Financial Specialist V: Special Education Sr. Accountant

Position: Educational Support Professional: Finance Specialist V Accounting/SPED Grants

Department/School: Accounting/Fiscal Services 

Reports To: Accounting/Fiscal SV

FTE: 1.0

Days/Year: 260

Salary Grade: P06

Salary Schedule: This position is based on the 2026-2027 ESP Salary Schedule, School Based Positions (Group C)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Why You Will Love Working Here

If you love spreadsheets and purpose, you’ll fit right in. Our Finance Team is where analytical minds meet real-world impact—supporting schools, guiding smart decisions, and making sure every dollar works as hard as our educators do. Plus, we genuinely like solving problems together (and a good pivot table never hurts).

SUMMARY OF FUNCTIONS

The Special Education Senior Accountant oversees a wide range of complex duties and responsibilities that includes budgeting, accounting, procurement and HR/payroll functions.  Other roles include in-depth analysis of SPED budget trends and forecasting, interpretation of SPED fiscal policies and statutes at the local/state and federal levels and extensive tracking of the ECEA/IDEA revenues and expenditures that comprise Special Education’s State/Federal Grants and the various General Fund Programs: SPED Instruction, Speech Language Pathology, Transition, Work Study, Psychology Services, Social Work, Audiology Services, Occupational/Physical Therapy, Behavior Intervention, SPED Preschool and SPED Administration.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Performs accounting/financial related activities for SPED’s IDEA federal grants including budget modifications and forecasts, expenditure reporting, requesting monthly funds from CDE, and writing/modifying federal narratives and performance reports
• Drafts original and amended annual and semi-annual financial reports to the Colorado Department of Education and/or appropriate federal offices
• Performs extensive accounting functions for all ECEA and IDEA revenue and expenditure accounts
• Reviews and approves SPED payroll for extra work, overtime, temporary and substitute hours
• Performs financial/budgeting related activities for SPED’s ECEA General Fund Programs including budget monitoring and modifications, forecasts, expenditure reporting, and budget proposals
• Reviews grant-funded teachers in SPED for proper CDE licensure
• Oversees and manages the financial support staff in the SPED department
• Analyzes and monitors departmental authorized FTE and performs associated budgeting for state and federal funds
• approves all District 11 P-Card statements for SPED P-Card holders
• Serves as the District’s SPED Grants Fiscal Point of Contact and assists independent auditors with grant fiscal information required for audits
• Approves invoice payments for SPED’s multiple Program expenditures
• Oversees the purchase requests/orders process for all ECEA and IDEA contracts in Business Plus.
• Approves FTE budget for all personnel requisitions for multiple SPED Support Programs, in addition to approving FTE budget for all SPED teacher and SPED Paraprofessional personnel requisitions from schools
• Maintains accounting information in accordance with applicable record retention (archive) laws, policies and regulations
• Analyzes and monitors General Fund expenditures in SPED for Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirements for Colorado Department of Education
• Manages the journal entry and budget transfer processes for the SPED department
• Prepares financial information for conversions of FTE to pay for contracted vendors
• Provides oversight of the monthly Time and Effort submissions for the federal grants’ staff
• Budgets, monitors and reports IDEA expenditures to CDE for all Charter schools
• Liaisons with Business Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, Budgeting, Procurement and other Departments as needed
• Provides accounting/budgeting support to the Director of Individualized Education
• Performs other duties as assigned

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND SKILLS

• Diverse working knowledge of governmental accounting principles and practices as applied to public school accounting and budgeting (GAAP, GASB accounting standards)
• Strong working knowledge of federal, state and CDE fiscal policies
• Extensive knowledge of budgeting and forecasting skills to implement Special Education’s multi-program budgets
• Knowledge of Single Audit and program audit requirements, processes and procedures as applied to SPED
• Advanced analytical skills to analyze accounting/budgeting data and prepare SPED financial reports for the District and CDE
• Knowledge of Colorado Department of Education’s financial policies and procedures concerning Special Education federal/state grants
• Ability to work under multiple deadlines for the Individualized Education Director, other departments within the District and CDE
• Ability to successfully manage and oversee SPED financial support personnel

• Ability to use spreadsheet and database software at an advanced level
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally
• Ability to work cooperatively with others
• Ability to keep abreast of developments in the field

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance or related field
• CPA or MBA – strongly preferred
• Minimum 6 years of governmental accounting and budgeting experience (which includes at least 2 years of Special Education financial and grant reporting)
• Extensive experience with Special Education regulations pertaining to state and federal grants – especially Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
• High degree of integrity and discretion in safeguarding confidential and sensitive information
• Excellent planning and organization skills
• Business Plus Finance and HR/Payroll skills
• Experience with Colorado Department of Education’s IDEA Budget/Expenditure System – preferred
• Experience with Exceptional Student Services Unit’s Data Management System (DMS) for SPED accountability requirements - preferred

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Reports to and is evaluated by Director of Individualized Education.

WORKING CONDITIONS
The work is performed in a typical office environment.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The work is mostly sedentary with periods of light physical activity.  Typical positions require workers to walk or stand for long periods; lift and carry up to 50 pounds; climb stairs, bend, reach, hold, grasp and turn objects; and use fingers to operate computer or typewriter keyboards.  The work requires the ability to speak normally and use normal or aided vision and hearing.
FLSA STATUS
Exempt

Employees in this category will also receive the following for the 2026-2027 school year:

• Non-Recurring Pay: 8% of base salary in Non-Recurring Pay (distributed as 4% on November paycheck and 4 % on May paycheck). 

Base Salary Setting: Employment, assignment and salary placement, is in accordance with job description requirements. A work history is required to demonstrate job title, job duties and time worked in the position. Grade placement for ESP positions is determined by the Salary Schedule by Job Title resource.Reference the linked How Your Compensation Is Determined for more details. 

Salary Setting (New Hires): Any newly-employed Education Support Professional will be placed on the twenty-five (25) step system.  Each step represents two years of experience, based upon equivalent experience.  The maximum number of years of experience granted is 19-20 years, which is equivalent to placement on step ten (10). Steps are determined by experience listed on the application and resume.

Salary Setting (Rehires): Returning employees who have previously resigned or separated from the District will be rehired at the same step they were on at the time of resignation/separation plus any new experience gained in the same job,  provided step increases were approved by the Board during the years in question. 

Employees with experience in the District who have left the District and then returned to the same position shall be hired at the same pay grade (refers to the ESP placement on salary schedule by job title) and step at time of resignation.  Additional relevant experience gained after resignation may be evaluated from the employee’s  application and updated resume.  

See Employee Handbook (located on the D11 website) for information on salary setting for rehires (after retirement), promotions and lateral transfers. 

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

School District 11 is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in relation to disability, need for special education services (whether actual or perceived), race, creed, color, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, religion, ancestry, age, genetic information, or protected activity in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Any harassment/discrimination of students and/or staff, based on the aforementioned protected areas, will not be tolerated and must be brought to the immediate attention of the school principal, D11 administrator/supervisor or D11 nondiscrimination compliance/grievance coordinator.

NONDISCRIMINATION COMPLIANCE COORDINATOR, the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs and Ombudservices, has been designated to coordinate compliance with: Equal Pay Act of 1963, Civil Rights Act of 1964, as Amended, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Title IX – Education Amendments Act of 1972, Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.  For additional information, please contact the District 11 Office of Equal Opportunity Programs & Ombudservices at 1115 North El Paso Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903-2599, Phone: 719-520-2288, FAX: 719-520-2442

The following Board policies address nondiscrimination in District 11:  AC, AC-R, GBA, GBAA, JBB, JBB-R