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 prior 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 providing general clerical or administrative support in which you create or maintain organizational systems. Include the position(s) in which you gained this experience and any technology routinely utilized.

2) Please describe your experience with data collection and management systems such as Google Forms, Google Sheets, and Microsoft Excel. Include the position(s) in which you gained this experience and up to two examples that demonstrate your proficiency with these systems.

3) Please describe up to two examples of any experience you have providing customer service and building strong professional relationships. For each, include the position(s) in which you gained this experience.

4) Please describe any experience you have with Medical Assistance billing and/or documentation. Include the position(s) in which you gained this experience.

5) Please describe any experience you have reviewing and understanding Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP), Individualized Education Programs (IEP), or other student records. Include the position(s) in which you gained this experience and your responsibilities with each record type.

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.

Applicants may be required to complete a skills assessment prior to or during the interview process.

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

Compensation

This is a 12-month per year position in the Howard County Education Association, Educational Support Professionals (HCEA-ESP) employee unit. The current salary range for this position is Grade 20 on the Technical Central Office and School Based salary scale, $44,611 - $94,6250. Actual step placement within this range will be in accordance with the salary procedures of the Howard County Public School System and the HCEA-ESP 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.