Teacher - Special Education (Elementary Alternative Program) 2025-2026

JOB TITLE:                     Teacher - Special Education (Elementary Alternative Program)

DEPARTMENT:               School Site

REPORTS TO:                 Principal

FLSA STATUS:                 Exempt

CONTRACT STATUS:      Full-time / 180-days / Extra Duty

SALARY SCHEDULE:     Certified / Extra Duty

APPROVED BY:               Charlene Duncan

APPROVED DATE:           5/12/25

SUMMARY: Plan and implement curriculum and educational programs for students with social, emotional, and behavioral needs.  Assess students’ abilities and develop individualized education plans consistent with treatment goals.  Coordinate programs for therapeutic purposes; integrate overall developmental goals into the academic setting.  Manage the behavior of students to create a safe physical and emotional classroom environment.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: These statements are intended to describe the responsibilities assigned to this position and are not intended to represent an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required

1. Develop and deliver individualized instruction and behavior intervention plans in alignment with each student's IEP.

2. Design and implement structured classroom routines that support emotional regulation, positive behavior, and academic success.

3. Integrate social-emotional learning and therapeutic strategies into daily instruction.

4. Use de-escalation techniques and restorative practices to support students.

5. Collaborate with school psychologists, counselors, related service providers, and contracted mental health providers to support students’ academic and emotional needs.

6. Lead or participate in IEP meetings, progress reviews, and behavior intervention planning.

7. Maintain detailed documentation of behavior incidents, academic progress, and interventions.

8. Provide explicit instruction in social skills, coping strategies, and daily living skills for independent maintenance and self-sufficiency.

9. Create a safe, calm, and predictable classroom climate that supports healing and learning.

10. Communicate regularly and professionally with families, guardians, and other team members.

11. Direct classroom support staff (e.g., paraprofessionals) to ensure consistent implementation of supports and interventions.

12. Participate in ongoing professional development related to trauma-informed care, behavior management, and special education.

13. May coordinate programs with related disciplines for therapeutic purposes; attend multidisciplinary meetings to facilitate comprehensive program planning.

14. Select and requisition books, instructional aids, equipment tools, materials, supplies and parts as required.

15. Assists with special projects.

16. All other duties as assigned by the administrator.  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:  None

QUALIFICATION:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Education or related field.

2. Valid Oklahoma Elementary Education Teaching Certificate

3. Valid Oklahoma Special Education Teaching Certificate

EXTRA DUTY:  In addition to the 180-day contract, will work additional hours as necessary on Extra Duty Contract.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:  Computer literate; excellent written and oral communication ability; strong knowledge of rules, regulations, policies, and laws applicable to education and special education.  Ability to follow all district policies and procedures.  Ability to work independently, displaying initiative and enthusiasm for the tasks being done.  Demonstrating strong communication skills, orally and in writing, with faculty, staff, team members, and administrators.  Ability to work without supervision, and work as a team player.  Ability to document records accurately.  Ability to manage confidential information in a manner that respects students, families, and employees.  Ability to listen effectively.  

LANGUAGE SKILLS:  Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the English language including common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.  

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:  Ability to apply advanced mathematical concepts and mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distribution, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory, and factor analysis.

REASONING ABILITY:  Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out written and oral instructions.  Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee regularly is required to stand, sit, walk, talk, and hear. The employee is frequently required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, or crouch. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus. 

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Primarily inside working conditions; some exposure to environmental conditions during outside duty.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.