Teacher: Special Education IRR

Sylvania; Battle Creek (MI); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Lakeview School District in Battle Creek seeks a dedicated special education teacher to provide tailored instruction for students with disabilities. The role involves developing IEPs, creating supportive learning environments, and collaborating with general educators to ensure students meet diploma-track requirements.

Applicants must be certified in special education and possess a bachelor's degree in education or a related field. The position emphasizes both academic and social-emotional support for students, fostering their independence and readiness for future challenges.

Qualifications

• State certification in special education is mandatory.
• Bachelor's degree in education or a related field required.
• Demonstrated ability to create structured classroom environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide specially designed instruction aligned to students’ IEPs.
• Support academic needs through targeted instruction.
• Use student data to make instructional decisions.

Skills

Special education instruction

Communication skills

Data analysis

Behavioral support

Collaboration

Education

State certification in special education

Bachelor's degree in education or related field

Job description

Lakeview School District is dedicated to organizational excellence and supports and encourages the development and implementation of multicultural perspectives across all areas of the organization, the celebration of diversity, and the assets that diversity brings to our organization.

Lakeview School District is located on the south side of Battle Creek, an economically and culturally diverse community of 53,000 located in south-central lower Michigan. The Lakeview School District is a highly respected, dynamic public school system, which seeks implantation of meaningful change with the goal of responsibly restructuring the District's educational programs.

Lakeview School District is a comprehensive school of approximately 4,000 students in grades K-12 with 500 faculty and support staff members with an annual General Fund Budget of $40 million. The District is comprised of six school buildings, four K-4 elementary buildings, one 5-8 middle school building, and one high school.

Summary

Under the direction of the building principal, the special education teacher plans and provides specially designed instruction for students with disabilities who require a higher level of academic and/or social-emotional support, while continuing to participate in a diploma-track program.

This position supports students who need more intensive instruction, structure, behavioral support, executive functioning support, and progress monitoring than a traditional resource program may provide. The teacher is responsible for creating a supportive, flexible learning environment that helps students access grade-level curriculum, earn required credits, develop self-regulation and self-advocacy skills, and make progress toward graduation requirements.

Students served in this program may receive instruction in a special education setting for part of the school day and may also participate in general education classes with appropriate supplementary aids, accommodations, behavioral supports, and collaboration among staff. This role is similar in structure to the referenced special education position, which emphasizes specialized instruction, data-based decision making, IEP implementation, parent communication, and collaboration across educational settings.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

These duties are intended as examples of the work performed. The omission of a specific duty does not exclude it from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment.

• Provide specially designed instruction aligned to students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), while supporting access to Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements and diploma-track coursework.
• Teach district-approved curriculum through direct instruction, small-group instruction, guided practice, intervention, and structured academic support.
• Support students with higher academic needs through targeted instruction in reading, writing, math, executive functioning, study skills, organization, assignment completion, and credit recovery or credit completion as appropriate.
• Support students with higher social-emotional needs through explicit instruction in self-regulation, coping strategies, problem solving, communication, self-advocacy, and school-appropriate behavior.
• Use student data to make instructional decisions, monitor progress toward IEP goals, adjust interventions, and communicate student progress to the IEP team.
• Develop and maintain a structured classroom environment that promotes student engagement, emotional regulation, positive behavior, and academic productivity.
• Implement positive behavioral supports, behavior intervention plans, crisis/safety plans, and individualized de-escalation strategies as required by student need.
• Collaborate with general education teachers to support student access to diploma-track coursework, including accommodations, assignment modifications when appropriate, assessment supports, and instructional planning.
• Develop plans for communication, monitoring, and follow-up for students participating in general education, intervention, elective, career/technical, or work-based learning settings.
• Provide support during student transitions throughout the school day, including transitions between special education and general education environments.
• Confer with parents/guardians, administrators, school psychologists, social workers, counselors, ancillary staff, general education teachers, and other professionals to develop and implement IEPs, behavior supports, and transition plans.
• Participate in IEP team meetings, reevaluations, manifestation determination reviews, transition planning, and other student-centered meetings as assigned.
• Maintain accurate records consistent with state and federal requirements, district procedures, and Board of Education policies, including IEP implementation, accommodations, progress monitoring, service documentation, behavior data, and communication logs.
• Prepare progress reports, report cards, and other required documentation related to student academic, behavioral, and social-emotional progress.
• Communicate regularly with parents/guardians through phone calls, email, conferences, meetings, and other appropriate methods.
• Coordinate with counselors and administrators regarding student schedules, credits, graduation planning, attendance concerns, and intervention needs.
• Support students in developing postsecondary readiness skills, including employability skills, independent work habits, self-advocacy, and transition-related goals.
• Apply and integrate technology to support instruction, student organization, accessibility, communication, progress monitoring, and engagement.
• Participate in district-level and building-level meetings, staff development, professional learning, school improvement activities, and planning committees as appropriate to the assignment.
• Work cooperatively and effectively with multiple departments, grade levels, and school teams.
• Supervise and provide direction to paraeducators, classroom aides, and volunteers assigned to support students in the program.
• Represent Lakeview School District in a professional and positive manner with students, families, staff, and the community.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervises students, paraeducators, classroom aides, and volunteers assigned to the classroom or program.
• Provides direction to support staff regarding classroom routines, student accommodations, behavior support plans, data collection, instructional support, and student safety procedures.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

EOE