Middle School - Exceptional Education Life Skills Teacher

Be a LEADer. Teach Exceptional Education Life Skills at LEAD Public Schools. Special Education (Ex.Ed) teachers are champions for the cause of equality within the school and make sure that their students’ needs are met. Our ideal Special Education teacher is passionate about supporting students with IEPs, loves working with and advocating for students who need the most support, is flexible, coachable, and wants to grow as a teacher.

About the role

The LEAD environment empowers Ex.Ed teachers to work relentlessly with their teammates to ensure all students enhance their reading abilities, gain a broader understanding of the world, and meet Tennessee standards. This is achieved through coaching and support from administration, regular feedback, collaboration with colleagues, data analysis, and addressing the challenges faced by students who come in below grade level.

We are looking for Exceptional Education teachers who are committed to putting in extra effort to provide high-quality education, persevere through challenges, set goals for students, and continuously improve their teaching abilities.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement data-driven lesson plans to support students with cognitive and/or developmental delays.
• Develop individualized education programs (IEPs) for students.
• Maintain special education files, both paper and electronic, in compliance with federal, state, and local practices.
• Collect data on individual student skills to measure progress toward IEP goals and determine program effectiveness.
• Focus on functional curriculum and daily living skills, as appropriate.
• Maximize student independence across all natural settings.
• Support students in developing vocational skills to prepare them for the workforce and independent living after high school.
• Work as a team member and advocate for students to gain exposure to general education peers and settings.
• Physically support students’ health and wellness needs (e.g., toileting, diapering).
• Plan effective instructional and/or behavioral strategies for adapting and modifying the general curriculum.
• Direct and supervise education assistants to provide an effective classroom program.
• Support other classroom teachers in implementing established curriculum and/or individual student plans.

Requirements

• Minimum of two years teaching experience preferred, but not required.
• Previous experience with diverse student populations or in an urban setting preferred.
• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Candidates must have either:
  • A valid Tennessee teaching license with the appropriate content endorsement to teach SPED, or
  • A valid out-of-state license transferable to Tennessee within 90 days of employment, or
  • Be on track to complete the necessary steps toward certification in Tennessee.
• Ability and willingness to physically support students’ health and wellness needs.

Qualifications

• Belief in the LEAD mission that all students are capable of success while preparing them for college and life.
• Evidence of self-motivation and willingness to be a team player.
• Passion for working with students who need the most support.
• Flexibility, coachability, and a desire to grow as a teacher.

Physical Demands

• Light to medium work involving standing, walking, lifting, pushing, and carrying (exerting up to 20 pounds).

Benefits

• Innovative performance-based compensation plan with a competitive base salary and potential signing bonus.
• Opportunity to earn up to 10% annual increase on base salary through performance-based compensation (average increase of over 5% annually).
• Eligibility for LEAD’s Master Teacher program after 3 years, offering salaries up to $100,000 and a $1,500 professional development stipend.
• Robust benefits package including medical, dental, vision, disability, supplemental insurance, life insurance, and mental health benefits (effective the first of the month following employment).
• Access to the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS) pension plan (5% employee contribution, up to 6% employer match).
• Eligibility for 401k (5% employer contribution) or 403b plan (50% match on the first 6% of employee contributions, with additional contributions after one year).
• 30 paid days off during the school year for teachers (including holidays, breaks, and up to 10 PTO days). Summer break for school-year employees.
• 32 paid days off for calendar-year employees (including holidays, breaks, and up to 12 PTO days).
• 16 weeks of paid maternity leave and 6 weeks of paid parental leave (adoption, foster care).
• Provision of a laptop computer with internet and email access.