2027-28 Elementary Special Education Teacher

Locations: North Nashville, East Nashville, Antioch. $5,000 sign-on bonus included.

About the role

KIPP Nashville Public Schools is a network of high-performing, free, open-enrollment K-12 schools committed to positively affecting student outcomes in Nashville since 2005. Part of the national KIPP Network educating 100,000+ students, KIPP Nashville operates 4 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 2 high schools serving over 3,000 students in the Nashville metropolitan area. The mission: together with families and communities, create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose — college, career, and beyond — so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. Core values are GROWTH, TEAM, and SHINE.

Responsibilities

• Special Education Coordination: Ensure compliance with federal, state, and district Special Education and ELL regulations; develop processes for entering and exiting students into services; design and execute RTI process for behavior and academics with support of school staff; administer relevant assessments; oversee development, revision, and execution of student IEPs and 504 Plans; lead IEP and 504 Plan meetings.
• Special Education Leadership: Meet with general education teachers to review IEPs, answer questions, provide strategies and supports; adapt and differentiate general education teachers' weekly lesson plans, assessments, and homework to meet individual student goals; support teacher development in serving Special Education and Multilingual Learner students through individual coaching and group professional development.
• Curriculum Development and Instruction: Plan and use appropriate instructional and learning strategies, activities, materials, and equipment reflecting understanding of learning styles and needs of individual students; use progress-monitoring tools to analyze student results for modifying and adjusting strategies and programming; use data to inform instructional decisions; provide students with daily feedback on mastery performance in character and academics and plan for individual learning needs; demonstrate strong pedagogy.
• Commitment to School and Classroom Culture: Work collaboratively with school team and across KIPP Nashville; help develop school-wide culture that best fits needs of students, teachers, and families; attend and participate in all staff meetings and communicate openly with staff; develop positive rapport with students; create and foster a positive and calm learning environment; enforce, uphold, and exhibit school values, student management policies, and culture.
• Family Engagement: Establish and maintain strong communication lines with all parents and share progress; be available for open houses, parent-teacher conferences, and other events involving parents; make oneself available to students, parents, and other staff members.
• Growth Mindset: Pursue challenging professional goals each year; willing to offer support and receive constructive feedback from colleagues to create a professional working atmosphere conducive to change and improvement; participate in school-wide and individual professional development, including pre-service training over the summer and weekly during the academic year.

Requirements

• Valid Tennessee teaching license with one or more of the following endorsements: Special Education Interventionist K-8 (144), Special Education Interventionist 6-12 (145), or Special Education Comprehensive K-12 (461 or 460).
• CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute) certification required or willingness to complete training upon hire.
• Conferred Bachelor's degree.
• Pass criminal background check.

Qualifications

• Commitment to working with students from educationally under-resourced communities (highly preferred).
• Experience and demonstrated success teaching students from educationally under-resourced communities (highly preferred).
• At least two years of teaching experience (preferred).
• Passionate about data-driven instruction.
• Unwavering commitment to KIPP Nashville's mission, core values, students, families, and community.
• Demonstrates excitement in growing students into their highest selves and believes that providing students with an excellent education is the largest lever as educators to wholly improve student outcomes.
• Eagerness to collaborate and problem-solve with a variety of stakeholders.
• Demonstrates commitment to continue professional development individually.

Pay

• BA Scale: $56,000–$92,000.
• MA+ Scale: $61,000–$100,000.
• Starting salary for first-year teachers begins at $56,171; with a conferred advanced degree begins at $61,909.
• Salary is commensurate with experience.
• Staff members receive up to a 2% yearly raise.
• Compensation package derived from the regional KIPP Nashville Public Schools pay scale.
• Position is exempt.

Benefits

• Robust benefits package including medical, dental, vision, disability, supplemental insurance, and life insurance policy options; applications may be made immediately upon employment; policy effective the first of the month following the first day of work.
• Certificated staff have access to the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System pension plan (TCRS): eligible employees contribute 5% and KIPP matches up to 6%.
• Employees may also be eligible for 401(k) with KIPP contributing 5%.
• Vacation package for salaried employees includes 29 paid days throughout the 10-month work schedule (holidays, fall break, spring break, Thanksgiving break, winter break, summer break) plus 6 PTO days.
• Additional 2 PTO days allotted after every 2 consecutive years of employment.
• Eligible staff members receive payment for unused PTO days at the end of the fiscal year.
• Adoption/Parental Caregiver Leave: up to 10 weeks parental leave for the primary caregiver and 2 weeks for the secondary caregiver, paid at 100%.
• Teachers provided with laptop computers with internet and/or email access.
• Certificated staff eligible for the Master Teacher Program after two consecutive years of employment: $5,000 stipend and $2,000 towards professional development.

Schedule

10-month work schedule.