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Job Posting Title:

Learning Specialist - Mild Moderate Needs Special Education (Apply directly to STEM School Highlands Ranch - DO NOT apply online with DCSD)

Job Description:

About Stem School Highlands Ranch

At STEM School Highlands Ranch, we place innovation at the heart of learning to unleash the potential of all students and prepare them for an exponentially changing world. As a K-12 public charter school in the Douglas County School District, we are committed to creating an environment that fosters respect, success, and continuous improvement. We welcome you to join us in our mission to redefine limits and unleash potential.

Our Core Values:

Prioritize Students – Every decision we make is focused on ensuring students thrive, lead, and succeed. The community that surrounds students exists for the purpose of their growth and development.

Build a Strong Community – We are more than a school, we are a community. We all have equal value and seek to encourage each other to maximize our unique strengths, gifts, and passions. The true power of a charter school is in the strength of its community.

Do Right, Always – Honesty, trust, and ethical decision-making guide our actions, fostering respect, accountability, and a safe environment, even in challenging circumstances or when recognition is absent.

Embrace Innovation – Never Stop Innovating. Innovation thrives on continuous growth, bold problem-solving, and a willingness to push boundaries, transforming ideas into meaningful progress.

Take Steady Steps – We play the long game with people and projects by implementing strategic planning, clear communication, systems and process, ample resources, and appropriate pacing - setting a strong foundation for a supportive environment for our community to thrive.
Lead With Care – Dedicated to making a difference through personal ownership, care, and compassion, creates lasting impact in our students, colleagues, and community.

Elevate the Standard – A commitment to continuous growth, where skills are refined, applied, and adapted to achieve the highest standards and empower everyone to reach their fullest potential.

Laugh Together – Having fun makes the team work! Creating an environment where joy is encouraged. Strengthens our teams, fosters a positive culture, and fuels creativity, making everyone feel valued, energized, and motivated to contribute.

Benefits:

STEM School Highlands Ranch offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:
● Employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance (available on the 1st of the following month).
● Short-term, long-term disability, life, and ADD insurance (available six months from hire date).
● Retirement benefits including PERA pension and 401K employee-only contribution managed through Colorado’s PERA program.
● Other benefits include FSA (medical and dependent care), Sick Time, and PTO based on years of service

Position Specific Information (if Applicable):

Position Overview:

We are seeking a full-time dedicated Learning Specialist (Mild-Moderate Needs Special Education) to deliver special education services for mild-to-moderate needs students in a middle school (grades 6-8) setting. You will work closely with educational teams, students, and parents to assess and identify students for special education services and to develop Individualized Education Plans based on targeted, data-driven interventions and strengths-based approaches. To be successful as a Learning Specialist, you should have a strong understanding of various disabilities, effective special education programming, strong data collection and analysis skills, and effective teaching methods for different learning styles and aptitudes.

Position Requirements:

● Support and establish a safe, inclusive and respectful learning environment for a diverse population of students in order to: alleviate barriers to learning, engage students as individuals with unique interests and strengths, and promote student success both academically and socially-emotionally at the student’s developmental level
● Participate as a member of the special education team (grades 6-8), Multi-Tiered System of Supports team, and secondary team contributing data findings, expertise in learning disabilities, and collaboration to support the development and implementation of student Individualized Education Plans and a cohesive team approach to student support
● Demonstrate expertise in evaluation, data collection and analysis, and data based decision-making skills to complete educational assessments and develop Individualized Education Plans as part of a multi-disciplinary team and to evaluate progress toward student academic and social-emotional goals.
● Provide direct push-in and pull-out services through a variety of methods (one-to-one, small group, in-class) for special education students with academic, social-emotional, and executive functioning goals using targeted data with clearly identified objectives and tools for progress monitoring.
● Provide leadership in the development, delivery, and implementation of school-level professional development and to support families in: differentiation of instruction, diverse student learning needs, intervention and Individualized Education plans and compliance, and additional support as needed to teachers, support staff, teacher support coaches, and administration.
● Maintain accurate and current data and records of every session delivered to student(s) in one-to-one, small group, or in-class settings that captures current levels of performance, progress, and other pertinent information. Information related to special education students will be entered in a timely manner into the current IEP and/or Medicaid system as well as in personal records.
● Ability to communicate effectively and consult with educational teams, students, and parents regarding a child’s needs, performance, programming, and any adaptations/materials needed.
● Attend meetings such as IEP meetings, staff meetings, in-services, etc.
● Ability to effectively plan, implement, and support teachers with differentiation in the classroom in order to assist students with integration in the general education environment
● Ability to establish and maintain effective collaborative relationships with school and district personnel, students, and parents to support rapport and shared ownership of student progress and achievement.
● Adhere to the ethical standards and codes of the profession and to the established rules, regulations, and laws governing special education.
● Perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

Qualifications Required:

● Bachelor's Degree in Education (Master's preferred).
● CDE Teaching License with endorsements in Teacher 1-Moderate Needs or Special Education Generalist or Special Education Specialist.
● Extensive knowledge of working with students with a variety of disabilities and learning differences.
● Vision for maintaining a high functioning special education team.

Essential Physical Requirements

● Occasional lifting of 5 to 50 pounds.
● Ability to stand or walk for extended periods of time.
● Ability to move quickly throughout the building and campus.
● Frequent bending, stooping, walking, standing, kneeling, reaching, and sitting.

Schedule

● Day shift
● Monday to Friday
● School Year: 2026–2027

This position will remain open until filled, but will not be open past: May 31, 2026.

#SJ2025

Compensation
The pay range for this role is $56,366 –$119,121 USD per year, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Responsibilities:

Certifications:

Teaching License - Colorado Department of Education

Education:

Bachelor's Degree (Required)

Skills:

Position Type:

Charter School

Primary Location:

STEM Charter School

One Year Only (Yes or No):

Scheduled Hours Per Week:

FTE:

1.00

Approx Scheduled Days Per Year:

185 Work Days

(260 days indicates a year-round position. Time off [or Off-Track Days] are then granted based on the position. Any exceptions to the normal off-track time will be noted in the Additional Position Details section above, as scheduled work days.)

Minimum Hire Rate:

$1.00 USD Annual

Maximum Hire Rate:

$75,000.50 USD Annual

Full Salary Range:

$1.00 USD - $150,000.00 USD Annual

All salary amounts listed above are based on a full-time (1.0) FTE. If applicable, part-time salaries will be prorated according to the assigned FTE.

Benefits:

This position is eligible for health, vision, dental, health savings account (HSA), flexible spending accounts (FSA), District paid and voluntary additional (supplemental) life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, short and long-term disability, critical illness and accident voluntary insurance, employee assistance program (EAP), voluntary 401(k), 403(b) and 457 retirement plan options.

Time Off Plans:

This position will be open until filled, but will not be open past:

May 30, 2026