Special Education Teaching Assistant Jobs in Pennsylvania

JOB DESCRIPTION: SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER

Title:

Special Education Teacher

FLSA:

Exempt

Reports To:

Chief Schools Officer

Organization Summary:

Founded in 1970 by a behavioral health hospital and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1983, TLC is an entrepreneurial social enterprise committed to transforming lives and communities—one moment, one choice, one connection at a time. Headquartered in Pennsylvania, TLC operates across multiple states, providing K-12 alternative education, comprehensive mental and behavioral health services, coaching, counseling, and trauma-informed training. Additionally, TLC collaborates with school districts, universities, hospitals, police departments, and nonprofit organizations, offering consultation services to secure federal and state grant funding.

Position Summary:

The Special Education Teacher works with students who have a wide range of socioemotional and mental health needs and/or learning disabilities. The Special Education Teacher develops and provides specialized instruction to meet the unique needs of students, evaluates and assesses student progress against instructional objectives, and follows PA mandated due process procedures and functions as IEP Manager to assigned students. The Special Education Teacher must be able to work in a team environment with other educators, special education staff, counselors, and social workers. The Special Education Teacher should possess a high degree of authenticity, kindness, and empathy while effectively maintaining an environment conducive to academic and socioemotional growth.

Duties & Responsibilities

- Work with students who have a wide variety of socioemotional and mental health needs and/or learning disabilities
- Assess students’ skills to determine their needs and to develop teaching plans
- Plan, organize, and assign activities that are specific to each student’s abilities
- Teach and mentor students as a class, in small groups, and one-on-one
- Assess student progress and determine the need for additional reinforcement or adjustments to instructional techniques
- Establish and maintain student control and discipline in the classroom, school premises or during school activities
- Employ and implement a classroom structure to encourage student responsibility, cooperation and mutual respect consistent with school policies and procedures
- Provide consultation to classroom teachers regarding classroom adaptations, instructional modifications, adaptive equipment, behavior modification plans and other similar instructional interventions to meet the needs of students
- Develop and implement Individualized Educational Program (IEP) plans for students to include: present levels of educational performance, special education needs, instructional goals and objectives, and the special education and related services required to meet those goals
- Implement IEPs, assess students’ performance, and track their progress
- Update IEPs throughout the school year to reflect students’ progress and goals
- Discuss student’s progress with parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators
- Employ various teaching techniques, methods and principles of learning to enable students to meet their IEP goals
- Provide research-based specialized instruction to address the instructional goals and objectives contained within each student’s IEP
- Coordinate the delivery of special education services in each student’s IEP
- Supervise and mentor other teachers who work with special education students
- Collaborate with teachers, counselors, and social workers to accommodate students’ needs
- Meet with parents, school administrators, and counselors to discuss updates and changes to the IEPs
- Schedule team meetings and work cooperatively with child study team members and others to develop instructional goals and strategies
- Collaborate and consult with educational professionals and community service providers (i.e., social services, public health, medical providers etc.) regarding the needs of students
- Complete all district and state reporting requirements
- Perform other comparable duties of a like or similar nature apparent or as assigned

Skills & Knowledge:

- Excellent communication and relationship building skills
- Ability to work effectively on a multi-treatment team
- Knowledge and experience with IEP software
- Strong substance abuse intervention skills
- Knowledge of and ability to access community resources
- Proficient in numerous clinical interventions

Education & Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree and Pennsylvania Special Education Certification (7-12 or N-12).

Work Environment:

Public school setting

Work Hours:

This is a full-time, 10-month position

Travel:

Minimal travel

EEO Statement:

TLC is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and does not discriminate on any legally recognized basis, including, but not limited to, race, age, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other basis recognized by federal, state or local law.