Centers- Special Education Teacher; Fed III; Grades 5-8

Start Date:  School Year

Location: St. Paul Middle Academy

Reports to: Principal

FLSA Status: Exempt

Updated: December 2025

The Centers-Based Special Education Teacher is a committed member of a collaborative school team dedicated to closing the opportunity gap for students with disabilities. This educator provides highly individualized, evidence-based instruction for students with the most intensive academic, behavioral, social-emotional, communication, and adaptive learning needs. Students may qualify for services under a variety of disability categories, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Developmental Cognitive Disabilities (DCD), Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (EBD), Other Health Disabilities (OHD), and multiple disabilities.

The Centers-Based Special Education Teacher creates a highly structured, predictable, and supportive learning environment where students develop the academic, communication, behavioral, self-regulation, and independence skills necessary to make meaningful progress toward their Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals and access increasingly inclusive educational opportunities whenever appropriate.

Working in close partnership with paraprofessionals, related service providers, families, school leaders, and general education teachers, this teacher designs individualized instructional programs, implements proactive behavioral supports, and ensures compliance with all local, state, and federal special education requirements.

This role is ideal for an educator who thrives in complex instructional environments, believes every student can make meaningful growth, approaches teaching with cultural responsiveness and a strong equity lens, and is committed to continuous learning and collaboration.

Prodeo Academy is a network of public charter schools serving the Twin Cities. Prodeo Academy is a meaningful education solution that is closing the opportunity gap through data-driven instruction in a culture grounded in five core values:
Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Development, and Engagement
. Shared expectations around these values enhance the opportunity for scholars to reach their full potential. We seek team members who are committed to helping students access greater opportunities, achieve future success, and contribute positively to their communities.

The following duties represent the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Provide individualized, IEP-aligned instruction through whole-group, small-group, and one-to-one instruction within a highly structured centers-based classroom.
• Deliver explicit, systematic instruction using evidence-based practices appropriate for students with significant cognitive, behavioral, communication, and social-emotional needs.
• Teach academic, communication, executive functioning, adaptive behavior, self-regulation, and functional life skills as identified in students' IEPs.
• Differentiate instruction through visual supports, task analysis, prompting hierarchies, assistive technology, sensory supports, and other individualized accommodations.
• Develop structured classroom routines that maximize predictability, student engagement, and independence.
• Collect, analyze, and use progress-monitoring data to adjust instruction and intervention.
• Collaborate with general education teachers to increase meaningful access to grade-level curriculum and inclusive educational opportunities whenever appropriate.
• Implement approved curricula, instructional strategies, and evidence-based interventions with fidelity.
• Create a classroom culture built on high expectations, positive relationships, and student dignity.

• Create and maintain a safe, predictable, and highly structured classroom environment that promotes student success.
• Implement individualized Behavior Support Plans (BSPs), Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs), sensory supports, and other individualized behavioral interventions.
• Teach replacement behaviors, emotional regulation, communication, problem-solving, and self-management skills through explicit instruction and daily practice.
• Collect and analyze behavioral data to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and inform instructional decisions.
• Utilize approved de-escalation, crisis prevention, and safety procedures while maintaining student dignity and preserving instructional time whenever possible.
• Maintain continuous supervision and ensure student safety throughout the instructional day.
• Foster trusting relationships with students through consistency, empathy, and high expectations.

• Set ambitious, individualized goals based on student assessment data, present levels of performance, and IEP objectives.
• Collect and analyze academic, behavioral, communication, and functional performance data to guide instructional decisions.
• Participate…