CDOC State Teacher I - High School Equivalency-GED (Canon City)

This position is with the State of Colorado, offering opportunities to support state government and serve the citizens of Colorado. Customer service and innovative service delivery are key components of all roles.

About the Role

This position provides High School Equivalency (HSE) instruction within an adult educational correctional facility, delivering instruction, training, and assessments in accordance with the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) approved Certificate of Accomplishment Curriculum. The role also includes oversight of the Cognitive Education Program.

Responsibilities

• Teach and mentor inmate students individually or in large and small group classrooms to promote academic performance skills.
• Determine educational needs of inmate students to develop short- and long-term goals.
• Develop and implement competency-based teaching aids, such as instructional software, multimedia visual aids, or study materials.
• Lecture on theories, concepts, and terminology.
• Select and administer appropriate performance assessments to measure progress, course completion requirements, and evaluate training/testing effectiveness.
• Prepare reports and maintain records, including student grades, attendance rosters, and training activity details.
• Observe and evaluate inmate students' work to determine progress, provide feedback, and make suggestions for improvement.
• Document inmate achievements, competencies, and contact hours toward completion of certificate requirements.
• Justify accuracy and usage of budget requests.
• Participate in conferences, seminars, and training sessions to stay current with developments in the field and integrate relevant information into training programs.
• Commit to teamwork and collaboration with fellow teachers to promote mutual guidance and improvements.
• Actively contribute to the safety and security of the facility through effective offender management and conflict resolution.
• Endorse and adhere to the CDOC Mission and Vision, promoting commitment and integrity.
• Maintain safety and security by training inmates and performing duties such as security posts, inmate counts, shakedowns, searches, escorts, movement control, and managing inmate access to classrooms.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in an education-related field.
• Must possess at least one of the following credentials:
  • Colorado Initial or Professional Teacher License (Individuals with a Colorado Initial License must obtain the Professional Teacher License within three years of hire).
  • Adult Basic Education Authorization (ABE).
  • Colorado Interim Authorization (out-of-state applicants may be eligible).
  • Appropriate educator license for your state (out-of-state applicants).
• A copy of your license and college transcripts (noting type of degree and date conferred) must be scanned and uploaded with your application. Transcripts from non-U.S. institutions must include a NACES educational credential evaluation.
• Detailed work experience must be described in the application to receive credit.

Skills

• Significant knowledge of effective teaching strategies, methods, and techniques.
• Exceptional interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Effective conflict resolution skills.
• Strong self-motivation and ability to work in stressful, potentially violent situations.
• Highly effective organizing, planning, and prioritizing skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Proficiency in office technologies, especially Microsoft Office Suite.
• Precise attention to detail.
• Ability to remain alert, emotionally stable, and mentally resilient under pressure.
• Tolerance to stress, confinement, and high-stakes interaction.
• Ability to read, comprehend, and communicate fluently in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to create accessible documents and technical content following plain language guidelines with accessibility in mind.

Preferred Qualifications

• CDE endorsement in Special Education, English, or Mathematics.
• Master’s degree in Education or a related field.
• Experience teaching and assessing high-risk or incarcerated adults or youth.

Benefits

• Distinctive career advancement opportunities throughout the state system.
• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits, including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401K and 457 plans. Correctional Officers I-IV qualify as "Safety Officers" and are eligible for increased PERA benefits.
• Medical and dental health plans.
• Short- and long-term disability coverage.
• Paid life insurance.
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave.
• Wellness program, tuition reimbursement, and training opportunities.

This position is located at Centennial Correctional Facility South, Cañon City, Colorado, and is compensated on a bi-weekly pay cycle. A residency waiver has been granted, allowing applications from both residents and non-residents of Colorado. This posting may be used to fill future vacancies within Cañon City.

Conditions of Employment

• All job offers are contingent upon a successful medical screening certifying the candidate’s ability to perform essential functions.
• Must be 21 years of age.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license.
• Applicants must consent to hold harmless CDOC and its agents from any liability arising from employment testing.