Special Education

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing, public charter schools providing an outstanding K-12 education in historically under-resourced communities. We have proudly built schools that reflect our student population, with more than 60% of our teachers and staff across our network identifying as a person of color. Uncommon currently manages 53 schools serving more than 20,000 students in five cities: Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark, and Rochester. We are proud that Uncommon graduates persist in and graduate from college at five times the rate of their peers nationally. We achieve this by offering strong academic, co-curricular, and social-emotional learning that prepares students for success in college and beyond.

Rochester Prep currently manages six schools serving students in grades K through 12. We believe in strong authentic relationships between teachers and students, supported by effective school systems and an engaging instructional model that enables students to flourish academically and personally. Rochester Prep schools are consistently some of the city's top-performing, and our students have an impressive 85% college acceptance rate.

Uncommon Special Education teachers are passionate about developing and monitoring accommodations for students with special needs. Special Education teachers advocate for students and believe that specialized instruction and related services increase academic achievement. Special Education teachers offer academic, emotional, and physical support while maintaining high expectations. 

Responsibilities

1.     Instruction

• You'll modify, differentiate, and teach an inclusive curriculum that emphasizes diversity. 
• You'll collaborate with families and Special Education teams to develop 504 and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that offer appropriate accommodations and modifications.
• You'll create an inclusive and safe environment where students feel empowered to become self-guided learners.

2.     Special Education Specific Responsibilities

• You'll collaborate with general education teachers, school leaders, and families to analyze and respond to trends in student work samples and assessments and ensure compliance with Individualized Education Plans.
• You will gather academic growth data and write goals to prepare for annual IEP meetings.
• You will teach pull-out, push-in, small group, and one-on-one instruction and implement strategies to differentiate instruction for all learners in your classroom.

3.     School Culture

• You’ll build positive relationships with students to ensure they feel seen, loved, and heard.
• You’ll partner with students’ families to ensure appropriate resources are available to support their child's learning needs.
• You'll engage in practice-based professional development, mentorship, and coaching sessions.
• You'll participate in weekly, school-wide meetings to cultivate community, model our core values, and encourage student achievement.
• You'll partner with your grade level team to develop academic goals and practice instructional strategies.

• A commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools and investment in our vision for being an anti-racist organization
• A demonstrated commitment to supporting students’ social emotional and academic development
• An enthusiasm for collaborating with internal and external partners in the best interest of students
• A self-directed learner who solicits and implements feedback to improve outcomes and achieve objectives
• Required Experience:
  • A demonstrated interest in impacting K-12 students in urban schools and communities (1-2 years experience preferred).
  • Academic expertise in Special Education, the Humanities, Social Sciences, STEM, or related fields of study. 
  • Prior to the start of employment, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Certification is not required to be hired at Uncommon, but you do need to meet NY state certification eligibility requirements. To meet these requirements, you must enroll in a teacher preparation program and maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher during your employment with us if you do not have a degree in education. Uncommon Schools teachers are required to become certified in the state of New York within a reasonable period after beginning employment.

Salary range for this role is between $50,000 to $64,700.

Uncommon Schools believes that people are our greatest resource for achieving our mission, and our total rewards (compensation, benefits, and other recognitions) are a key lever for attracting and retaining outstanding talent with relevant expertise. As an organization, we prioritize ensuring that the way people are compensated is rewarding, strategic, and fair. New hires are offered a salary commensurate with their experience and we offer generous benefits and time off and have extensive professional development opportunities.

Uncommon believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization that enables our students and staff to thrive. We are committed to building an exceptional team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. We also strive to ensure an inclusive community by creating a space for meaningful dialogue about issues of race and identity for our staff and students. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions.