Special Education Teacher

Department: Teacher

Pay Grade: Professional

FLSA Status: Exempt

JOB GOALS

To create a flexible program and learning environment that provides specialized instruction for students with disabilities, such that the students benefit from the general education curriculum to the greatest extent possible when supported with supplemental aides, accommodations, and other needed supports. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides direct and indirect instructional support to students in a positive environment;
• Employs special education strategies and techniques during instruction to improve the development of sensory- and perceptual-motor skills, language, cognition, and memory;
• Teaches socially acceptable behavior, as determines by the students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) by employing techniques in an overall positive behavioral support system;
• Modifies the general education curriculum for students with disabilities based upon a variety of instruction techniques and technologies;
• Establishes and enforces rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining an environment conducive to learning for all students;
• Meets with parents to discuss their children’s progress and to determine priorities for their children and their individualized education needs;
• Confers with parents, administrators, testing specialists, social workers, and other professionals to develop IEPs designed to promote students’ educational, physical, and social/emotional developments;
• Maintains accurate and complete student records and prepares reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations;
• Develops plans for effective communication, monitoring, and follow-up of students in special education or inclusion classroom settings;
• Provides crisis intervention, as needed, for student and those in inclusive classrooms;
• Assists in collection of data for providing appropriate classroom interventions;
• Assists in preparation of data for local, state, and federal reports; and

Performs other work-related duties as assigned by administration.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor Degree and valid teacher’s license with appropriate endorsement.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• This job may require lifting of objects that exceed 25 lbs., with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 10 lbs. Other physical demands that may be required include stooping and/or kneeling, reaching, talking, hearing, and seeing.

 TEMPERAMENT

• Adaptability to performing a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature without loss of efficiency or composure.
• Adaptability to accepting responsibility for the direction, control, or planning of an activity.
• Adaptability to dealing with people beyond giving and receiving instruction.
• Adaptability to making generalizations, evaluations, or decisions based on sensory or judgmental criteria.

CAPACITY AND ABILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Specific capacities and abilities may be required of an individual in order to learn or perform adequately a task or job duty.
• Intelligence: Ability to “catch on” and understand instructions and underlying principles. Ability to reason and make judgments.
• Verbal: Ability to understand meanings of words and ideas associated with them.
• Numerical: Ability to perform arithmetic operations quickly and accurately.
• Data Perception: Ability to understand and interpret information which may be presented in the form of graphs, charts, or tables.

WORK CONDITIONS

Normal working environment.

Lee County Public Schools has the right to revise this job description at any time.

This description does not represent in any way a contract of employment.