Teacher (Special Education)

The Indian Health Service; Mobridge (SD); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The Great Plains Area Youth Regional Treatment Center (GPAYRTC) in Mobridge, SD is seeking a State Certified Teacher (Special Education) for elementary and/or high school settings. The role focuses on supporting students with various disabilities, including learning and behavioral challenges.

A REAL ID will be required. The position includes supervisory duties, records maintenance, and adaptation of instruction to meet individual student needs within SD education standards.

Qualifications

• State certification in Special Education (SPED) required or must obtain licensure as SPED teacher.
• Experience with elementary and/or high school settings and students with disabilities.

Responsibilities

• Supervise educational assistant and other staff (15% supervisory duties).
• Maintain student records, attendance, and progress reports.
• Use alternative instruction/testing methods to meet individual student needs.
• Ensure curriculum and school structure meet SD Department of Education standards and accreditation requirements.

Job description

SummaryThis position is located with The Great Plains Area Youth Regional Treatment Center (GPAYRTC) in Mobridge, SD. This position serves as a State Certified Teacher (Special Education) in elementary and/or high school settings, working with students who have a variety of disabilities compounded with either learning and/or behavioral difficulties.

A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).Duties

SummaryThis position is located with The Great Plains Area Youth Regional Treatment Center (GPAYRTC) in Mobridge, SD. This position serves as a State Certified Teacher (Special Education) in elementary and/or high school settings, working with students who have a variety of disabilities compounded with either learning and/or behavioral difficulties. A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).DutiesHelp

• Supervisory duties - 15%: will provide direction and/or instruction to educational assistant and/or other support personnel to include the daily management of the paraprofessional staff member responsible for daily educational assistance to the residents and/or milieu management.
• Maintains necessary and required records such as anecdotal records (student learning folders), learning packet, daily attendance reports, class charts, progress reports, etc
• Uses alternative instruction methods and/or testing methods to meet the student's individual needs.
• Maintains curriculum and school structure in accordance with the standards of the South Dakota Department of Education and Cultural Affairs or the North Central Association - Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, and/or The Joint Commission.

Requirements:

• IHS Selectees whose duties and responsibilities require them to work permanently, temporarily, or occasionally in an IHS healthcare facility must comply with the IHS Employee Immunization Policy related to vaccine-preventable diseases, consistent with recommendations for healthcare workers. Vaccine exemption requests may be available, as outlined in the IHS Employee Immunization Policy and facility guidance.
• The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain any licensure requirements. If licensure is not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service.

RequirementsHelpConditions of employment

• Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
• Must be available for evening and weekend work and may be subject to "call back" duty in emergency situations.
• This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/

Background Investigation Requirement:

• This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.
• A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.
• Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Financial Suitability Requirement:

• This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.
• Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).
• Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.

QualificationsTo qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

Individual Occupational Requirements, Series Definition: This series includes positions that require applying full professional knowledge of the theories, principles, and techniques of education and training to instructional and educational administration work in education programs operated by Federal agencies. Some positions also require specialized knowledge of one or more subjects in which the instruction is given.

Basic Requirements for Teaching Positions Series 1710: Applicants must meet one of the following.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited or pre-accredited institution that included or was supplemented by supervised student teaching, and at least one course in each of the following areas: general psychology, human development, history and/or philosophy of education, and teaching methods at the learning level of the position to be filled, i.e., elementary or secondary learning level. For secondary school teaching positions, applicants must also have had at least 24 semester hours (or equivalent) of course work in each of the principal fields of instruction.

OR

• Combination of education and experience - Applicants who have completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's degree but who do not meet the specific course requirements shown above meet minimum qualification requirements if they have completed at least one full academic year of professional teaching experience at the elementary or secondary school level as appropriate to the position to be filled. Professional teaching experience is defined as full and primary responsibility for the instruction of assigned students under general supervision in a recognized or accredited school or other accredited educational institution. This includes responsibility for preparation and presentation of lessons and the evaluation of students' progress throughout the learning period, including a determination of the students' success or failure according to established criteria.

OR

• Teacher certification or licensure in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

Note: For special education teaching positions, applicants must meet the degree and course requirements shown in paragraph A above, and, in addition, must have had at least 24 semester hours (or the equivalent) of course work in special education that included at least one course covering the teaching of exceptional students and courses in the appropriate field(s) of specialization.

In addition, to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Selective Placement Factor and Minimum Qualifications stated below.

Selective Placement Factor

Applicants who do not meet a selective factor are ineligible for further consideration.

Must possess and provide a copy of an active and valid elementary teacher or secondary teacher licensure in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, -OR- a territory of the United States with a SPED endorsement that contributes toward proficiency in providing education services for a student on an Individual Education Plan (IEP). A licensed teacher with a Level 1 Elementary or Secondary Principal Credential requires proficiency as an educator, acknowledgement of ethical and education requirements for SPED students, and enhances proficiency in education administration. (Must provide a copy of the certification with your application documents.)

AND

Minimum Qualifications for GS-1710-09: Applicants must meet one of the following.

• Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks, Examples include: providing professional educational skills to assigned students that includes responsibility in preparing and presenting lessons plans, evaluate students' progress throughout the learning period and determining students' success or failure according to established criteria.
• Your resume must demonstrate successful completion 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.
• Your resume must demonstrate a combination of graduate education and specialized experience that meets the minimum qualifications described above. The percentage of the education requirement met, plus the percentage of the experience requirement met, must total at least 100% to qualify at the GS-09 level.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement.

EducationThis position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional informationReasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire CompetencyBased Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

• This position is ineligible for the Bargaining Unit.
• Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. You will be required to sign a service agreement.
• This position has no promotion potential.
• You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.

Open bullet list

• How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
• In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
• In this role, you will be expected to professionally and efficiently implement executive direction. Provide an example where you implemented leadership direction on a strategy or policy decision that differed from your own recommendation.
• How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?
• Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
• However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
• You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.