Teacher, Early Childhood Education - Sped Center Program

About This Job

Early Childhood Special Education (SPED) Teachers provide services to students with identified educational disabilities. The ECE Model 1 is an inclusive program supporting children ages 3‑5 who require higher level specialized instruction and related service support. The program is staffed by an Early Childhood Special Educator as the lead teacher and two paraprofessionals.

Special education teachers manage caseloads, monitor student growth, and develop and implement Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). They modify and adapt curriculum to meet students’ needs while providing access to Common Core State Standards.

• Instruct students in academic subjects using a variety of techniques to meet students’ varying needs.
• Create, write, monitor, and facilitate IEPs for students on the caseload to ensure that students’ individualized academic and social‑emotional needs are met.
• Oversee the scheduling of IEP meetings and ensure compliance with state and federal law.
• Assess student progress toward objectives, expectations, and/or goals to provide feedback to students, parents, and administration.
• Promote student respect for the rights of others in the classroom to create and maintain a positive learning environment.
• Prepare lesson plans and materials according to curriculum guidelines, adapting teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students’ varying needs and interests; establish clear objectives for lessons, units, and projects; and instruct students individually and in groups using various teaching methods.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to students’ physical, medical, and varying learning styles related to their identified disabilities to support students.
• Set high expectations for all students to demonstrate a deep belief that every learner thrives.
• Complete Medicaid logging for reimbursement of services when applicable.
• Manage and teach socially appropriate behavior to promote self‑regulation and safety.
• May participate in extra‑duty activities as outlined in the teachers’ collective bargaining agreement.

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree in Education or related field—required. A Master’s Degree is required for Concurrent Enrollment positions.
• Hold a Master’s Degree in Deaf Education—preferred.
• Have a valid Colorado Department of Education teaching license.
• EL‑S Only positions require Spanish‑language proficiency or the Praxis II‑Spanish:
  World Language 5195 exam with a score of 163 or higher.
• ELA‑S Only:
  Must be bilingual in Spanish and English—required.
• Experience working with young students with exceptional needs and their parents—preferred.
• Experience developing and implementing IEPs and BIPs.
• Experience co‑teaching in core academic subjects and thriving in a collaborative team approach—preferred.
• Experience working or teaching a diverse student population.
• Lead for racial and educational excellence and work to dismantle systems of oppression and inequity—required.
• Live and work with a permanent home address in Colorado.
• Have the ability, with or without accommodations, to meet the physical demands of the position.

• Competitive teacher compensation and Procomp incentive plan.
• Time off, health and wellness benefits, and PERA retirement.

Denver Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender expression, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or any other status protected by law or regulations. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job‑related factors.