Special Education Teacher

Reports To: Director of Education

Employment Status: Full-time

Department: School

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Job Summary

The Teacher is responsible for providing day-to-day educational instruction, academic, and/or life skills to a variety of students with special needs. The Teacher will also provide daily direction and oversight to staff working in the same classroom. The Teacher will maintain a valid Education Specialist Teaching Credential or teaching permit.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Duties marked with an asterisk (*) are considered to be essential to this position under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

• Work directly with students in all respects of educational program. *
• Provide day-to-day direction and supervision to staff working in the same classroom, including, but not limited to: *
• Ongoing orientation and training regarding all educational components of classroom program (task analysis, instruction delivery, behavioral intervention, data collection, etc.). *
• Oversee and direct day-to-day performance; coach employee for performance improvement; collaborate with School Director and HR to document concerns and take part in corrective action; with School Director, prepare and take part in performance evaluations. *
• Oversee attendance and approve employee biweekly timecards; first level review of time off requests. *
• Assist in interviewing, hiring, orienting, and training classroom staff. *
• Develop, manage, and implement educational component of IEP and ITP and all related reports. *
• Develop and coordinate a relevant curriculum for each student. *
• Maintain educational records and complete required educational assessments. *
• Work directly and cooperatively with other staff to coordinate all aspects of educational, social/emotional, behavioral, and vocational programs for each student. *
• Communicate and meet with parents and home care providers on a regular basis, when appropriate to program and site. *
• Prepare and coordinate student and classroom staff schedules. *
• Oversee completion of vocational assessments, development of longitudinal vocational plans, and coordinate vocational tasks for each student. *
• Assist Behavior Analysts to develop individualized behavior support plans. *
• Collaborate with related service providers to ensure students receive ancillary services per IEP requirements. *
• Work with program staff to screen, admit, and discharge students. *
• Carry out behavioral interventions, using Safety Care techniques, with children, adolescents, or young adults, which could include visually/auditorily monitoring students, evading, containing physical aggression, lifting, and pursuing students who might be running away. *
• Attend workshops, conferences, and courses in areas related to job duties. *
• Support Agency goals and functions as an organizational leader; maintain open communication with all coworkers throughout the Agency, and with other stakeholders. *
• Drive students to school, home, or within the community as needed. *

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty. Requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Education, Special Education or related field,
• Current appropriate California Special Education Teaching Credential OR ability to obtain university internship or valid teaching permit.
• Maintain continuing education units as required to ensure maintenance of teaching credential.
• One or more years of experience teaching children requiring special education/intervention techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise staff, facilitate group process, and work effectively with a team
• Competencies in the following, or willingness to obtain competencies within 30 days of hire:
• First Aid/CPR Certification
• Knowledge of child abuse reporting laws
• Basic behavior management and Positive Behavior Intervention Training
• Safety Care techniques (Certification is a requirement for this classification)

Skills & Abilities

• Bilingual (English and Spanish) is a plus.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Effective organizational skills.
• Good public relations skills.
• Ability to function as part of an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to think and act autonomously in a variety of situations.
• Ability to physically respond to physically active and aggressive children, adolescents, and young adults.

• Criminal record clearance or formal exemption.
• Tuberculosis risk assessment clearance within 60 days before hire and every four years thereafter.
• Complete a physical examination that demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• A valid California Driver’s License with a clean driving record