Special Education Teacher

Special Education Teacher | Aurora, CO

Full-Time | School-Based | Salary: $60,852-$81,468

At Community Autism Services, we know that great outcomes for students start with great support for teachers. You won't be handed a caseload and left to figure it out - you'll have BCBAs, clinical leadership, and a collaborative team behind you every step of the way. We build environments where teachers thrive, and where the work you do has a measurable, lasting impact on students' lives.

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WHAT SETS US APART

• Embedded BCBA support and collaborative consultation on every caseload
• A culture that prioritizes data-driven instruction without losing the human element
• Real investment in your professional development - ABA, trauma-informed practice, AAC, secondary transition, and more
• Meaningful, stable work in Aurora's growing school-based programs
• A leadership team that has worked in the field and genuinely gets it

Our Approach

CAS operates within Aurora Public Schools as a state-aligned district. Our SPED teachers hold the Colorado Special Education Generalist credential and serve across program types - ASD, Affective Needs, CoAlt/SSN - through training, experience, and collaboration rather than separate licensure tracks. We believe every classroom should be a place of high expectations, evidence-based practice, and genuine connection.

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Role Overview

The Special Education Teacher is the heartbeat of the classroom. You'll design and deliver individualized, evidence-based instruction to students with a range of needs - from students on the autism spectrum (non-verbal to social skills) to students with affective/emotional needs and those served through CoAlt/SSN programs. You'll partner closely with BCBAs, paraprofessionals, families, and multidisciplinary teams to ensure every student's IEP is not just compliant - but meaningful.

We are hiring for two program levels - Elementary (K-5) and Middle/High School (6-12). Apply for the level that matches your experience and passion; we will not ask you to teach where you don't want to be.

What You'll Do

IEP CASE MANAGEMENT & COMPLIANCE

• Serve as case manager for a caseload of students with disabilities; write data-driven, compliant IEPs with meaningful, measurable goals
• Facilitate annual IEP meetings, triennial evaluations, and eligibility determinations in partnership with the multidisciplinary team
• Develop and monitor progress toward academic, behavioral, communication, and functional goals
• Complete required documentation - progress reports, meeting notes, prior written notices - accurately and on time
• Participate in MTSS/RTI processes for students approaching or holding special education eligibility

INSTRUCTION & DIFFERENTIATION

• Deliver structured, individualized instruction aligned to each student's IEP goals and Colorado Academic Standards (or CoAlt Extended Evidence Outcomes where applicable)
• Implement evidence-based instructional strategies including discrete trial teaching, NDBIs, and structured teaching approaches
• Differentiate instruction across modalities and learning profiles; adapt curriculum for students with mild-to-profound needs
• Support and implement AAC systems - SGDs, PECS, and manual sign - in coordination with SLPs and BCBAs
• Collaborate with general education teachers on push-in/co-teaching models, accommodations, and modifications for students in inclusive settings

BEHAVIOR & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

• Partner with BCBAs on the development, implementation, and monitoring of FBAs and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs)
• Collect behavioral and instructional data consistently - frequency, duration, ABC, interval -and use it to drive instructional decisions
• Implement trauma-informed, restorative-justice-aligned practices and de-escalation strategies in the classroom
• For Affective Needs classrooms: coordinate wraparound care with mental health providers, school counselors, and when appropriate, medical and law enforcement partners
• Utilize frameworks such as SOAR, collaborative problem solving, and tiered behavioral supports as appropriate to the program

TEAM LEADERSHIP & PARAPROFESSIONAL SUPPORT

• Supervise, train, and coach paraprofessionals and classroom support staff in daily implementation of student programs
• Provide real-time feedback and structured coaching to paras on instructional delivery, behavior support, and data collection
• Communicate effectively with families - building trust, sharing progress, and partnering on goals in and out of the IEP process
• Actively participate in school-based MTSS, problem-solving, and grade-level teams

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What We're Looking For

LICENSURE & CREDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

We accept applicants who meet any of the following Colorado credential pathways:

• Active Colorado CDE License with Special Education Generalist Endorsement - the standard pathway for fully licensed special educators in Colorado.
• Professional License (7-Year): Issued to applicants who meet Colorado's full licensure requirements and have at least three years of post-preparation, full-time, fully licensed experience in the past seven years in the state where they were previously licensed.
• Initial License (3-Year): Issued to applicants who meet Colorado's requirements but have fewer than three years of qualifying licensed experience.
• Temporary Educator Eligibility (TEE) Certification: Colorado's TEE authorization allows you to teach in a special education, gifted education, or special services endorsement area while actively completing licensure requirements. To qualify, you must: (1) hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, and (2) be actively pursuing qualifications for a special education, gifted education, or special services endorsement through one of the state's approved pathways.
• Substitute Educator Eligibility (SEE) Pathway: Also considered on a case-by-case basis.

BONUS - NICE TO HAVE

• General education teaching license or endorsement (not required, but valued - especially for secondary co-teaching and content competency alignment)
• Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish
• Training or certification in CPI, Safety-Care, or similar crisis prevention/intervention frameworks
• Experience with school-based IEP platforms such as Infinite Campus or Frontline

Compensation & Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid school-year schedule following the APS academic calendar
• Ongoing professional development: ABA, AAC, trauma-informed practices, secondary transition, and more
• Career pathways into lead teacher, program specialist, and instructional coaching roles

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About CAS

Community Autism Services is committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate care to children and families while creating meaningful, sustainable careers for our team members. We believe exceptional outcomes start with well-supported educators - through strong leadership, thoughtful systems, and a culture rooted in collaboration and growth.

As part of a nationwide organization, CAS combines the stability of scale with the heart of a community-based provider. Whether you work in elementary ASD programs or secondary affective needs classrooms, you'll find opportunities to grow, lead, and make a lasting impact on the students who need you most.

Community Autism Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer.