1 Position Available

SUMMARY:

The Special Education SB Teacher  provides support to students with disabilities in the general education program who need special education service. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY, and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions, but are an essential function. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Obtain and demonstrate knowledge of general education curriculum, including the Grade Level Expectations and State Standards.
• Consult and/or collaborate with the general education teachers in the areas of assessment, curriculum adaptation, behavior management, and monitoring of student progress of students with disabilities.
• Implement Special Education due process guidelines including evaluation of students suspected of or identified as having disabilities, determination of special education eligibility, development of IEPs, and case management.
• Participate in team planning of IEPs for students with disabilities, including the development of appropriate, measurable, behavioral and instructional objectives.
• Report student progress toward IEP goals to parents and educational personnel a minimum of three times per year.
• Monitor progress of students with disabilities using specified program procedures, and make instructional changes when indicated.
• Develop, implement, and monitor behavior management programs for students with disabilities who exhibit behavior problems.
• Develop, implement, and monitor specialized, research-based instructional programs in basic skill areas to meet students’ unique needs.
• Develop and implement, in collaboration with the transition IEP team, transition evaluations and IEPs prior to transition age (grade 9 or age 14, whichever is first).
• Develop proficiency in use of Easy IEP, web-based software, to produce due process paper work including IEPs and Evaluation Reports.
• Continue professional development in evidenced-based instructional practices through membership in professional organizations, reading of professional journals, and/or attendance at in-service trainings and professional conferences.
• Prepare and submit program information and reports as requested by Assistant Director of Special Education.
• Adhere to building policy and procedures.
• Acquire knowledge of the goals of the Minneapolis Public School District Improvement Agenda and site/school goals. Work to support and achieve those goals.
• Establish developmentally appropriate instructional and behavioral expectations for students and for self and communicate those to students and their families.
• Create lessons and learning environments that are safe, respectful and interesting as well as multicultural/gender and ability fair/developmentally appropriate. Select, adapt and individualize materials appropriate for diverse student populations and skill levels.
• Teach students the required curricula using strategies that foster thinking, reasoning and problem solving.
• Collaborate and communicate regularly with families in making educational decisions and use family and community resources to support learning.
• Assess students’ developmental, cognitive and social needs and provide developmentally appropriate instruction to meet those needs.
• Regularly assess student learning by using multiple forms of assessment.
• Facilitate positive interactions between students and teacher, student and peers and student and other adults.
• Model learning and behavior consistent with the expectations for students.
• Assess own instructional effectiveness through the Professional Development Process (PDP).
• Participate in ongoing and regular staff, team and individual professional development.
• Collaborate with peers to develop, plan and implement best practices based on the needs/abilities of the students.
• Participate in site-based management and shared decision-making.
• Always keep the students’ needs and rights first and foremost in any educational decision-making.
• Demonstrate competence in the Minneapolis Standards of Effective Instruction.
• Have a working knowledge of and implement the Minnesota State Standards and the District Graduation Requirements.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education, Training and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university.
• Knowledge of state and federal laws and guidelines for special education services.
• Working knowledge of the subject matter, classroom management techniques, current researched best practices and strategies, as well as students’ learning styles and needs, both academic and affective.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Prior successful experience student teaching or teaching in urban, multicultural education setting.
• Demonstrates continued professional development through course work, research, peer collaboration and/or job-embedded staff development.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s or PhD

LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• A valid Minnesota teaching license - Emotional or Behavioral Disorder (EBD), Academic and Behavior Strategy (ABS), or Learning Disability (LD), or proof of pending approved licensure.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed in a standard classroom environment which requires occasionally lifting such articles as file boxes or heavier material with help from others and/or lifting and carrying light objects frequently. A job in this category may require walking or standing to a significant degree or may involve sitting most of the time with long periods of computer work and heavy phone usage.