Special Education Teachers for Elementary Schools

Special Education Teacher

Qualifications:

Appropriate NYS Certification in Special Education, SWD 1-6, or SWD 7-12/Content Area 7-12

General Performance Responsibilities:

Facilitates the learning activities of exceptional children (Students with Specific Learning Challenges, Speech/Language Impairments, Intellectually Delayed, Emotional Disturbance, Other Health Impairments, Autism, Hearing Impairments, Orthopedic Impairments, Visual Impairments, and Traumatic Brain Injury) in the attainment of grade-level, subject, school, and system objectives. Utilizes a wide variety of instructional strategies, devices, and methods. Works with small and large instructional groups. Functions effectively as a staff member of the school community.

Major Responsibilities:

• Instruction
• Teach grade level or content area
• Provide adequate educational experiences to enable each student to develop, interpret, and transmit ideas effectively.
• Provide opportunities for each student to develop the ability to solve problems, think critically, and to study effectively.
• Classroom Management
• Establishes a classroom climate conducive to effective learning and study
• Systemizes clerical and record-keeping duties so that instructional process is uninterrupted
• Guidance and Counseling
• Assists each student in dealing with academic problems
• Works closely with guidance counselors and instructional teams on specific problems of individual students
• School Organization and Administration
• Contributes to continuous improvement of educational program by initiating suggestions for staff consideration
• Serves on committees
• Professional Development
• Engages in appropriate studies and activities to improve professional competence
• Contributes to solution of education problems of the school district
• School/Community Relations
• Works closely with parents in guiding the growth and development of students
• Case Manager Responsibilities
• The special education teacher's responsibilities not only include teaching. Their job also requires case management of their students as a whole. This includes all paperwork related to the students and plans for intervention. The case manager is legally responsible for following the terms of a child's IEP to provide the services recommended by the CSE. As the Case Manager for a group of students, the case manager:
• Updates, manages, and ensures the full implementation of IEP's
• Assesses progress periodically throughout the school year based on the district's progress reporting time frame.
• Ensures that progress reports are being completed, based on goals and by those individuals addressing the goals.
• Ensures that parents receive an updated copy of the goals with the progress marked as well as any additional notes or paperwork related to the ongoing assessment.
• Ensures that parents are involved in the planning and implementation of the IEP process.
• Ensures that the general education teacher is implementing modifications and strategies prescribed in the IEP process.
• Provides services to students within the general education classroom and works with the general education teachers as co-workers.
• Collaborates with general education teachers in all planning and changes to the IEP when they are working with students with IEP's.
• Meets periodically with students to assess and discuss student' progress challenges and needs to meet their goals and/or objectives.
• Meets with parents, students, various educators and/or clinicians working with students.
• Reviews progress reports for their students throughout the school year.
• Advocates for students and works with all stakeholders.

Reports to: Building Principal; Responsible to the Special Education Supervisor, and the Director of Special Education. (Updated 4/2023)