Special Education RISE Co-Teacher - IDEA Harlingen College Preparatory (Immediate Opening)

About the Role

The Special Education Co-Teacher position is ideal for a candidate looking to gain valuable experience in Special Education teaching. This role is designed for individuals with at least 48 college hours who seek challenging work and opportunities to advance their education career.

IDEA Special Education RISE Co-Teachers work with students with significant cognitive and/or pervasive developmental disabilities. The needs of these students require a functional curriculum focused on daily living and vocational skills to ensure a successful transition to adult life within the community. These K-12 classrooms provide instruction in practical academics, communication, community, domestic, leisure/recreation, and vocational skills using a functional curriculum in a general education school building. Classrooms emphasize communication, maximum independence, and opportunities to generalize skills in natural settings, as well as participation in general education activities with typical peers.

IDEA Special Education RISE Co-Teachers support the Special Education-RISE classroom in the Academy (K-5) or College Prep (6-12), working with students in lower student-teacher ratios (often 1 to 3) to address their academic needs.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the educational and social development of students under the direction and guidance of the facilitator and classroom teachers.
• Assist in the implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for students and monitor their progress.
• Provide support for individual students inside and outside of the classroom to enable full participation in activities.
• Work with other professionals, such as speech therapists, social workers, occupational and physical therapists.
• Assist classroom teachers with maintaining student records.
• Support students with emotional or behavioral concerns and assist in developing appropriate social skills.
• Assist with daily living activities, which may include feeding, lifting, and/or toileting in the Life Skills Unit.
• At some campuses, accompany students on school buses before or after school.

Qualifications

• Education: At least 48 college hours required; bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Experience: Experience working with children with cognitive and/or pervasive developmental disabilities strongly preferred.
• Licenses or Certifications: Willingness to pursue a Special Education teaching certification preferred. IDEA Co-Teachers with a bachelor’s degree are eligible to enroll in the IDEA Special Education Certification Program (ISECP), an alternative certification program facilitated by South Texas Transition to Teaching (SOTEX).

Skills

• Capable of physically assisting students with special needs as required (positioning, lifting, transferring, restraining).
• 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.
• Believes and is committed to IDEA’s mission of ensuring all students are capable of getting to and through college.
• Demonstrates effective outcomes and results, with a willingness to be held accountable.
• Has a propensity for action, learns from mistakes, and improves quickly.
• Works with urgency and purpose to drive student outcomes.
• Thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment and is comfortable with ambiguity and change.
• Seeks and responds well to feedback, which is shared openly across all levels of the organization.
• Works through silos and forges strong cross-departmental relationships to achieve outcomes.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits plan, covering the majority of the employee premium for the base medical plan and subsidizing the majority of costs for a spouse/domestic partner and children. Additional benefits include:

• Paid Family Leave: Eligible staff may receive up to 8 weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, based on tenure and caregiver designation.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Staff may apply for up to 50% of tuition paid toward a qualifying degree program, up to $5,250 maximum per year (subject to manager discretion and budget availability).
• Employer-Paid Mental/Behavioral Health: 5 face-to-face counseling sessions per year, unlimited 24/7 telephonic counseling, and other work-life services at no cost.
• Dental and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, and flexible spending account options.
• Generous vacation time, referral bonuses, professional development, and a 403(b) plan.

IDEA may offer a relocation allowance to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

Pay

Compensation for this role is set at an hourly rate ranging between $16.00 (for 0 years of experience) and $23.00. Hourly co-teachers' earnings are paid out over a 12-month period.

About IDEA Public Schools

At IDEA Public Schools, we believe every child can go to college. Since 2000, IDEA has grown from a small school with 150 students to the fastest-growing network of tuition-free, Pre-K-12 public charter schools in the United States. IDEA serves nearly 80,000 college-bound students across Texas, Florida, and Ohio, and maintains a legacy of sending 100% of its graduates to college.

When you choose to work at IDEA, you join a team committed to ambitious goals, growth, and making college for all a reality.