Nashville Metro - Special Education Teacher

WHAT YOU'LL DO

As a Thrive Special Education Teacher you will design and deliver specialized instruction to students K–12 with disabilities. You will manage IEP development and implementation, collaborate with related services providers, communicate with families, and serve as an anchor member of the multidisciplinary team supporting your students. You are a full member of the community.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

IEP DEVELOPMENT & CASE MANAGEMENT

• Serve as the IEP case manager for an assigned caseload of students with disabilities — coordinating evaluation timelines, annual reviews, amendment meetings, and progress reporting in compliance with IDEA and state requirements
• Develop individualized IEP goals that are measurable, standards-aligned, and meaningful to each student's educational participation and post-secondary trajectory
• Write IEP present levels, goals, accommodations, and services sections with clinical and legal precision; ensure all documentation is accurate, timely, and complete
• Coordinate with SLPs, OTs, PTs, BCBAs, school psychologists, and mental health clinicians to align related services goals with classroom instruction
• Facilitate IEP meetings with families, general education teachers, administrators, and related services providers in a collaborative, family-centered way

SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION & CURRICULUM

• Design and deliver differentiated, evidence-based instruction aligned to each student's IEP goals and grade-level standards across academic, functional, and communication domains
• Implement a range of instructional approaches — including explicit instruction, systematic phonics, structured literacy, task analysis, visual supports, and modified curricula — matched to each student's disability profile
• Provide instruction across service delivery models: resource room pull-out, co-teaching in general education, self-contained classrooms, and community-based instruction as appropriate
• Monitor student progress toward IEP goals through systematic data collection; use data to adjust instruction in a timely and documented manner
• Develop and implement accommodation and modification plans that allow students to access the general education curriculum

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT & BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT

• Establish and maintain a structured, positive, and predictable classroom environment that supports student regulation, engagement, and independence
• Implement Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) developed by BCBAs with fidelity; collect required behavioral data and communicate patterns to the behavior team
• Apply trauma-informed, positive behavior support approaches that prioritize teaching replacement behaviors and building student self-regulation skills
• Supervise and direct paraprofessionals and instructional aides assigned to your classroom, providing clear direction and performance feedback

COLLABORATION & FAMILY COMMUNICATION

• Partner with general education teachers on co-teaching, inclusion support, and co-planning for students in the general education setting
• Communicate regularly with families about student progress, IEP implementation, and upcoming team decisions in a way that is warm, jargon-free, and culturally responsive
• Coordinate with school administrators on scheduling, caseload management, eligibility decisions, and placement recommendations
• Collaborate with transition specialists and outside agencies for students approaching post-secondary transition
• Participate in building-level professional learning communities, PBIS teams, and RTI/MTSS problem-solving processes

TRANSITION PLANNING

• Develop Transition Plans for students age 14 and older (or per state requirement) that are individualized, outcome-oriented, and coordinated with community agencies and post-secondary institutions
• Facilitate student-led IEP meetings and self-advocacy skill development as part of the transition process
• Connect students and families with community resources, vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, and adult services agencies

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Special Education or a related field from an accredited program
• Active state Special Education teaching license or certification in good standing, or documented initiation of licensure transfer prior to start date
• Knowledge of IDEA, IEP development and case management, special education eligibility categories, and applicable state regulations
• Experience or training in evidence-based instructional approaches for students with disabilities

PREFERRED

• 1+ years of special education teaching experience in a K–12 school setting (student teaching or residency counts)
• Experience as an IEP case manager with a caseload of students with varied disability profiles
• Training or certification in structured literacy or Orton-Gillingham-based approaches
• Experience co-teaching or providing inclusion support in general education settings
• Bilingual (Spanish) — bilingual SpEd teachers are strongly encouraged to apply
• Familiarity with transition planning, VR coordination, and post-secondary planning for students with disabilities

COMPENSATION STRUCTURE

Compensation is paid over 10 months, aligned to the school-year calendar. All figures below reflect the Greater Nashville, TN market.

Base Compensation

W-2 Base Salary

$62,000 – $75,100,based on experience

A salary that reflects the expertise you bring. W-2 employment means full benefits, paid time off, retirement match, disability coverage, and malpractice insurance — all on us. Your total compensation is built to reflect what this work is worth.

1099 Contractor Rate

$46-$56/hr/hr

If flexibility is what fits your life, we built that in. Our 1099 option puts you in control of how you work — with a competitive hourly rate, full professional supports, and your career mobility fully intact.

Additional Earning Potential!

Sign-On Bonus

$4,000 —paid 25% at 30 days,25% at 90 days,50% at 6 months

Our sign-on bonus is a signal: we're committed to you from the moment you say yes, and we want you to feel that.

Longevity Structure

Up to $2,000 —paid after completing your first full school year

We're building Thrive around the people who commit to this work and to each other over the long haul — because that's who our kids and schools depend on. Every year you come back, we reward it. And it grows with you.

CEU Stipend

$750 your first year →growing up to $2,000after five years

Your practice is the whole thing. The more you grow as a clinician, the better the care our kids get. We put real dollars behind your continuing education, and it grows with your tenure. Investing in your expertise is investing in our mission.

Performance Bonus

Paid annually afterexceeding performancemetrics

When you go above and beyond for students, we notice. Our performance bonus is how we say we see you, we value what you're doing, and this work matters.

BENEFITS OFFERINGS

HEALTH COVERAGE — AT NO COST TO YOU (W-2 Employees Only)

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance — Thrive covers 100% of employee premiums
• Coverage begins day one
• Choice of HSA-eligible high-deductible plan or traditional PPO; nationwide PPO network
• Dependent and family coverage available
• 401(k) with up to 5% company match
• Optional voluntary benefits: supplemental life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and FSA

TIME OFF & SCHEDULE (W-2 Employees Only)

• School-year calendar — school holidays off, amounting to 30+ paid days annually
• PTO and Sick days

ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS (All Employees)

• Malpractice and professional liability insurance — fully covered by Thrive; no personal policy required
• Quarterly professional development led by clinical leadership — school-based, substantive, and paid
• Paid Summer Intensive — pre-year clinical PD that brings the full Thrive team together annually
• No non-compete agreement — your professional mobility is yours to keep
• Tennessee SLP licensure renewal and ASHA dues reimbursed annually; CCC-SLP exam and renewal fees covered
• CF supervision provided by in-house CCC-SLPs for Clinical Fellowship year clinicians