Special Education RISE Teacher - IDEA Hardy College Prep
At IDEA Public Schools, we believe in college for ALL and we are committed to ensuring that all our students graduate from college. IDEA Public Schools has grown from a small school to the fastest-growing network of tuition-free Pre-K-12 public charter schools in the United States sending 100% of our students to college. 50% of our students graduate from college in 6 years – that’s 8 times the national rate for students in our communities!
IDEA was founded in 2000 as a single school with 150 students in the Rio Grande Valley. When interest exceeded building capacity, to meet the demands, IDEA’s co-founders committed to serving more students in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and beyond. We now serve over 65,000 students across Texas and Louisiana. Be on the lookout for IDEA schools opening near you—with continued growth in our current regions and new launches in Tampa Bay, FL (2021), and Jacksonville, FL (2022)!
When you choose to work at IDEA, you are part of our IDEA Team and Family. You will work alongside team members who set and reach ambitious goals every day, are excited to continue to grow with IDEA, and work relentlessly to make college for all a reality.
To learn more about IDEA, check out this video.
About Houston
Houston is known for being one of the most diverse cities in America, yet children of color and children living in poverty continue to lack access to the highest quality schools. We are the fourth largest city, with more than 51 independent public-school districts and the home base for two fantastic public charter school operators, YES Prep and KIPP Texas-Houston.
Houston’s reputation is based on economic opportunity and affordable living with a massive sprawl that exceeds the size of New Hampshire. Despite the presence of great public charter schools and a strong district magnet schools' system, the need for more great schools is ever present. IDEA Greater Houston will help solve the challenge to offer more children a choice-filled life through a transformational public education.
Role Mission: RISE stands for Reaching Independence through Student Education. IDEA Special Education RISE teachers ensure that our students with the most significant disabilities, are held to very high achievement expectations so that they reach their fullest potential. Our IDEA Special Education RISE teachers provide resources, education, training and emotional support to the families they serve so families are prepared for long-term plans for their children.
All IDEA teachers are responsible for ensuring that every IDEA student masters the academic, behavioral and social skills necessary to succeed in college, while also embodying IDEA’s values daily. IDEA teachers set ambitious goals for student achievement and diligently track student data to drive effective educational programming decisions. IDEA teachers seek feedback and continue to develop their teaching practice to better serve IDEA students.
Special Education Teacher Responsibilities:
- Adapt lessons to meet the needs of students
- Support coordination of related services for students on their caseload
- Develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
- 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
- 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
- Minimum of 40+ hours spent at school per week
- Additional responsibilities may include: after-school tutoring or Saturday school and are based on the needs of our scholars
We look for Team and Family who embody the following values and characteristics:
- Believes and is committed to our mission and being an agent of change: that all students are capable of getting to and through college
- Has demonstrated effective outcomes and results, and wants to be held accountable for them
- Has a propensity for action, willing to make mistakes by doing in order to learn and improve quickly
- Works with urgency and purpose to drive student outcomes
- Thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment; is comfortable with ambiguity and change
- Seeks and responds well to feedback, which is shared often and freely across all levels of the organization
- Works through silos and forges strong cross-departmental relationships in order to achieve outcomes
- We believe in education as a profession and hold ourselves to high level of conduct, professionalism and behaviors as models for our colleagues and students.
Qualifications:
- Education: Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year educational institution
- Experience: Experience in a Special Education classroom setting with students who have significant disabilities
- Licenses or Certifications: valid state certification in Special Education and content is required
Knowledge and Skills:
- 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
Supervisory responsibilities:
- Oversee the daily work and responsibilities of a Special Education Co-Teacher (para-professional) in the RISE classroom.
Compensation:
- Click here for the Teacher Salary Schedule.
- This role is also eligible for various stipend opportunities and incentives through our Teacher Career Pathway. For more information about our total rewards, visit our benefits page.
- Additional hourly compensation is provided for after school tutoring or Saturday school as assigned