Special Education Teacher – Applicant Pool 2025-2026 SY – Special Education

Position Details

POSITION SUMMARY:

• Social Emotional Teacher*

This position serves students with ongoing significant social/emotional skill deficits and mental health needs that impede their ability to benefit from general education settings. Behavioral characteristics of these students may include: non-compliance; poor peer interactions; difficulty in following school routines and/or expectations; poor problem-solving skills; excessive fears/phobias; poor social skills; and sometimes verbal and/or physical aggressiveness.

Teacher provides a developmentally appropriate classroom environment for children with a wide range of abilities. Using a Collaborative Problem-Solving approach, incumbent provides specially designed instruction in social skills, school success strategies, conflict resolution, coping skills, and academics at the students instructional level. Such instruction occurs in the classroom setting with consultation and communication to families. Classroom environments feature clear expectations, community building, relationship building with adults and peers, positive support strategies, and encouragement. Related services are provided consistent with each student’s IEP. Students have opportunities to participate in general education experiences.

• Communication Behavior Teacher*

Position serves students who have significant socialization, behavioral, and sometimes developmental needs related to communication and sensory challenges. Academic instruction is provided at students’ instructional levels. Students have access to supplemental curriculum in social skills, behavioral training, and cooperative play and communication skills. Students learn strategies to address their communication, behavior, and sensory needs. Related services and assistive technology are integrated throughout the school day consistent with each student’s IEP. Students have the opportunity to participate in general education experiences.

Teacher in this classroom will provide students on IEPs with characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder with teaching skills in the following areas: academics, functional daily routines, behavior/self management, social interaction and communication. Assessment and instruction to students in the subject area or grade level by teaching skills, content, and critical thinking. All instruction is tied to district and state performance standards. Assessment is continually used to adjust, inform, and differentiate instruction to meet the needs of a wide range of students who have diverse modes of learning, and are served by Individual Education Plans.

• Learning Center Teacher*

This teacher provides curriculum, assessment and instruction to students in the subject area or grade level by teaching skills, content, and critical thinking. All instruction is tied to district and state performance standards. Assessment is continually used to adjust, inform, and differentiate instruction to meet the needs of a wide range of students including students who are English Language Learners, Talented and Gifted students, have diverse modes of learning, and are served by Individual Education Plans. All teachers have a desire to involve parents as partners in education and have strong collaboration and communication skills with parents and colleagues. All teachers are responsible for student supervision, guidance, development, and safety. All teachers follow Portland Public School policies, rules, and regulations.

• Intensive Skills Center Teacher*

Intensive Skills classrooms support students with learning needs due to cognitive deficits that impact their participation in the general curriculum. These programs provides specially designed instruction, as appropriate, in the areas of functional and basic academic skills, social skills, communication skills, and for some students, basic life routines.

Teacher provides individualized instruction in the areas of cognitive, communication, social and motor skills. Instruction occurs in self-contained setting with nurse and therapist goals and activities.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

Incumbents must be properly licensed by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission for assignment as a Professional Educator – Teacher. For positions identified within core academic areas, incumbents must be designated as highly qualified by the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) to teach the designated core subjects. Core academic areas include Language Arts (English), Reading, Mathematics, Sciences, Foreign Language (except Chinese-Mandarin), Social Studies and Art.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1.Background/experience with students with severe developmental delays.

2. Current pediatric CPR credential or willing to receive training as soon as possible.

• K-8:

3.Oregon TSPC License with Handicapped Learner or Special Education endorsement

AND

4.Multiple subject or elementary endorsement OR passed MSAT, ORELA (multiple subject I&II or multiple subject II&III or elementary education I&II) or a comparable out of state elementary exam OR received a TSPC HQ Advise letter for all HQ subject(s) to be taught.

• High School:

3.Oregon TSPC License with Handicapped Learner or Special Education endorsement

AND

4. Endorsement for the subject(s) to be taught OR passed a subject mastery exam for the subject to be taught (ORELA or PRAXIS, comparable out of state exam, undergraduate/graduate degree in the subject(s) to be taught) OR received a TSPC HQ Advise letter for all HQ subject(s) to be taught.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Training and/or experience in a similar classroom setting.
• Bilingual/Bi-Cultural Chinese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese applicants are highly desirable.

Salary Range: $57,228 – $111,359 (Annual salary based on 1.0 FTE).

Work Year: 193

FTE: Various from .50 FTE to 1.0 FTE

Benefits Information

Portland Public Schools (PPS) offers several competitive and comprehensive benefit packages to employees. Fringe benefits include medical, dental, vision, prescription, life and disability insurance, employee assistance program, 403(b) retirement savings plan and various leave and professional development programs. Depending on the insurance option selected by the employee, there may be an employee contribution toward insurance.

Portland Public Schools is a public employer and participates in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS/OPSRP). Eligible employees are required by statute to contribute 6% of salary on a pre-tax basis to OPSRP/IAP, after serving six months under a PERS employer.

For more information about additional benefits or compensation options by employee group, please visit our website at: https://www.pps.net/Page/1635

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