Special Education Teacher ($2,500 Signing Bonus Available)

Are you ready to join the nation’s fastest improving urban school district? We are looking for highly motivated, skilled, and equity-minded Special Education teachers to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) for the 2022-23 school year. We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a significant difference in the lives of our students/students with special educational needs. 

Candidates who commit to teaching at one of our RISE schools are eligible to receive a signing bonus of up to $2,500 for the 2022-23 school year if they are hired by July 1, 2022. 

DCPS serves approximately 49,000 students in the nation's capital through the efforts of approximately 4,200 educators in 117 schools. As part of a comprehensive reform effort to become the preeminent urban school system in America, DCPS intends to have the highest-performing, best paid, most satisfied, and most honored educator force in the nation and a distinctive central office staff whose work supports and drives instructional excellence and significant achievement gains for DCPS students. 

This position is a safety-sensitive position. As a result, throughout employment this position will be subject to the Employee Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy. The Government of the District of Columbia values the safety of our employees, our residents, and our visitors. In support of these values, if you are selected for this job, effective December 20, 2021 you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a booster shot. There will be no test-out option. If you are invited to join our team, you must submit proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by uploading a copy of your vaccination card to your candidate dashboard. You will not be extended an offer of employment until you comply with the requirement to upload your vaccination card or opt out of being vaccinated. 

Position Overview 

Vision 

Every student feels loved, challenged, and prepared to positively influence and thrive in life. 

Mission 

Ensure that every school guarantees students reach their full potential through rigorous and joyful learning experiences provided in a nurturing environment. 

Strategic Priorities 

Promote Equity: Define, understand, and promote equity so that we can eliminate gaps and systematically interrupt institutional bias. 

Empower Our People: Recruit, develop, and retain a talented, caring, and diverse team. 

Ensure Excellent Schools: Increase the number of excellent schools throughout the city. 

Educate the Whole Child: Provide rigorous, joyful, and inclusive academic and social emotional learning experiences to ensure all students are college and career ready. 

The Teacher (10-month) will report to the Principal. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned. 

• Sets and reinforces clear expectations and routines that are aligned with the school’s overall vision.  
• Develops and implements curricula and activities to meet academic standards. 
• Thoughtfully plans daily lessons and implements specific strategies to meet the needs of all students, providing extra support, enrichment, or variation of work when necessary. 
• Demonstrates strong content knowledge. 
• Designs and implements assessments that measure progress towards academic standards and diagnoses areas of student misunderstanding. 
• Uses assessment data to refine curriculum and informs instructional practices. 
• Is accountable for students’ academic growth and increase each individual student’s achievement.  
• Creates a positive, achievement-oriented learning environment. 
• Reflects on successes and areas of growth as a teacher, seeks to improve performance, and responds to feedback.  
• Participates in collaborative curriculum development, grade-level activities, and school-wide functions. 
• Invests parents and families in their children’s academic success through regular communication. 

Qualifications  

• Bachelor's degree. 
• Must meet one of the following criteria:
• Hold an OSSE-issued credential or valid teaching credential from another state
• Be currently enrolled in a teacher preparation program
• Have 1 year of full-time lead teaching experience
• Have passing scores on at least 2 of the 4 required educator credential exams
• Have earned a cumulative undergraduate degree of 3.0 or higher
• Strong instructional skills and classroom management. 
• Enthusiasm for and demonstrated mastery of subject matter. 
• Unrelenting commitment to students, self, and school’s constant learning and development. 
• Ability to self-reflect on teaching practices and be responsive to feedback. 

DCPS Values 

• STUDENTS FIRST: We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do. 
• COURAGE: We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success. 
• EQUITY: We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds. 
• EXCELLENCE: We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions. 
• TEAMWORK: We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically. 
• JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other. 

Apply here today! Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; however, we encourage candidates to apply by our next deadline on April 27 to receive priority consideration. Feel free to email us at teach.dcps@k12.dc.gov if you have any questions or would like to connect with a recruiter!