Early Special Education Teacher (.FTE

Early-On Special Education Teacher (.5 FTE)

Reports To:

Director of Early Childhood Special Education Updated:
July 2026

Salary/Benefits:
Per LIPSA Master Agreement

Schedule:

12-month (184 half days)

Position Summary:

The Early-On special education teacher is responsible for caregiver coaching and direct instruction focusing on early literacy skills and developmentally appropriate adaptive and functional skills for children from birth to three years of age.

Note:

These duties and responsibilities are judged to be "essential functions" in terms of the Americans With Disabilities Act or ADA. 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.

The statements below are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by a person in this position. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties that may be performed by such a person. Other duties may be assigned.

• Assess child development in each curricular and developmental area of need. Align curriculum to assessments, individualizing based on student level.
• Knowledge and experience with High Leverage Practices, explicit instruction, differentiated instruction, and "best practices" in the field of Autism (e.g., START, Project Impact, etc.) and developmental delays.
• Enthusiasm, flexibility, and ability to work cooperatively with students, parents, teachers and administrators.
• Incorporate the use of evidence-based interventions (e.g., PBIS) for classroom management and student behavior.
• Experience supporting students with complex communication needs, including familiarity with Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) supports.
• Knowledge of and accuracy in completing IEPs, present level statements, measurable goals and objectives, and documentation of progress toward goals and objectives.
• Provide explicit instruction to children in the following areas: early literacy, social skills, activities of daily living, language and communication skills, sensory stimuli, fine and gross motor.
• Collaborate and coordinate ancillary student services as indicated by the IEP.
• Plan and conduct parent-teacher conferences as scheduled.
• Supervise, assess and direct the work of teacher assistants to ensure a quality instructional program.
• Serve as case coordinator for students on caseload.
• Assure that medical needs of students are met according to agency policy and procedures.

Additional Duties:
Performs other related tasks as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Manages and supervises students and paraprofessionals in the educational environment.

Education and/or

Experience:

Possess a minimum of a Bachelor's degree. Completion of the Early-On Essentials.

Certificates, Licenses and/or Registrations:
Michigan teaching certificate with the following endorsements: ZS, ZN Early Childhood special education endorsement OR ZA Early Childhood endorsement with at least one other qualifying special education endorsement (cognitive impairment or autism spectrum disorder preferred).

Language

Skills:

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of staff, parent, and the general public.

Mathematical

Skills:

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to use advanced mathematics to solve problems related to use of technology.

Reasoning Ability:
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Other

Skills and Abilities:

Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory to area of professional responsibility; ability to plan and implement adaptive technology based on needs and abilities of students to whom assigned. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, peers, parents and community; ability to speak clear and concisely in written or oral communication.

Physical Demands:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The employee must occasionally push items of 50 lbs. such as equipment. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth…