Program Assistant, Special Education, Early Childhood

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 p rior to the indicated end date. If no end date is indicated, the posting will remain open indefinitely .

Job Posting End Date:

10-02-2026

Reminder: Current permanent and temporary employees must apply through the Jobs Hub in Workday, not the external career site.

The Department of Special Education currently has two Program Assistant positions open. To be considered for both roles, please submit a separate application to each posting.

DESCRIPTION

Under the direction of the Instructional Facilitator of Early Childhood Special Education, the Program Assistant will perform a variety of duties to support Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individual Education Program (IEP) processes for Birth through Five programs. The Program Assistant will work directly with administrators and other leaders (e.g., special education team leaders) to support special education procedures including maintenance of confidential records, scheduling meetings, communication with school and central office staff, data preparation, and follow-up with parents.

This is an itinerant position providing support to assigned schools based on the needs identified by the Department of Special Education Leadership Team. Under Article 12.6 of the Master Agreement for Educational Support Professionals, this position is eligible for mileage reimbursement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• High school diploma or GED.

Experience

• One year of general clerical, administrative support experience creating or maintaining organizational systems.

• One year of experience with data collection and management systems such as Google Forms, Google Sheets, and Microsoft Excel.

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.

• Associate degree, or higher, from an accredited college or university in business administration, education, or a closely related field.

• Experience providing clerical and/or administrative support in an organization focused on supporting families of children ages birth to five.

• Experience providing customer service and building strong professional relationships.

• Experience with Medical Assistance billing and/or documentation.

• Experience reviewing and understanding Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) and Individualized Education Programs (IEP) or other student records.

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.

• Maintains accurate, organized, and confidential records related to the Birth through Five Program and special education services, including documentation, logs, registration, filing systems, and Medical Assistance billing, in accordance with federal, state, and local requirements and established procedures.

• Provides customer service and technical support to central office staff, school-based staff, MSDE staff, and families and community members to provide accurate information on services for students ages birth through five.

• Implements and maintains existing office processes while providing input to process improvements to increase efficiency for staff (e.g., special projects for data collection, staffing, analysis of data to determine areas of improvement)

• Provides other supportive measures to IFSP/IEP teams as needed.

• Attends initial and ongoing training related to special education processes (e.g., MA billing, student information databases, and compliance requirements).

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

• Understanding of federal, state, and local special education laws and processes, specifically governing Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) and Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for the Birth through Five population (e.g., IDEA Part C and Part B).

• Understanding of Medicaid/Medical Assistance reimbursement processes, documentation standards, and compliance rules within an educational or early intervention setting.

• Strong working knowledge of FERPA, HIPAA, and local regulatory guidelines governing the privacy, retention, and secure handling of sensitive student records.

• Understanding of administrative workflows, data collection methodology, and basic data analysis techniques to identify organizational bottlenecks and operational efficiencies.

Skills

• Accurately completing, organizing, and auditing administrative logs, billing forms, and regulatory documentation with high precision.

• Creating, updating, and maintaining systematic hard-copy and electronic student record systems (e.g., creating folder structures, filing, and managing databases).

• Clear, professional, and accessible customer service and technical guidance skills in communicating to diverse stakeholders—including central office staff, school staff, state department officials (MSDE), and families.

• Navigating, updating, and troubleshooting specialized student information systems, databases, and billing software.

• Gathering, organizing, and evaluating data for special projects to support administrative decision-making and staffing needs.

Abilities

• Ability to build positive, professional relationships and adapt communication styles when interacting with educators, state officials, families, and community partners.

• Ability to review complex administrative paperwork and data entries thoroughly to ensure full regulatory compliance and error-free reporting.

• Ability to execute existing office procedures reliably while proactively identifying and suggesting practical workflow improvements.

• Ability to provide flexible, reliable administrative support to dynamic IFSP/IEP teams under changing operational priorities.

• Ability to quickly absorb, retain, and apply new technical knowledge from specialized trainings regarding database updates, MA billing rules, and regulatory changes.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Working Hours

The duty day for this position is eight hours including a one-hour duty-free lunch.

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 supplemental application questions below 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 describe your experience pr