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Job Description
Special Education Teacher | Athens City, Alabama
Full-Time | School-Based | $85/hour
At Community Autism Services (CAS), we know that great outcomes for students start with great support for teachers. You won't be handed a caseload and left to figure it out-you'll have BCBAs, clinical leadership, and a collaborative team behind you every step of the way. We build environments where teachers thrive and where your work has a measurable, lasting impact on students' lives.
This is a higher-acuity special education environment designed for educators who are comfortable supporting students with significant behavioral, emotional, communication, and developmental needs. The classroom requires strong behavior management, consistent structure, confidence during escalation, and the ability to build meaningful relationships while maintaining clear expectations and boundaries.
WHAT SETS US APART
- Embedded BCBA support and collaborative consultation for student programming
- A culture that prioritizes data-driven instruction without losing the human element
- Investment in professional development, including ABA, trauma-informed practices, AAC, and secondary transition
- Meaningful, stable work supporting students with diverse learning and behavioral needs
- A collaborative leadership team committed to educator development and student success
Our Approach
Community Autism Services is committed to delivering individualized, evidence-based educational and behavioral support in collaboration with families, clinical professionals, and school partners. Our approach emphasizes high expectations, individualized instruction, positive behavioral supports, and meaningful student progress.
Our special education programming aligns with applicable Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) requirements and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as applicable to the program and placement. Instruction is aligned with the Alabama Course of Study Standards or Alabama Extended Standards, as appropriate to each student's educational program.
Role Overview
The Special Education Teacher designs and delivers individualized instruction for students with disabilities, including students on the autism spectrum, students with significant communication and adaptive needs, and students with behavioral or emotional challenges.
Working closely with BCBAs, paraprofessionals, families, related service providers, and school-based teams, the teacher supports academic achievement, communication, social-emotional development, functional independence, and progress toward individualized educational goals.
What You'll Do
IEP CASE MANAGEMENT & COMPLIANCE
- Develop, implement, and monitor Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in accordance with applicable Alabama and federal special education requirements.
- Collaborate with families and multidisciplinary teams during IEP meetings, reevaluations, eligibility reviews, and educational planning.
- Establish measurable annual goals based on students' individual academic, behavioral, communication, functional, and developmental needs.
- Monitor student progress and maintain accurate documentation, including progress reports, meeting records, and other required educational documentation.
- Support appropriate implementation of accommodations, modifications, related services, and supplementary aids and services.
- Participate in school-based problem-solving and intervention processes when appropriate to the program and student needs.
- Support transition planning and postsecondary goals for eligible secondary students in accordance with applicable requirements.
INSTRUCTION & DIFFERENTIATION
- Deliver structured, individualized instruction aligned with students' IEP goals and applicable Alabama academic standards.
- Implement evidence-based instructional strategies, including discrete trial teaching, naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs), and structured teaching approaches, as appropriate.
- Differentiate instruction across learning profiles, adapting curriculum and instructional methods for students with a range of support needs.
- Support augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems, including speech-generating devices, picture-based communication, and manual signs, in collaboration with speech-language pathologists and BCBAs.
- Collaborate with general education teachers and related service providers to support accommodations, modifications, inclusive instruction, and access to the general education curriculum when appropriate.
- For students participating in Alabama's alternate assessment program, support instruction aligned with the Alabama Extended Standards and applicable assessment requirements.
BEHAVIOR & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
- Collaborate with BCBAs and the educational team on functional behavioral assessments (FBAs), behavior intervention plans (BIPs), and individualized positive behavioral supports, as appropriate.
- Collect and analyze instructional and behavioral data, including frequency, duration, interval, and antecedent-behavior-consequence (ABC) data.
- Implement proactive behavior support, trauma-informed practices, positive reinforcement, and approved de-escalation strategies.
- Maintain a structured, supportive classroom environment that promotes student safety, engagement, communication, and independence.
- Follow organizational and school-specific procedures for crisis prevention, intervention, incident documentation, and student safety.
- Collaborate with school counselors, mental health professionals, and other providers as appropriate to support students' behavioral and emotional needs.
TEAM LEADERSHIP & PARAPROFESSIONAL SUPPORT
- Provide direction, training, and coaching to paraprofessionals and classroom support staff regarding student programming, instructional strategies, behavior support, and data collection.
- Model effective instructional and behavioral practices and provide ongoing feedback to classroom team members.
- Communicate professionally and consistently with families, building collaborative relationships and sharing student progress appropriately.
- Participate in multidisciplinary meetings, school-based problem-solving teams, and collaborative planning sessions.
- Maintain appropriate confidentiality and follow applicable student privacy, documentation, and professional conduct requirements.
What We're Looking For
Licensure & Credential Requirements
- Alabama educator certification: An active Alabama Professional Educator Certificate in the appropriate special education teaching field and grade range, such as Collaborative Special Education Teacher (K-6 or 6-12), as applicable to the position.
- Out-of-state applicants: Candidates holding a valid professional educator certificate from another state may be considered if they meet Alabama's certification reciprocity requirements and obtain the appropriate Alabama certification when required.
- Alternative certification pathways: Candidates pursuing an Alabama-approved alternative certification route may be considered when eligible for the specific teaching field and assignment and when permitted by applicable requirements.
- Educational qualifications: A bachelor's degree or higher and any applicable educator preparation, testing, and certification requirements established by ALSDE for the relevant certification pathway.
- Professional competencies: Strong communication, organization, collaboration, and classroom management skills, with the ability to support students with significant behavioral and educational needs.
Certification eligibility and any applicable employment conditions will be verified based on the specific assignment and program requirements.
BONUS - NICE TO HAVE
- Additional certification or experience in general education, where relevant to the assignment
- Experience supporting students with autism, significant behavioral needs, or complex communication profiles
- Training in CPI, Safety-Care, or comparable crisis prevention and intervention programs
- Experience with ABA-based instructional strategies, AAC, and positive behavioral supports
- Familiarity with school-based IEP documentation systems and student information systems
- Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish
Compensation & Benefits
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
- Paid school-year schedule, where applicable to the position
- Ongoing professional development in ABA, AAC, trauma-informed practices, and transition planning
- Opportunities for career growth into lead teacher, program specialist, and instructional coaching roles
- Collaborative clinical and educational support
About Community Autism Services
Community Autism Services is committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate care to children and families while creating meaningful, sustainable careers for our team members. We believe exceptional outcomes start with well-supported educators through strong leadership, thoughtful systems, and a culture rooted in collaboration and growth.
As part of a nationwide organization, CAS combines the stability of scale with the heart of a community-based provider. Whether you work in elementary autism programming or secondary behavioral support, you'll find opportunities to grow, lead, and make a lasting impact on the students who need you most.
Community Autism Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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