Special Education Teacher (Mild/Moderate)

About SEED:

The mission of SEED Schools is to provide students with a rigorous, college preparatory, tuition-free boarding school model that prepares them for success in college and careers.

The SEED School of Los Angeles County (SEED LA) opened in Fall 2022 as California’s first urban public, college preparatory boarding school, the fourth SEED school in the nation. Building a ninth-grade cohort each year, SEED LA will serve 9th-11th grade students for this 2024-2025 academic year. By the 2025-2026 school year, SEED LA will empower roughly 400 students in Grades 9-12 to achieve their full potential through our 24-hour learning environment. Our partnership with LA Metro provides a unique opportunity for students to advance their skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) while engaging in hands-on learning in the transportation and infrastructure fields.

Our innovative model integrates a rigorous academic program with a nurturing boarding program that develops the whole child. This boarding school model provides a comprehensive solution to the challenges facing urban youth and serves as a prototype for expansion nationwide. All SEED students live on campus between Sunday evenings and Friday afternoons. Our model has proven successful: over 90 percent of SEED graduates have been accepted to four-year colleges and universities throughout the country and over 60 percent remain enrolled in college or have already earned college degrees.

The success of the SEED model has been showcased in media outlets and publications such as 60 Minutes, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and in the documentary film, Waiting for Superman. President Barack Obama has hailed SEED as “a true success story".

More information can be found on the school’s website: www.seedschoolla.org.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The SEED School of Los Angeles County is looking for a Special Education (Mild/Moderate) Teacher to join its team. The Special Education (Mild/Moderate) Teacher will co-cultivate in an inclusion setting a rigorous, instructional culture that strives to build critical thinkers prepared to meet the demands of college and engage as productive citizens of the world. In our classrooms, scholars are challenged daily with intentionality to engage in productive struggle with support from the SPED Teacher to reach mastery of the standards of learning. SPED Teachers are required to co-plan and teach, utilizing and exhausting the various co-teaching models. Scholars will receive instruction that is designed with modifications and accommodations that meet their distinct needs per their goals within their IEPs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide Excellent College-Preparatory Instruction to all Scholars

• Administer and interpret academic assessments to evaluate students' strengths and needs.
• Design comprehensive IEPs, including individualized goals and transition plans for high school students.
• Stay informed about current special education topics and methodologies to ensure effective teaching practices.
• Collaborate with school staff and families to monitor student progress and adjust instructional strategies as needed.
• Manage and support students' behavioral and social-emotional needs in the classroom environment.
• Maintain open communication with colleagues, families, and other providers/staff to ensure a collaborative approach to student success.
• Demonstrate flexibility and resourcefulness in addressing diverse student needs and adapting instructional techniques.
• Foster a classroom culture and environment of high expectations for all scholars that is grounded in a belief that each scholar can learn and achieve at college-preparatory levels.
• Effectively co-plan, co-design, and co-deliver instruction from the assigned grade level curriculum and provide support to reach all scholars on caseload, regardless of prior academic background, disability, or English language fluency.
• Engage in internalizing assigned curriculum, tied to specific grade level, content standards in teacher teams and individually to prepare daily lesson plans, instructional materials, and formative assessments aligned to rigorous college-ready standards (i.e., Common Core State Standards) along with the general education teacher.
• Welcome and incorporate feedback from the coaching, guidance, and feedback provided by school leaders, instructional coaches, and content specialists. 
• Collaborate across the academic and special education teams to monitor progress in support of students’ IEP goals and Academic Performance Plans, in addition to executing the five varying co-teaching models.
• Co-create, facilitate, and participate in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) with an emphasis on the MAP Learning Continuum. 
• Other duties as assigned/needed.

Cultivate a Culture of Deliberate Instructional Excellence

• Exhibit a continuous improvement mindset to provide scholars opportunities aligned to the Profile of a SEED Graduate
• Embody the Core Belief Statements of SEED
• Ensure timely and high-quality submission of school requirements such as intellectual preparation/lesson plans, unit plans, and re-teaching plans
• Provide a coherent and supportive classroom culture aligned to the school-wide culture policy and keep documentation of all interventions taken to support scholar engagement, learning, and well-being
• Maintain accurate, current IEPs/records and submit timely completed progress reports and school-wide assessment records.

Requirements

The Ideal Candidate will have: 

• A commitment to SEED’s mission and belief that with the right resources, any child can attend college and achieve their dreams
• A commitment to SEED’s core values of: COMPASSION, GRATITUDE, GROWTH, INTEGRITY, PERSEVERANCE, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY
• A commitment to equity, leadership, and a focus on data-driven results
• Minimum of 1-3 years special education teaching experience with a proven track record
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work as a part of multiple teams
• Experience working with diverse student populations in an urban setting
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Experience using the SEIS platform is a PLUS
• Possess an entrepreneurial spirit to thrive in a start-up organization and to be able to create and implement systems that drives student achievement

Certification

Possess and maintain a valid California Teaching Credential or ability to obtain this credential in California by August 1, 2024, through one of the following pathways:

• California Single Subject Credential (Clear or Preliminary) in Mild/Moderate
• Non-California Credential transferring to California with proof of transferring credential in progress 
• Proof of California Credential in progress
• California University Internship Credential Eligible
• Active California teacher certification in the assigned subject area(s) and a valid English Learner Authorization (e.g. CLAD)  

For Out-of-State or Non-Credentialed Applicants:

Before applying, visit the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (https://www.ctc.ca.gov/) to assess teaching eligibility in a California public school as of July 2024

Benefits

Employee Benefits

Compensation will be commensurate with experience. The teacher salary range is $72,000-$108,000, depending on education and years of experience. For teachers who have yet to obtain their credentials or those currently enrolled in a credentialing program or intern-eligible, the 2024-25 salary range is between $62,000 and $68,000.

The benefits package also includes paid sick leave, holiday pay, a generous 403b retirement plan, and health, dental, vision, and life insurance.

The SEED School of Los Angeles County (SEED LA) is committed to the letter and spirit of equality, provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.  SEED LA does not discriminate in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships, and other programs.