Job Description
Austin Achieve Public Schools is a tuition-free, open-enrollment public charter school district preparing Austin youth to attend and excel at the nation’s top colleges and universities. Our educators are passionate advocates for our scholars and their families, committed to closing the opportunity gap for underserved communities. At Austin Achieve, you are joining a network of individuals committed to excellence. We have ambitious plans to scale our system to serve the children in our communities better and are looking for educators who are ready to drive transformative change. The Early Childhood Special Education Teacher is responsible for providing specialized instruction, supports, and services to Pre-K scholars with disabilities in order to help them access early learning experiences and make meaningful progress toward individualized goals. The ECSE Teacher creates a structured, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate classroom environment designed to support each scholar’s cognitive, communication, social-emotional, behavioral, adaptive, and physical development. The teacher works collaboratively with families, related service providers, paraprofessionals, and campus staff to implement each scholar’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) with fidelity and to support strong early childhood outcomes across school settings. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Plans and delivers specially designed instruction aligned to each scholar’s IEP, present levels of academic and functional performance, and identified developmental needs. Develops and implements developmentally appropriate lessons, activities, materials, and supports that address academic readiness, language and communication, behavior, adaptive functioning, motor development, and social-emotional growth. Creates a classroom environment that is safe, structured, engaging, and appropriate for the physical, social, emotional, and developmental needs of young scholars with disabilities. Implements accommodations, modifications, behavior supports, personal care supports, health-related procedures within role expectations, and other required services in accordance with each scholar’s IEP and applicable plans. Participates in the ARD/IEP process by contributing to the development of present levels, measurable annual goals, service recommendations, progress updates, and transition planning as applicable. Monitors scholar progress on academic, developmental, behavioral, and functional IEP goals using formal and informal measures, and adjusts instruction based on data. Collaborates with families, general education staff, related service providers, evaluation staff, paraprofessionals, and administrators to ensure coordinated support for scholars across settings. Plans, directs, and supervises the work of assigned paraprofessionals to ensure consistent implementation of instructional programming, behavior supports, classroom routines, and scholar supports. Supports scholars in developing early learning, communication, play, self-help, behavioral regulation, and social interaction skills that increase independence and school readiness. Uses a variety of instructional strategies, materials, adaptive tools, and technology to meet the needs of diverse learners. Provides or supervises personal care and support for scholars, including toileting, feeding, hygiene, mobility, positioning, and other daily living needs as required by the scholar’s individualized program. Implements effective behavior management and de-escalation strategies in accordance with district expectations, IEPs, behavior intervention plans, and scholar safety needs. Maintains accurate, timely, and legally compliant documentation related to IEP implementation, progress monitoring, service delivery, family communication, and other required records. Participates in multidisciplinary meetings, campus problem-solving meetings, staff meetings, professional development, and other required school or district activities. Develops and maintains professional, collaborative relationships with scholars, families, colleagues, and community partners. Maintains confidentiality of scholar information and complies with all district, state, and federal requirements related to special education services. Takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect scholars, equipment, materials, and facilities. Performs other duties as assigned. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree required. Valid Texas teaching certificate required, including Special Education certification. Appropriate early childhood and/or core content certification preferred or required based on assignment. Experience teaching or supporting young children with disabilities in a sch