Job details

Special Education RISE Co-Teacher - IDEA Hidden Meadow Academy (Immediate Opening)

Role Mission: IDEA Flex Special Education Co-Teachers are full time, additional Special Education para-professional staff hired by IDEA Public Schools with the intent of eventually filling a permanent Special Education co-teaching (para-professional) role on a campus when an aligned vacancy arises. This allows IDEA to put a qualified Special Education co-teacher into the classroom immediately after a vacancy is determined and minimizes the number of days that students miss out on valuable instruction by a qualified co-teacher.

Once hired by IDEA, our Flex Special Education Co-Teachers are assigned to a "home-campus" to fulfill various educator responsibilities as outlined below. When a permanent Special Education co-teaching vacancy arises either at the “home-campus” or other campuses in the region, our Flex Special Education Co-teachers participate in a matching interview with a campus leadership team for a permanent co-teaching placement. Vacancies may arise before or after the start of school year.

Many of our Special Education Co-Teachers instruct students in our RISE classroom. RISE stands for Reaching Independence through Student Education. IDEA Special Education RISE Co-Teachers work with students with significant cognitive and/or pervasive developmental disabilities. The needs of these students require a functional curriculum focused on the acquisition of daily living and vocational skills leading to a successful transition to adult life within the community. These K-12 classrooms provide instruction in practical academics, communication, community, domestic, leisure/recreation, and vocational skills utilizing a functional curriculum in a general education school building. The classrooms emphasize communication, maximum independence, and opportunities to generalize skills in natural settings as well as participation in general education activities with typical peers. IDEA Special Education RISE Co-Teachers support the Special Education-RISE classroom in the Academy (K-5) or College Prep (6-12) as they work with high-needs students in lower student-teacher ratios (often 1 to 3) to support their academic needs.

What We Offer

Compensation:

Compensation for this role is set at an hourly rate ranging between $16.57 for 0 years of experience and $23.30
Hourly co-teachers earnings are paid out over a 12-month period

Other Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive benefits plan, covering the majority of the employee premium for the base medical plan and subsidizing the majority of costs for a spouse/domestic partner and children. Some of the special benefits we offer at IDEA include:

Paid Family Leave: Eligible staff may receive up to 8 weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, based on their tenure with the organization and caregiver designation.
Tuition Reimbursement: Staff members may apply for up to 50% of tuition paid toward a qualifying degree program, up to $5,250 maximum per year subject to manager discretion and budget availability.
Employer-Paid Mental/Behavioral Health: 5 face-to-face counseling sessions within a year, unlimited 24/7 telephonic counseling, and other work-life services available at no cost.

Other benefits include dental and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, referral bonuses, professional development, and a 403(b) plan. IDEA may offer a relocation allowance to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

What You Bring -- Competencies

Qualifications:

Education: At least 48 college hours required, bachelor’s degree preferred
Experience: Experience working with children with cognitive and/or pervasive developmental disabilities strongly preferred
Licenses or Certifications: Willingness to pursue a Special Education teaching certification preferred.
- IDEA Co-Teachers with a bachelor’s degree are eligible to enroll in the IDEA Special Education Certification Program (ISECP), an alternative certification program facilitated by South Texas Transition to Teaching (SOTEX). The goal of the program is for all participants to gain a special education certification and become future special education teachers at IDEA.

Knowledge and Skills:

Capable of physically assisting students with special needs as required (positioning, lifting, transferring, restraining) in the RISE Unit

What You’ll Do -- Accountabilities

Responsibilities of Flex Special Education Co-Teachers:

Report to the “home-campus” daily.
Report to temporary co-teaching assignments determined by the regional staffing team that are not at the “home-campus”
Participate in matching interviews when there is a permanent co-teaching position available at one of your top 4 site locations.
Shadow a great teacher or co-teacher on the “home-campus"
Work with a small group of students on the “home-campus”
Substitute for a daily absence
Cover an extended absence/FMLA
Other instructional duties as assigned by the “home-campus” or regional staffing team.
Additional responsibilities may include: after-school tutoring or Saturday school and are based on the needs of our scholars

Responsibilities of all IDEA Special Education Co-Teachers:

Assist in the educational and social development of students under the direction and guidance of the facilitator and classroom teachers
Assist in the implementation of Individual Education Plans for the students and monitor their progress
Provide support for individual students inside and outside of the classroom to enable them to fully participate in activities
Work with other professionals, such as speech therapist, social worker, occupational and physical therapists
Assist classroom teachers with maintaining student records
Support students with emotional or behavior concerns and assist them in developing appropriate social skills
Assistance of daily living may include feeding, lifting and/or toileting in the Life Skills Unit
At some campuses, school bus riding to accompany students may be needed before or after school

We look for Team and Family who embody the following values and characteristics:

Believes and is committed to our mission and being an agent of change: that all students are capable of getting to and through college
Has demonstrated effective outcomes and results, and wants to be held accountable for them
Has a propensity for action, willing to make mistakes by doing in order to learn and improve quickly
Works with urgency and purpose to drive student outcomes
Thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-growth environment; is comfortable with ambiguity and change
Seeks and responds well to feedback, which is shared often and freely across all levels of the organization
Works through silos and forges strong cross-departmental relationships in order to achieve outcomes
We believe in education as a profession and hold ourselves to high level of conduct, professionalism and behaviors as models for our colleagues and students

About IDEA Public Schools

At IDEA Public Schools, we believe each and every child can go to college. Since 2000, IDEA Public Schools has grown from a small school with 150 students to the fastest-growing network of tuition-free, Pre-K-12 public charter schools in the United States.

IDEA Public Schools boasts national rankings on The Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report’s top high schools lists. IDEA serves nearly 75,000 college-bound students in 137 schools across Texas, Southern Louisiana and Florida and is on-track to maintain its legacy of sending 100% of its graduates to college. Be on the lookout for IDEA schools opening near you—with new launches in Jacksonville, FL (2022). Cincinnati, OH (2022), and Arkansas (2023)! 

When you choose to work at IDEA, you are part of our IDEA Team and Family. You will work alongside team members who set and reach ambitious goals every day, are excited to continue to grow with IDEA, and work relentlessly to make college for all a reality. 

Staff Culture and Belonging

At IDEA the Staff Culture and Belonging Team uses our Core Values to promote human connection and a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging for all Team and Family members. Learn more about our Commitment to Core Values here!

To Apply

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