Special Education Teacher - Moderate/Severe 2025-2026 School Year

Special Education Teacher- Moderate/Severe

DEFINITION: The job of Special Education Teacher/ Moderate-Severe was established for the purpose/s of providing support for the instructional program for students with special needs; pertinent information and consultant services to staff members and parents on student assessments and progress monitoring; ongoing planning with regular classroom teachers; and promoting and supporting the school Student Study Team, Response to Intervention and Professional Learning Communities. 

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1.   Demonstrates knowledge of K-12 core curriculum for the purpose of designating and presenting instruction with clean and logical structure and modifying/accommodating to help students meet goals and                objectives of IEP

2.   Demonstrates knowledge of special education laws as well as SELPA and District policies and procedures for the purpose of maintaining compliance with federal and state laws

3.   Develops reasonably calculated,  including individual goals aligned to state content standards for the purpose of providing educational benefit to the students

4.   Implements student IEPs as written in accordance to the law for the purpose of providing education benefit to the students

5.   Monitors students’ progress utilizing data that reflects student performance and adjusts instruction as needed based on analysis of the data for the purpose of coordinating services to individual                                students                                

6.   Provides students with specialized instruction for the purpose of meeting their unique needs

7.   Interfaces with other teachers, psychologists, specialists, and others for the purpose of monitoring student progress

8.   Provides timely feedback to students, parents and general education teachers based on data for the purpose of coordinating services to individual students

9.   Schedules IEP meeting with parents, general education teachers, administrators, and any members of the IEP team required by law for the purpose of maintaining compliance with federal and state laws

 10. Uses instructional strategies for the purpose of facilitating student learning in core academic subjects

11. Utilizes assessment results for the purpose of providing educational benefit to the students

12. Trains and provides work direction and guidance to assigned Instructional Aides for the purpose of meeting unique needs of students.  Training must include Crisis Prevention Intervention or a comparable              model and appropriate lifting and toileting training

13. Performs other duties as needed for the purpose of facilitating student learning

14. Uses technology in classroom instruction, in keeping appropriate records and preparing progress reports, report cards, benchmark assessments, etc.  

15. Uses classroom and/or behavior management techniques achieve a safe and functional learning atmosphere for all students. This includes creating appropriate room displays, bulletin boards, and/or                      interest/learning centers and providing a more structured token economy system when necessary  

16. Mainstreams students into appropriate integrated settings for maximum interaction with peers

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

Working under direct supervision using standardized procedures; providing information and/or advising others. Utilization of significant resources from other work units is routinely required to perform the job's functions. There is some opportunity to affect the organization’s services.                     

Skills, Knowledge and/or Abilities Required:
 
1.  Work with administrators, teachers, classified personnel, parents and students

 2.  Plan, organize and prepare IEPs, behavior plans and transition plans as appropriate

3.  Participates in specialty training to provide current, research-based supports for the students, including training in specialized curriculum, specialized behavioral approaches, and reporting processes

4.  Participates in crisis communication and de-escalation techniques to assist in maintaining student behavior. Trained at least annually in the Division-approved behavior management/crisis level program

5.  Assists in physical restraints as part of a team or, when appropriate, as team leader

6.  Adjusts equipment, braces, furniture as needed to appropriately serve individual students

7.  Confers with the rest of the IEP Team to ensure all disciplines are aware of a student’s strengths and/or needs to ensure the “total child” is addressed

8.  Works with general education teachers when students are mainstreamed to ensure the students are participating appropriately in their classroom

9.   Assists in toileting, feeding, dressing, loading in/out of the bus as necessary

10. Stays abreast of current assistive technology and its potential with the moderate-to-severe population

11. Works closely with parents and school nurse to monitor any medical needs the students may develop

Ability to:

1.   Coordinate services with the general education teacher & through collaboration make  suggestions for  modifications/accommodations of core curriculum that targets students’ needs

2.   Administer a variety of assessments

3.   Utilize, peer-reviewed research-based instructional strategies to plan educational programs

4.   Write IEPs aligned to state content standards

5.   Implement each student's IEP as it is written

6.   Provide students with specialized instruction based on their unique needs

7.   Adhere to federal and state laws pertaining to students with special needs

8.   Communicate effectively with general education teachers, administrators and parents

9.   Maintain student confidentiality

10. Exercise initiative

11. Possess good judgment

Education and Experience Required: 

                  Bachelor’s degree in job-related area. Certificates, Licenses, Clearances, Testing and/or Bonding required:
                  1.               Moderate to Severe Special Education Credential (or be eligible for an Intern Program)
                  2.               Must be able to meet highly-qualified teacher requirements as required by the No Child Left behind Act
                  3.               EL Authorization
                  4.               Department of Justice and FBI Fingerprint 

                  Incorporated within one or more of the previously mentioned essential qualifications of this job

                  description are the following essential physical requirements:

                                    1. Seldom= Less than 25 percent               3.      Often                         = 51-75 percent

                                    2. Occasional  = 25-50 percent                   4.      Very Frequent = 76 percent and above

                   2                a. Ability to sit for extended periods of time

                   3                b. Ability to stand for extended periods of time and ascend and descend steps

                   4                c. Ability to see for the purpose of reading laws and codes, rules and policies and other

                                         printed matter and observing students

                   4                d. Ability to hear and understand speech at normal levels

                   4                e. Ability to communicate so others will be able to clearly understand a normal

                                         conversation

                   3                f.  Ability to bend and twist, kneel and stoop

                   3                g. Ability to lift 55 lbs

                   2                h. Ability to carry 50 lbs

                   3                i. Ability to reach all directions

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appropriate California Education Specialist Teaching Credential; or a BA degree, including all courses needed to meet credential requirements; CBEST; a valid CA driver's license and proof of insurance; current TB and DOJ clearance