Special Education Teacher

What you'll do as a Special Education Teacher

You're in charge of lesson planning here ; and it's structured. Every Friday, you'll submit plans for the following week that actually work for different student levels. Your plans need to spell out how you'll assess knowledge, which content standards you're covering, and what curriculum you're using. No guesswork.

You'll supervise the paraprofessionals in your classroom. Program Supervisors and Site Administrators help with that, but ultimately, you're the one directing them day to day.

The PBIS program? That's yours to manage. You'll track behavior points, keep the student store running, and stay in touch with parents and guardians. Every day, you document behavioral data in Point Quest's database. Non negotiable.

Your classroom needs to be a place where students are engaged and safe ; you'll implement the behavior plan, adapt the state adopted curriculum, and use strategies that actually work for students with different disabilities. It's hands on work.

IEP meetings are part of the job. You attend them for your students, write updates for each annual IEP alongside the school district, and enter everything ; Present Levels, BIP, ITP, and Goals ; into SEIS 7 days before the meeting is scheduled. Deadlines matter here.

You'll collaborate with other staff and outside agencies. It's not a solo gig. You plan instruction and design learning experiences based on real data, not hunches. And three times per year, minimum, you conduct summative assessments with each student.

Professional development isn't optional. You're in twice monthly teacher meetings and monthly all staff trainings. And you're encouraged to seek out even more training on your own time.

What you need to bring

• A Bachelor's degree ; that's the minimum. A Master's in Special Education is strongly recommended.
• A valid California Special Education Credential. Intern, Preliminary, Clear, Level 1, or Level 2 all work.
• An Educational Specialist Credential in Mild/Moderate or Moderate/Severe disabilities ; it depends on which classroom you're assigned to.
• Somewhere between 2 and 5 years working with students who have learning and/or social emotional needs.
• Experience running a special day class and implementing curriculum and behavior interventions.
• Solid written and verbal English ; that means business writing and professional communication.
• Real interpersonal, organizational, and problem solving skills. Not just buzzwords.
• Comfort with computers ; standard software and internet use is expected.
• A clean DOJ/FBI Live Scan Background and TB Clearance. Required.
• Pro Act, CPI, and/or CPR certification ; preferred, not required.

The physical side of the job

You'll be in an environment where you might deal with dust, pollen, and fumes now and then. You'll do a lot of reaching, handling, standing, walking, and lifting ; with or without reasonable accommodations. And you need to be able to do the essential job functions with or without assistive devices, even in moderate to high noise levels.

A few notes

This job description covers the essential functions. It can be adjusted as needed. PQI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

How to apply

Send your resume and a brief note about your experience to the contact listed on the original posting. Make sure your CA Special Education Credential is current and listed on your resume. Applications are reviewed as they come in.