Pre-K Special Education Teacher - The Alpha School

Pre K Special Education Teacher. Core Responsibilities

IEP Development;
Management:
Serving as a case manager for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which includes conducting screenings, drafting goals, and monitoring progress

Specialized Instruction:
Implementing the Creative Curriculum or other state-approved frameworks to teach basic skills needed in the areas of cognition, adaptive, social/emotional, motor, and communication.

Inclusive Environments:
Designing programs that allow students to be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), often alongside typically developing peers.

Behavior;
Social Support:
Using techniques like behavior modification and positive reinforcement to help children manage social-emotional challenges.

Collaboration:

Working closely with a multidisciplinary team, including speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, families and paraprofessionals.

To teach in a TN public school, you must meet specific state standards:

Education:

A bachelor's degree in special education, early childhood education, or a related field from an accredited institution is required.

Licensure: A valid Tennessee Educator License is mandatory.

Endorsements:
Common endorsement codes for this role in Tennessee

Exams:
Candidates typically must pass the Praxis Early Childhood Education or relevant special education content exams. To hold this position in a Tennessee public school, you must possess the following:
Tennessee Educator License: A valid state-issued license with specific professional endorsements.

• Integrated Early Childhood:
  Endorsements that cover both general and special education for the Pre-K–3 span.

Technical Proficiency:
Ability to use state-mandated EasyIEP software for maintaining legally defensible documentation.

Schedule:

Generally follows a 200-day contract for a standard 10-month school year.

Physical Demands:
The role is physically active, requiring occasional lifting, stooping, and kneeling to interact with young children.

Salary Range:
Information available at

Itinerant Special Education Pre-K Teacher In this role, the teacher operates on an itinerant basis, providing specialized services to preschool-aged children with disabilities across diverse settings in Tennessee.

Mobile Service Delivery:
Required travel to various pre-K placements-including Head Start, Alpha School, and community-based childcare centers, and private preschools-to provide direct and indirect special education services as outlined in student IEPs.

Comprehensive Record-Keeping:
Fully responsible for all documentation, including drafting, reviewing, and finalizing IEPs, progress reports, and evaluation summaries. All records must be maintained in compliance with federal and state regulations using required platforms like EasyIEP or TN Pulse.

Diagnostic Testing;
Evaluation:
Conduct comprehensive screenings and assessments for children identified through:

• TEIS (Tennessee Early Intervention System):
  Managing the transition of toddlers (birth to age
  3) into the school district's preschool special education program.
• Child Find:
  Actively identifying, locating, and evaluating all children with suspected disabilities within the district's jurisdiction.
• Head Start;
  Pre-K:
  Evaluating students already in early childhood programs who may require specialized support.

IEP Case Management:
Serving as the lead for the IEP Team, ensuring that all 48-hour draft rules are met and that all staff implementing the IEP are properly trained on specific student accommodations.