Special Education Teacher – Students Complex Needs

Special Education Teacher – Students with Complex Needs

Wilton School District, Wilton High School, Wilton, Connecticut

The Special Education Teacher for Students with Complex Needs is responsible for designing and implementing individualized educational programming for students with complex communication, behavioral, social-emotional, and/or developmental needs. The teacher will utilize evidence‑based instructional practices grounded in the principles of Social Thinking, DBT and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) while fostering a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment.

This position requires strong collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, consistent communication with families, and a commitment to student‑centered programming that promotes meaningful progress, independence, and access to grade‑level curriculum and community experiences.

• Develop and implement individualized educational programs aligned with student IEP goals and Connecticut Core Standards.
• Utilize ABA principles and evidence‑based practices such as Social Thinking and DBT to support skill acquisition, communication, behavior regulation, independence, and social‑emotional growth.
• Implement individualized behavior support plans and collect ongoing data to monitor student progress and instructional effectiveness.
• Differentiate instruction to meet a wide range of learning, communication, sensory, behavioral, and adaptive needs.
• Create structured, predictable, and engaging classroom environments that promote student success and positive behavior.
• Support students in developing functional communication, daily living, social, and academic skills across settings.

• Collaborate closely with speech‑language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, BCBA staff, school psychologists, social workers, related service providers, paraprofessionals, and administrators.
• Facilitate and coordinate multidisciplinary team meetings focused on student progress, programming, and intervention planning.
• Provide guidance, coaching, and support to instructional assistants and paraprofessionals in implementing instructional and behavioral strategies with fidelity.
• Participate actively in PPT/IEP meetings and contribute meaningful progress monitoring data and recommendations.

• Establish collaborative, respectful, and responsive relationships with families.
• Maintain ongoing communication with parents and caregivers regarding student progress, behavioral supports, instructional programming, and school‑home collaboration strategies.
• Partner with families to support consistency across school and home environments.
• Support family engagement in the educational process through clear communication and collaborative problem‑solving.

• Maintain accurate and timely student data, progress reports, behavior tracking, and documentation required for IEPs and state compliance.
• Use formal and informal assessment data to guide instructional decisions and interventions.
• Monitor student progress toward academic, behavioral, communication, and functional goals.

• Maintain compliance with all special education laws, district policies, and procedural safeguards.
• Participate in ongoing professional development related to ABA, autism spectrum disorders, complex learning needs, inclusive practices, and specialized instruction.
• Demonstrate flexibility, professionalism, and a commitment to continuous improvement and collaborative practice.

• Strong understanding of autism spectrum disorders, developmental disabilities, and behavioral supports.
• Experience with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems.
• Commitment to inclusive and student‑centered practices.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities in a dynamic educational environment.
• Collaborative mindset with strong leadership and relationship‑building skills.

This position may involve supporting students across a variety of instructional settings,…