tip of the spear." They are driven by the challenge of moving scholars who are furthest behind, treating every instructional minute as a tactical opportunity to "win the day" and secure a scholar’s future in an AI-dominated economy.

▶️ The Architect of Affirming Excellence: A disciplined visionary charged with building the Center for Autistic Excellence. They treat the launch as an intellectual "moonshot," holding a high-bar standard that is both neurodiversity-affirming and academically elite - refusing to let "inclusion" become an excuse for a lack of rigor.

▶️ The Master Craftsman of Instruction: An elite coach who demands "better to be better." They treat teaching as a high-stakes craft, obsessively analyzing IEP goals and instructional moves to solve the "puzzle" of scholar growth. They don’t just set a tone; they build a unit of elite educators.

▶️ The Future-Proof Advocate: A strategic thinker who realizes that in an AI-generated America, the foundation of "skills, knowledge, and character" is the only armor. They are curious about every scholar’s unique "asset map" and relentless in using that map to navigate them toward a four-year degree.

The Director of Scholar Services (DSS) at University Prep is a high-level tactical leader responsible for the academic and life-trajectory of scholars with the greatest needs. Reporting to the Chief Academic Officer, this "Green Beret" is tasked with ensuring that U Prep’s "college starts in Kindergarten" promise is most fiercely defended for those traditionally left behind. The role is defined by two primary objectives: building the Center for Autistic Excellence into a gold-standard institution and relentlessly coaching teachers to execute instructional practices that are both elite and identity-affirming.

Success in this role is measured by movement. The DSS is a "Problem Solver-in-Chief" who interrogates data to find paths toward growth, ensuring that IEP goals are not just compliant, but aggressive and achieved. By fostering an elite adult culture that demands "better to be better," this leader ensures that every scholar - regardless of neurotype or background - gains the "skills, knowledge, and character" required to thrive in the modern world. This is a role for a leader who thrives under pressure and views Special Education as the ultimate proving ground for educational excellence.

• March 8: Application Due Date

• March 13: Phone Screens End

• March 16 - 23: Project Phase

• March 30 - April 3: Semi-Finalist Round

• April 20 - 24: Final Interview Days (in-person in Denver, CO)

About University Prep 

Our Mission: Building a foundation of skills, knowledge, and character, University Prep educates every scholar for a four-year college degree and a life of opportunity. 

Founded in 2011, University Prep launched as a stand-alone, public charter elementary school in the heart of Denver with 100 Kindergarten and 1st graders. Fast forward 15 years, and U Prep’s founding scholars are now in their second and third years of postsecondary programming. With more than 90% of U Prep alumni on track for postsecondary success, our scholars represent nearly a 3x difference compared to peers statewide, where fewer than 30% earn a degree or certificate following high school graduation. Our alumni are beating the odds and pursuing their dreams as they enter young adulthood and make choices about their futures. 

Today, U Prep operates a network of three elementary campuses located in Denver and Commerce City, each grounded in the belief that all children - regardless of background - can achieve at the highest levels when adults hold incredibly high expectations and match those expectations with exceptional instruction and support. 

Learn more at http://uprepschool.org. 

Why You’ll Love Us 

“We have been a part of the University Prep family from the beginning. Over the past school years, I've been so proud to see my child grow, learn, and get the support that I feel every child should receive.” – U Prep Parent 

While you may love University Prep because of the depth of our commitment to our mission and the integrity we carry each day to bring it to life, we believe your initial love will come from the investment we make in our people. Everything starts with our care and commitment to the adults who lead our work. They are the game changers who make everything possible. 

About the Opportunity 

The Director, Scholar Services  is the network-wide leader for all scholar services tied specifically to children with additional needs/assets - Special Education (ranging from mild/moderate to significant needs), Gifted and Talented, and Multi-Lingual Learners. With a highly competent and capable Manager of Multilingual Education already on the team, the primary focus of this role it to further develop and codify the network’s programming and supports for all scholars going through MTSS processes and currently receiving IEP and 504 services. 

In addition, U Prep is in the midst of preparing to launch a Center for Autistic Excellence in Fall 2027, and this leader is charged with designing, planning and overseeing that program, creating an innovative space that’s neurodiversity-affirming and thoughtfully integrated into the school community. 

Overall, there is a tremendous opportunity to not only create something brand new (with the Autism center), but to refine and strengthen existing practices across U Prep’s small, but mighty network that ultimately result in scholars with greater or unique needs thriving academically, socially and emotionally.

What You’ll Do 

Lead the Vision & Launch the Center for Autistic Excellence 

• Collaborate with Denver Public Schools (our authorizing district) throughout the design, approval, launch, and ongoing implementation of the Center for Autistic Excellence-ensuring alignment with DPS and state of Colorado special education policies, leveraging district resources/partnerships for related services (e.g., speech, OT/PT, autism-specific supports), and positioning the Center as an innovative, replicable model of neurodiversity-affirming excellence.

• Design a specialized, neurodiversity-affirming staffing model tailored to the Center’s unique needs, including dedicated roles such as autism program leads, inclusive educators, behavior and sensory support specialists, and family liaisons; recruit and onboard staff with expertise in identity-affirming practices and evidence-based autism education.

• Deliver targeted, ongoing training, direct coaching, mentoring, and professional development to Center staff and related campus teams-focusing on neurodiversity-affirming instruction, fidelity to individualized supports, and continuous improvement-so the on-the-ground educators feel equipped, supported, and empowered to help every Autistic scholar thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Instructional Leadership & Scholar Outcomes 

• Maintain academic rigor and individualized support as top priorities, ensuring scholars with diverse needs master challenging, grade-level content. 

• Oversee the quality, alignment, and effectiveness of special education programming, MTSS, gifted & talented services, and related service delivery. 

• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data on scholar achievement, service delivery, and progress to inform action planning and continuous improvement. 

• Partner closely with network leadership, including the Chief Academic Officer, to align scholar services with academic vision and campus supports. 

Develop Leaders & Adult Culture 

• Build and directly manage a high-performing scholar services team (including special education coordinators, related service providers, MTSS leads, and campus-based staff).

• Directly coach and develop Special Education teachers at each U Prep campus to deliver exceptional, compliant, neurodiversity-affirming, and individualized services that ensure scholars with diverse needs access rigorous grade-level content and thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

• Coach and develop campus leaders and teams more broadly to deliver exceptional, compliant, and affirming services across special education, MTSS, gifted & talented, and related supports.

• Invest deeply in people and culture, pushing adults to achieve more than they could on their own because you genuinely care about their growth and know transformative outcomes depend on empowered, skilled educators.

• Collaborate with network leaders to design and facilitate professional development on inclusive practices, compliance, neurodiversity-affirming approaches, and evidence-based strategies for supporting scholars with additional needs/assets.

• Plan, design, and lead (with support from network leadership) targeted professional development sessions for Special Education staff across all U Prep campuses-focusing on inclusive practices, full compliance with IDEA/Section 504/MTSS frameworks, neurodiversity-affirming and anti-ableist approaches, evidence-based interventions, and strategies to ensure scholars with diverse needs access rigorous grade-level content-while extending facilitation to general education leaders and teachers as needed to build network-wide capacity for inclusive, high-expectations instruction and culture.

• Collaborate with network leaders to design and facilitate professional development on inclusive practices, compliance, and neurodiversity-affirming approaches. 

Scholar Experience & Family Partnership 

• Maintain visible presence and partnership with families, ensuring parents feel deeply connected to their child’s services and team. 

• Oversee the overall health of scholar services, ensuring every child feels seen, supported, and challenged while accessing rigorous, grade-level instruction tailored to their unique needs.

• Maintain a visible, relational presence and deep partnership with families, ensuring parents feel truly connected to their child’s services, team, and progress-while demonstrating intentionality and thoughtfulness in educating families about their child’s specific needs, IEP/504 processes, parent rights under IDEA and Colorado law, procedural safeguards, and long-term educational planning.

• Lead proactive, strengths-based systems that uplift scholars with disabilities, emerging multilingual learners, gifted scholars, and all students requiring tailored supports - equipping parents with clear, accessible knowledge and resources so they are fully prepared to advocate effectively for their child’s success throughout their K–12 journey and into postsecondary opportunities.

• Foster ongoing, transparent communication and family education opportunities (e.g., workshops, one-on-one guidance, translated materials, and rights-focused sessions) to build parent confidence, reduce barriers, and align home-school efforts around scholars’ academic, social, emotional, and character growth.

Compliance, Operations & Strategic Partnerships 

• Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and district/authorizer regulations while maintaining fiscal sustainability. 

• Partner with campus operations leaders to establish smooth systems for service delivery, scheduling, and documentation. 

• Build and manage external partnerships (related service contracts, district contacts, community providers) to expand resources for scholars. 

Personal Growth & Development 

• Work closely with network leadership to strengthen skills and mindsets aligned to U Prep’s expectations. 

• Take personal ownership of growth, actively seeking and applying feedback. 

Why We’ll Love You 

• You love children. You are deeply committed to young people - especially those who are neurodivergent or have diverse needs - and are unwavering in your optimism about what they can achieve. 

• You're mission- and values-driven. You are obsessed with achieving our “college starts in kindergarten” mission for all children while creating inclusive, identity-affirming environments where our PREP values (Pride, Responsibility, Enthusiasm, and Perseverance) are lived by adults and scholars alike. 

• You believe academic rigor and individualized support are inseparable priorities. You are passionate about scholars mastering grade-level content while receiving the exact services they need to thrive. 

• You love working with adults. You invest in people and culture to drive transformative outcomes because you genuinely care about their success and know the work of leadership is achieved with and through your team. 

• You want to be the best. You carry a deep desire to master your craft and take full ownership of your growth. 

• You never give up. When challenges arise, you stay calm, collaborative, and solution-oriented. 

Candidate Profile 

Qualifications & Experience 

• Full commitment to University Prep’s mission, vision, and core identity—believing deeply that every scholar, regardless of background or needs, can achieve at the highest levels through academic rigor, character development (PREP values: Pride, Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Perseverance), neurodiversity-affirming practices, and intentional investment in people.

• Demonstrated success (5+ years) leading special education or student support programming in an urban setting, with proven strong scholar outcomes—including oversight of special education (scholar services), gifted & talented programming, MTSS, Section 504, related services (speech, OT/PT, vision/hearing, nursing, deaf/blind services), and interventions designed to remove barriers and accelerate growth.

• 3+ years in network-level or multi-campus leadership roles overseeing special education, MTSS, or related services across multiple sites.

• Experience designing or leading neurodiversity-affirming or autism-specific programming strongly preferred—particularly in creating identity-affirming, inclusive models that integrate tailored supports with rigorous instruction.

• Deep knowledge of IDEA, Section 504, MTSS frameworks, and Colorado special education compliance, with a track record of ensuring compliant, high-quality delivery.

• Experience managing related service providers, contracted services, and cross-functional teams to support diverse scholar needs.

• Strong organizational, communication (written and verbal), and data-analysis skills to drive continuous improvement and scholar success.

• A “whatever it takes” mindset, relentless work ethic, and highly relational leadership style—genuinely caring about adult growth and pushing teams to achieve more through coaching, development, and culture-building.

• Openness to feedback and a deep desire for continued professional growth, with a commitment to modeling lifelong learning.

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s in Special Education, Educational Leadership, or related field preferred.

• Special Education certification or licensure required.

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

Our Investment In You 

University Prep offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including: 

• Salary starting at $100,000 

• Up to $10,000 in relocation assistance and/or signing bonus. 

• 100% employer-paid medical insurance, with options for dental, vision, critical illness, and accident coverage. 

• Up to $600 annually in a personal wellness account. 

• Participation in the Colorado PERA retirement system, including a PERA 401(k)  option. 

• Weekly, personalized coaching and support from network leadership. 

Application Process 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. This is a full-time, exempt position. 

As an equal opportunity employer, University Prep hires without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability.