26-27 Self-Contained Special Education Teacher

About the role

KIPP New Orleans Schools is a non-profit network of 13 college/career-preparatory, public charter schools serving approximately 5,000 elementary, middle, and high school students, and over 2,000 alumni. We prepare students for success in college, career, and beyond.

Responsibilities

• Deliver rigorous, standards-aligned instruction using HQIM; communicate daily objectives and success criteria; check for understanding throughout (cold call, turn & talk, exit tickets).
• Plan/adapt units and lessons that build conceptual understanding and fluency; script questions, models, exemplars, and anticipated misconceptions; align tasks and rubrics to the depth of standards.
• Analyze daily work, interim assessments, and state assessments; reteach, spiral, and extend; maintain small data trackers that inform tomorrow’s plan.
• Differentiate and scaffold using diverse strategies (choice, visuals, language objectives, sentence frames); provide accommodations/modifications with fidelity for students with IEP/504 plans; coordinate with DSS/ESL staff.
• Structure purposeful practice—independent work, small groups, centers, and peer discourse—that requires evidence, academic language, and grade-level thinking.
• Provide timely, actionable feedback (written and verbal) tied to rubrics; maintain accurate, transparent grades and make-up work systems.
• Design/implement common assessments; ensure item alignment and reliability; use exemplars/anchors for calibration.

Positive Classroom Culture

• Establish safe, joyful routines (entry, materials, transitions, group work) that maximize time-on-task and protect learning time bell-to-bell.
• Affirm high expectations and growth mindset; select culturally sustaining texts, problems, and examples that reflect students’ identities and experiences.
• Apply school-wide behavior systems consistently and restoratively; use pre-corrections, de-escalation, and restorative conversations; log incidents per policy.
• Integrate SEL (explicit skills, mood checks, goal setting) to build belonging, resilience, and self-management; proactively teach replacement behaviors.

School Culture & Partnerships

• Model school values and professionalism; meet deadlines; uphold duty coverage (arrival, transitions, lunch/recess, dismissal, testing).
• Build strong relationships with students and families via frequent, strengths-based communication; co-create goals and action plans.
• Communicate progress (grades, attendance, behavior, reading levels) through scheduled updates and family conferences with translators/interpretation as needed.
• Participate in key events—back-to-school nights, IEP/504 and EL meetings, data nights, testing, and community celebrations; support recruitment and retention activities.

Growth Mindset

• Set ambitious goals for student mastery and classroom culture; track progress and publicly celebrate growth.
• Welcome coaching (observations, practice-based rehearsal) and implement feedback by the next lesson/cycle; reflect on impact using student work.
• Engage in PD and PLCs; contribute artifacts (plans, assessments, student work) that show PD-to-practice transfer.
• Collaborate to design/refine common assessments and lead/participate in data meetings that produce concrete reteach plans.

Belongingness

• Plan and teach for access and rigor for every learner (multilingual learners, students with disabilities, advanced learners, newcomers/SLIFE).
• Examine outcomes and discipline data to reduce disproportionality; adjust instruction, grading, and routines accordingly.
• Create structures for student and family voice (surveys, feedback circles, classroom leadership roles) and act on insights.
• Uphold equitable grading and policies (clear rubrics, opportunities to revise/retake, transparency on late/missing work); ensure materials and displays reflect all students.

Professional & Operational Expectations

• Attendance & punctuality: meet school standards; submit PTO/leave per policy; maintain reliable coverage plans.
• Compliance & testing: follow IEP/504 requirements; secure test materials; deliver accommodations; complete documentation accurately and on time.
• Planning & grading systems: submit lesson plans, assessments, and grades by network deadlines; keep current make-up/retake logs.
• Technology & data privacy: use approved platforms (SIS/LMS, gradebook, communication tools); safeguard student data (FERPA); maintain device/inventory accountability.
• Safety & reporting: follow health/safety procedures; complete mandatory reporting; participate in crisis drills and supervision routines.

Special Education Compliance

• Develops and implements annual Individualized Educational Program (IEP) plans for students to include: present levels of educational performance, special education needs, instructional goals and objectives, and the special education and related services required to meet those goals.
• Maintains accurate special education records for students and regularly updates according to reporting deadlines.
• Manages completion of special education progress reports, service logs and filing for all related services providers servicing students on caseload.
• Collaborates with school psychologist to complete student evaluations.
• Adheres to procedural requirements, including due process timelines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Personal affinity to our mission and vision, as well as demonstrated commitment to our 5 core beliefs - Relentlessness, Elevation, Achievement, Community, and Hope
• Offers are contingent upon successful completion of a professional reference check, proof of identity and work authorization (all KNOS employees must complete an I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form), a state background check, and verification of teaching experience
• At least two years of teaching experience in urban, open enrollment schools
• Demonstrated success raising student achievement outcomes
• State issued teaching credential

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• The physical demands and environmental conditions described below are representative, but not exhaustive, of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the role.
• All of these physical requirements should be able to be performed with clarity, coherence and connectedness of the KNOS vision, and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the individual is regularly required to communicate information and ideas effectively so others will understand.
• This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as laptop computers and various digital devices, and one needs to be able to read, analyze, and interpret data (emails, memos, letters, etc.) and maintain visual attention and mental concentration for significant periods of time.
• Able to meet the physical demands of classroom teaching (standing, circulating, occasional lifting/moving of classroom materials); Able to sit and work at a desk/computer for extended periods of time.
• Able to safely lift and move up to 30 lbs independently.
• Duties may require traveling to other school facilities using employee's personal transportation.
• This is a full-time, 100% on-site position; Regular work hours, Monday through Friday, will be established with your supervisor. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Additional Information

• Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience, and we routinely engage in compensation analysis for all roles across the organization to ensure that we remain competitive in the market.
• 403(b) retirement plan – KNOS matches 100% of employee contribution up to the first 5% of salary and any bonuses.
• KNOS employees are eligible for health and wellbeing benefits starting the first day of the month following their Date of Hire.
• Comprehensive, customizable health coverage, including disability, life insurance, hospital indemnity, FSAs for health and dependent care, and free dental and vision for employees.
• KNOS employees are provided ~30 paid holidays and additional paid time off.
• Opportunities for on-going professional development.

Disclaimer

• Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
• This job description shall not constitute or be construed as a promise of employment or as a contract between KNOS and any of its employees.