Private Special Education Teacher

Job Description

Job Description

Private Special Education Teacher | Fairport, NY (In-Home & Community-Based) | Full-Time

We're seeking a calm, thoughtful, highly relational educator to work one-on-one with a 21-year-old young adult in a deeply personalized, community-based learning environment.

This is not a traditional classroom teaching role. The right educator will help create structure, meaningful routines, learning experiences, and opportunities for growth across daily life. You'll support academics, communication, life skills, emotional regulation, community engagement, and increasing independence — while helping build a sustainable rhythm that allows the student and his family to feel more supported and hopeful.

This student has been significantly underestimated by traditional educational systems. His family is looking for someone who sees possibility where others have seen limitation — someone willing to meet him where he is, stay consistent, and thoughtfully build a program centered around dignity, growth, safety, and meaningful engagement.

This role offers unusual autonomy and the opportunity to make a profound long-term impact on both a student and an entire family system.

STUDENT PROFILE

You'll be working with a 21-year-old autistic young adult who is nonverbal and has a history of epilepsy that has contributed to educational disruption over the years.

He does not thrive in traditional desk-based or highly academic instructional environments. He benefits most from experiential learning, consistency, relationship-based support, and activities that are meaningful, engaging, and grounded in the real world.

The family is looking for someone who can thoughtfully structure his learning and help him continue building skills through a combination of:

• Personalized academics
• Communication and functional learning
• Community-based learning and outings
• Life skills and increasing independence
• Recreation and meaningful real-world experiences

Success in this role is not defined only by academic growth. It's about helping the student feel engaged, safe, capable, and genuinely connected to the world around him.

The family is deeply invested in their son and eager to partner closely with the right educator. Building trust and maintaining consistent communication will be an important part of the role.

Schedule & Work Environment

• Location: Fairport, NY
• Schedule: Approximately 4–5 days per week, around 6 hours per day.
• The student will be attending high school during the 2026–2027 school year, so the educator's daily schedule will initially be designed around his school hours and calendar. After graduation, the schedule is expected to evolve toward additional daytime support. The family is seeking someone interested in a consistent, long-term role who is comfortable with that natural evolution over time.
• Start Date: ASAP
• Setting: Primarily in-home with regular community-based instruction and outings
• Transportation: Driving and local travel are required as part of the role
• Environment: One-on-one instruction with significant autonomy, minimal administrative burden, and close partnership with the family

Key Responsibilities

• Design and deliver highly individualized academic instruction based on the student's current skills, interests, strengths, and goals.
• Create engaging learning experiences that move beyond traditional desk-based instruction and connect academics to everyday life.
• Plan and facilitate community-based learning, outings, recreation, and real-world experiences that reinforce academic skills, communication, and increasing independence.
• Establish consistent routines that help the student remain engaged and successful throughout his day.
• Monitor progress and thoughtfully adjust instruction as the student's skills and needs evolve.
• Collaborate closely with the family through regular communication, shared goal setting, and problem-solving.
• Build a strong, trusting relationship with the student and create an environment centered around dignity, possibility, consistency, and growth.

Requirements

Required

• Bachelor's degree in any field
• 5+ years of professional experience working with individuals with disabilities and/or significant learning and support needs
• Meaningful experience working with autistic students or young adults, including individuals with significant communication needs
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience communicating effectively with families
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation
• Eligible to work in the United States

Especially Valuable, But Not Required

• Degree in Special Education or a related field
• State teaching certification
• Classroom teaching, private teaching, tutoring, or homeschool experience
• Experience with young adult transition programming, functional academics, or life-skills instruction
• Experience providing individualized instruction and adapting learning to meet a student's unique needs
• Experience supporting a nonverbal learner and incorporating communication supports into everyday learning
• AAC experience or training
• Experience developing or adapting individualized curriculum
• Professional experience working appropriately within a family's home environment
• BCBA certification

Candidates do not need to check every preferred qualification to be considered. The family is most interested in finding an exceptional educator who connects naturally with the student, believes deeply in his potential, and is excited to build a meaningful long-term learning experience around his strengths and needs.

Benefits

What We Offer

• Sign-On Bonus: Earn a sign-on bonus upon successful completion of your first 30 days in the role.
• Competitive annual salary of $60,000–$85,000 based on experience and credentials
• Stable, salaried employment with guaranteed annual compensation
• One-on-one educational environment with the ability to personalize instruction
• Meaningful long-term impact on a student's life and family experience
• Schedule flexibility within the agreed-upon program structure
• Personalized family matching and placement support
• Dedicated Thrive placement coordinator throughout the hiring process
• Access to educator networking, resources, and future placement opportunities
• Potential for long-term career growth across successive educational placements

About Us

Thrive Education Partners connects exceptional educators with families seeking highly personalized learning experiences. We believe meaningful growth happens through strong relationships, individualized support, and real-world learning. This role offers the opportunity to help a young adult build greater independence, confidence, life skills, and community engagement through a customized educational program.

Thrive Education Partners is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and make hiring decisions based on experience, skills, and business needs, without regard to any status protected by applicable law.