Flex Special Education Teacher - IDEA Tarrant County Region (Immediate Opening)

IDEA Public Schools • Fort Worth, TX

9d • Onsite

About The Position

IDEA Flex Special Education Teachers are full-time additional teaching staff hired by IDEA Public Schools with the intent of eventually filling a permanent teaching role on a campus when an aligned vacancy arises. This allows IDEA to put a qualified teacher into the classroom immediately after a vacancy is determined and minimizes the number of days that students miss out on valuable instruction by a qualified teacher. Once hired by IDEA, our Flex Teachers are assigned to a "home-campus" to fulfill various educator responsibilities. When a permanent teaching vacancy arises either at the “home-campus” or other campuses in the region, our Flex teachers participate in a matching interview with a campus leadership team for a permanent teaching placement. Vacancies may arise before or after the start of the school year. IDEA Special Education teachers are responsible for the achievement and support of special education. Special Education teachers develop individualized plans and work with students who have a wide range of learning, cognitive, emotional, and physical disabilities. They provide in-class support for various subjects, such as reading, writing, and math, to students with outlined service minutes support. They also teach content mastery for students with outlined accommodations and service minutes support. The IDEA Special Education teacher provides the crucial bridge between home and school for our highest need students and their families.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year educational institution (required)
• Valid Texas state certification in Special Education (required)
• Knowledge of core academic subject assigned
• Knowledge of curriculum and instruction
• Ability to instruct students and manage student behavior
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to adjust and adapt to a multitude of situations in the school environment
• Ability to facilitate Admission, Review and Dismissal meetings
• Strong family engagement and communication
• Record of results for students who are academically at risk
• Minimum of 40+ hours spent at school per week

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a Special Education classroom setting (strongly preferred)

Responsibilities

• Adapt lessons to meet the needs of students.
• Develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for a caseload of students.
• Implement IEPs, assess students’ performance, and track their progress.
• Update IEPs throughout the school year to reflect students’ progress and goals.
• Assess students’ skills to determine their needs and to develop teaching plans.
• Teach small groups consisting of students that are academically at risk in reading and/or math to include students in general education, 504, response-to-intervention, Special Education and English Language Learners.
• Collect and analyze student data in order to make effective decisions to maximize achievement.
• Discuss student’s progress with parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators.
• Prepare and help students transition from grade to grade and after graduation.
• Implement state learning standards and IDEA curricula and assessments to meet ambitious academic expectations.
• Submit weekly lesson plans two weeks in advance for feedback.
• Implement formal and informal assessments to track each individual student’s progress and learning needs, adjust lesson plans accordingly and update gradebook weekly.
• Communicate students’ progress with student and family on a weekly basis.
• Effective facilitation and personal use of technology as a communication and educational tool to improve student achievement and manage work related tasks.
• Implement a clear and consistent behavior management system that aligns to campus-wide initiatives while developing students’ character and sense of community in the classroom.
• Help shape and develop a school wide culture that fosters a productive and enthusiastic learning environment for each student.
• Establish and maintain a cooperative working relationship with students and families based on trust, understanding and respect for the communities in which they identify.
• Host necessary tutoring sessions to meet all students’ needs.
• Participate in weekly manager check-ins, grade-level meetings, before and after-school duties, and school wide meetings and functions.
• Engage in summer and year-long district, school and personal learning and development.
• Oversee the daily work and responsibilities of a Special Education Co-Teacher (para-professional) in the RISE classroom.

Benefits

• Paid Family Leave: Eligible staff may receive up to 8 weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, based on their tenure with the organization and caregiver designation.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Staff members may apply for up to 50% of tuition paid toward a qualifying degree program, up to $5,250 maximum per year subject to manager discretion and budget availability.
• Employer-Paid Mental/Behavioral Health: 5 face-to-face counseling sessions within a year, unlimited 24/7 telephonic counseling, and other work-life services available at no cost.
• Dental and vision plans
• Disability
• Life insurance
• Parenting benefits
• Flexible spending account options
• Generous vacation time
• Referral bonuses
• Professional development
• 403(b) plan
• Relocation allowance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level