Teacher - Learning Specialist - Special Education

Position Type:
Teaching: Special Education/Teacher-Learning Specialist

Date Posted:
7/23/2026

Location:
Arapahoe Ridge Elementary

Closing Date:
Open Until Filled
SALARY INFORMATION: SEE CERTIFIED SALARY SCHEDULE
STANDARD HOURS PER WEEK: 40
FTE: 1.0
MONTHS PER YEAR: 9
JOB CODE: 176099
POSITION TYPE: REPLACEMENT - PERMANENT/REGULAR
LOCATION: THORNTON, CO.

Adams 12 Five Star Schools is deeply committed to a community of excellence, equity, and inclusion in everything we do. We commit to eliminate the predictability of who is included in excellence and who is not. Adams 12 Five Star Schools puts students first and supports our district's mission to elevate student success for every student every day in every classroom. Candidates who can contribute to our goal are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths in this area.

SUMMARY: Learning Specialists design and facilitate specially designed math, literacy and social/emotional instruction for students with disabilities and demonstrate competencies in advocacy, assessment, collaboration and compliance. Learning Specialists deliver specialized instruction inside and outside of the general education classroom, and consult and collaborate with general educators and other members of the special education team. Learning Specialists act as case managers and develop IEPs for students. They are responsible for monitoring progress toward goals and supporting implementation of accommodations in the general education setting.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Advocacy

• Advocate for students with disabilities to ensure access to learning opportunities and equity in discipline processes
• Model and promote inclusive language

Assessment

• Administer formal assessments and analyze/report data in order to support the IEP Team in determination of eligibility of students with disabilities
• Develop and monitor progress of SMART learning goals for each student
• Collect and analyze universal data to determine student growth patterns and support IEP development

Collaboration

• Collaborate with classroom teachers, school psychologists, speech/language pathologists, school social workers and other special education service providers to develop integrated plans for students with disabilities
• Collaborate with families to ensure students' strengths, needs, services and progress are regularly communicated

Compliance

• Implement IDEA and ECEA regulations
• Develop and implement legally compliant, instructionally sound IEPs
• Ensure IEP implementation across settings
• Abide by all district/policies/procedures

Instruction

• Identify students' current instructional levels
• Develop appropriately ambitious trajectories toward grade level standards
• Plan lessons incorporating evidence-based practices and identify resources for instruction
• Implement specially-designed instruction in a continuum of special education/general educational environments
• Understand or be willing to learn the foundations of literacy instruction
• Understand or be willing to learn how math instruction relies on the integration of knowledge to solve problems
• Differentiate instruction for learners with diverse needs
• Demonstrate an understanding of student behavior and classroom management structures
• Participate in ongoing professional development sessions

EDUCATION AND RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor's degree or higher.
- Must be a minimum of 18 years old.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS or CERTIFICATIONS:
- Criminal background check required for hire.
- Must possess the required license and endorsement for the position, or be able to obtain, or be in process with, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) for a valid Colorado Educator License within 30 days of hire.

Preference given to candidates with ELL Training and/or an ESL or (LDE) Linguistically Diverse Education Endorsement.

SALARY INFORMATION (FOR EXTERNAL CANDIDATES):
All salary placement on our Certified Salary schedule is dependent on the employees' education and/or work experience.
Special programs teachers of students with significant support needs, structured learning services or affective needs, audiologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, school nurses, school psychologists, school social workers, and speech language pathologists shall receive experience credit for each full year of previous experience and are not limited to ten (10) years as described in Appendix A, Item 3.
Additionally, one (1) step for each full year, as described in this Appendix, of service in the district as a contracted certified, classified, in-building substitute, and/or administrative employee for educators beginning a new certified contract or returning to a certified contract.


For further explanation of salary placement please refer to our Certified Master Agreement that can be found on our district website.

Internal Candidates Only:
13.2.5 Voluntary transfers that occur fifteen working days before the start of the school year and until the end of the school year shall happen once the position being vacated has been filled, for a duration of no more than four weeks. This four week time period could be adjusted in consultation with the educator, current and receiving supervisor and with approval from the Chief Human Resources Officer and the Association President.

BENEFITS INFORMATION:
Adams 12 Five Star Schools is committed to providing an environment that promotes a healthy employee population able to serve our students at the highest level. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision and life insurance as well as other programs for benefit eligible employees. The employee assistance program, voluntary life insurance through PERA, and 401(k), 403(b) & 457(b) plans are available to all employees regardless of hours worked and are available immediately (upon hire date).

To learn more about our benefits including paid time off, please see our Benefits Overview.

Changes to the READ Act require that all K-3 teachers and staff responsible for teaching reading to students in grades K-3 complete evidence-based training within 90 work days of start date

THIS POSTING IS NOT INCLUSIVE OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION.

REV 3/24