Special Education Teachers for Elementary Schools

Special Education Teacher

Appropriate NYS Certification in Special Education, SWD 1-6, or SWD 7-12/Content Area 7-12

Facilitates the learning activities of exceptional children (Students with Specific Learning Challenges, Speech/Language Impairments, Intellectually Delayed, Emotional Disturbance, Other Health Impairments, Autism, Hearing Impairments, Orthopedic Impairments, Visual Impairments, and Traumatic Brain Injury) in the attainment of grade-level, subject, school, and system objectives

• Utilizes a wide variety of instructional strategies, devices, and methods
• Works with small and large instructional groups
• Functions effectively as a staff member of the school community

Teaches grade level or content area

Provides adequate educational experiences to enable each student to develop, interpret, and transmit ideas effectively

Provides opportunities for each student to develop the ability to solve problems, think critically, and to study effectively

Establishes a classroom climate conducive to effective learning and study

Systemizes clerical and record-keeping duties so that instructional process is uninterrupted

Assists each student in dealing with academic problems

Works closely with guidance counselors and instructional teams on specific problems of individual students

Contributes to continuous improvement of educational program by initiating suggestions for staff consideration

Serves on committees

Engages in appropriate studies and activities to improve professional competence

Contributes to solution of education problems of the school district

Works closely with parents in guiding the growth and development of students

The special education teacher's responsibilities not only include teaching. Their job also requires case management of their students as a whole. This includes all paperwork related to the students and plans for intervention. The case manager is legally responsible for following the terms of a child's IEP to provide the services recommended by the CSE. As the Case Manager for a group of students, the case manager:

Updates, manages, and ensures the full implementation of IEP's

Assesses progress periodically throughout the school year based on the district's progress reporting time frame

Ensures that progress reports are being completed, based on goals and by those individuals addressing the goals

Ensures that parents receive an updated copy of the goals with the progress marked as well as any additional notes or paperwork related to the ongoing assessment

Ensures that parents are involved in the planning and implementation of the IEP process

Ensures that the general education teacher is implementing modifications and strategies prescribed in the IEP process

Provides services to students within the general education classroom and works with the general education teachers as co-workers

Collaborates with general education teachers in all planning and changes to the IEP when they are working with students with IEP's

Meets periodically with students to assess and discuss student' progress challenges and needs to meet their goals and/or objectives

Meets with parents, students, various educators and/or clinicians working with students

Reviews progress reports for their students throughout the school year

Advocates for students and works with all stakeholders

Reports to: Building Principal; Responsible to the Special Education Supervisor, and the Director of Special Education (Updated 4/2023)