Job Description

Introduction

The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is the state agency that advances public education and libraries in Wisconsin. Our mission is to advance equitable, transformative, and sustainable educational experiences that develop learners, schools, libraries, and communities in Wisconsin. Working at DPI offers you the opportunity to build on our long-standing commitment to public education so that students are learning the skills and knowledge necessary to become contributing members of our communities.

At DPI, we are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels safe, supported, and valued. Equity and inclusion are at the core of our organizational values, which include belonging, integrity, love, humility, and honor. These values guide how we build our teams, develop our leaders, and create a culture that empowers everyone to be their authentic selves. When employees are respected and valued for who they are and staff are held accountable for demonstrating that respect to others, we believe it drives greater engagement and collaboration, ignites creativity and innovation, and fosters connection between teams and those we serve.

Our employees enjoy an exceptional employee assistance program that offers a variety of programs and tools to help promote wellness. We have a team-oriented atmosphere, focus on work-life balance, and offer flexible work schedules for most positions. Click this video to learn more about the benefits of working at DPI.

The DPI is seeking applicants for a Special Education Program Advisor position. Reporting directly to an Assistant State Superintendent, this position will provide statewide coordination of special education and lead a new horizontal special education team at DPI. The Special Education Program Advisor, who will not have direct supervisory responsibility for personnel, will fulfill many of the roles previously held by the State Director of Special Education. The incumbent will work with diverse groups of education professionals to improve outcomes for students with disabilities statewide.

Position Summary

This position will coordinate the work of the Wisconsin DPI special education horizontal team, which is comprised of personnel with different Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and special education (IDEA) laws, regulations, content, data collection, fiscal, and continuous improvement expertise. Major goals for this position include: (a) facilitation of agency staff to develop, implement, and sustain service delivery systems to improve academic and behavioral outcomes for students with disabilities in Wisconsin, including making recommendations regarding use of IDEA funds and (b) collaborate with agency leadership and horizontal special education team to analyze, develop, and review policy initiatives, administrative rules, and legislation for effective special education and related services in local education agencies. Other major responsibilities include supporting the special education dispute resolution process and general supervision system and overseeing the coordination, collection, and reporting of all required LEA Special Education data collections as part of the Annual Performance Report and State Performance Plan.


The Program Advisor is expected to have in-depth knowledge of all state and federal laws, procedures related to special education programs, and required data collections, and will maintain appropriate relationships with counterparts in other states and federal agencies, especially the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education. The Program Advisor will make complex independent judgements and decisions that impact special education students and programs throughout the state.

The position coordinates and prioritizes personnel resources to address issues related to special education and students with disabilities. Consistent with agency priorities, state and federal legal requirements, and with input from engagement groups, this position determines policy and supports policy evaluation to improve impact. Other responsibilities include representing the agency at state and federal meetings and maintaining effective working relationships with other department teams and offices, along with other state and federal agencies, including CESAs, to coordinate program and fiscal compliance and monitoring responsibilities.

For more information, please view the complete position description.

Salary Information

This position is in the Policy Initiatives Advisor-Administrative classification. Depending on qualifications, the salary will be between $45.00-$51.50 per hour (approximately $93,600 - $107,120 per year). For current and eligible former State employees, compensation will be set in accordance with the State Compensation Plan effective at time of hire. This position is in pay schedule 81, range 02. A two-year career executive probationary period will be required.

This position offers excellent benefits. The State of Wisconsin is a qualifying employer for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Job Details

Remote Work : This position allows for up to 100% remote work within the State of Wisconsin, with the expectation that the employee will maintain secure, high-speed internet access. Remote work from neighboring states may be approved only in very rare and limited circumstances. Please note that remote work arrangements may be rescinded at any time based on business needs, and employees may occasionally be required to report to a Wisconsin work location on short notice.

Travel : This position includes in-state travel approximately once per month and out-of-state travel approximately twice annually.

Headquarters : The position is headquartered at 201 W. Washington Ave. in Madison, WI, and employees are required to report there on their first day of employment. In addition, the employee may need to report to their headquarter location as operational needs require. Reimbursement for traveling to or from the employee’s headquarters is not provided (e.g., mileage, meals, parking, lodging, etc.).

Pre-hire requirements : A criminal background check will be conducted prior to an offer of hire. A TB screen will be required prior to start.

Legal authorization : Applicants must be legally entitled to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the U.S., without DPI sponsorship). The Department of Public Instruction does not sponsor visas, either at time of hire or at any later time.

Qualifications

Please address the following in your resume and/or letter of qualifications .

A minimally qualified applicant must have experience with all the below :

• Providing guidance to others on special education law, regulations, or procedures.
• Engaging and partnering with marginalized communities to improve local, regional, or statewide educational systems.
• Leading special education procedural compliance or special education fiscal monitoring at the local or state level.

Well-qualified applicants will also have experience:

• Leading or assisting in the completion and timely submission of an Annual Performance Report to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) or leading or assisting in the completion of the annual Part B application to the OSEP.
• Leading or assisting in coordination of data collection procedures related to joint federal notifications at either the state or local level.
• Developing state or local policy initiatives, developing guidance on implementing administrative rules, or developing legislation pertaining to special education.
• Reviewing IDEA state complaint decisions, including meeting with complainants, district staff, or attorneys.
• Working as a director of special education.

How To Apply

Applying is easy! Click “Apply for Job” to start your application process. Sign into your account or click “Register Now” to create an account before applying for the job. Follow the steps outlined in the application process and submit your application.

Helpful Tips:

• Current state employees must apply through the STAR “Careers” tile. Do not create an external applicant account.
• There will be no opportunity to change your application materials once you have clicked “Submit”.
• The system will automatically log you off after 30 minutes of inactivity, so click “Save as a Draft” often.
• Please visit the Frequently Asked Questions section for general Wisc.Jobs user information and technical assistance.
• Candidates may need to check their spam or junk email folders for correspondence about this position.

Each time you apply for a state job; you should update and tailor your resume and letter of qualifications. You should clearly describe your education, training, and experience related to the items listed in the “ Qualifications ” section of the job announcement . These qualifications should be addressed in your resume and expanded upon in your letter of qualifications. This will allow a fuller assessment regarding your qualifications and those required for the job applying for. Please review these resume and letter of qualifications tips for more information on your application materials.

Your resume should include the following:

• Your educational background including any course work that relates to the position in which you are applying.
• Your employment history, including experiences and/or duties and a summary of accomplishments and skills learned or used.
• Any training or experience, including volunteer work or internships, you have related specifically to the “Qualifications” section of the assessment.
• Spell out any acronyms and/or abbreviations the first time used.

Your letter of qualifications should include:

• Additional information regarding your past work experience, including volunteer work and internships, or coursework you have taken.
• Highlights of your most relevant skills and experiences as they related to the specific job you are applying for.
• Specific examples that clearly demonstrates your level of expertise.

What not to include in your resume or letter of qualifications:

Your application materials should not include any information that is not job-related, such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, creed, disability, or genetic information. Further, do not include any self-identifying information such as photos, social security numbers, political affiliation, citizen status or conviction records. This document is not a letter of recommendation that someone else wrote about you.

Applicants in the Wisconsin classified state service who have Career Executive status in a higher, same or counterpart pay range who are eligible as a transfer or voluntary demotion should apply by emailing a resume addressing the qualifications outlined above to the HR recruiter listed below.

Application materials will be evaluated, and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the process. References will be requested from top candidates once interviews have taken place.

If you are a veteran with a 30% or greater service-related disability and are not currently employed in a permanent position with Wisconsin State Government, please send a letter of qualifications, resume, DD-214 and documentation of your service-connected disability rating (dated within 12 months) to the contact listed below.

The State of Wisconsin is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to applicants of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.

Questions? Please contact the recruiter at:
Maria Butters
DPI Human Resources Specialist-Senior
Email: Maria.Butters@dpi.wi.gov

Deadline to Apply

The deadline for this announcement is 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.

Job Tags

Hourly pay, Permanent employment, Full time, Work experience placement, Internship, Work at office, Local area, Remote work, Visa sponsorship, Flexible hours,

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