Specifically Designed Instruction (SDI) Coach - 25/26 SY

WELCOME TO INDIANAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS!

At IPS, we believe in the transformative power of education. We work collectively every day to prepare our students for success in the classroom and in life by providing equitable, high-quality educational experiences across our family of schools. IPS is a place to make an impact, grow your career, and ensure every student has access to a high quality education, all while earning a good living in a district on the move. While the work is challenging, it is deeply meaningful and impactful. We seek innovators and trailblazers who bring varying experiences and expertise and share our belief that every child deserves access to an exceptional education. As part of TeamIPS, you'll create lasting connections, find a sense of belonging, and feel supported to make a meaningful difference in students' lives.

In return, no matter your role here, we expect a commitment to excellence and accountability. You'll be held to high standards. Resilience and passion are key-you must be adaptable, handling adversity with flexibility while putting students at the heart of everything you do. Ethical conduct, clear communication, and mutual respect are fundamental. Being a dependable, collaborative team player who builds meaningful relationships is essential.

Together, we are Proving What's Possible by building a community where everyone belongs and each student has the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

A TEACHING CAREER IN IPS OFFERS…

Purpose and Impact

• Students First: Teaching for IPS is a rewarding opportunity to support bright, curious students as they shape their futures. We hold ourselves to the highest expectations of excellence, focusing on students' holistic needs during their educational journey with us.
• Community: Working in a school means it is your home away from home, and you have a school family who supports you and leads with empathy and vision.
  
  

Professional and Personal Growth

• Grow Your Career: We offer professional development and career advancement opportunities, including dedicated mentorship programs for early career teachers.
• Generous Compensation: We're proud to offer the highest teacher starting pay in Indianapolis and one of the most competitive in the state, with teachers earning $53,460 - $94,000 depending on experience, plus a generous benefits package. Our teacher salaries are continually on the rise, as IPS regularly advocates for stronger teacher compensation.
• Access to Financial Benefits: Working in IPS makes it possible to benefit from federal programs such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) or Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLF), helping reduce the financial burden of student loans.
  
  

Work-Life Balance And Well-being

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Access top-tier health plans covering medical, dental, and vision needs, plus IPS offers a private clinic for staff and their families through our partners at Ascension St. Vincent.
• Flexible Wellness Leave: Take the time you need to care for yourself and your family with our generous leave policies. Teachers receive 70 hours of sick leave in their first year (56 hours annually after) for illness, family, or mental health, plus three personal days, two floating holidays, and school breaks. Unlimited accumulated sick leave adds flexibility, supporting teachers' health and work-life balance.
• Incentivized Discounts through IPS Wellness Program: Opportunities to earn hundreds of dollars off your medical premium by participating in proactive and simple health screenings, plus discounted group fitness classes, health and fitness assessments, personal training, and more.
  
  

What We Expect...

Commitment to Excellence

• High Standards: Strive for the very best in all you do, maintaining high standards for yourself, your students, and your colleagues. Embrace lifelong learning and adapt to new teaching methods and challenges.
• Educational Equity: IPS is deeply committed to breaking down systemic inequities. We do this by "walking the walk" on new policies and practices, building diverse and inclusive classrooms and staff teams, and ensuring our environments are grounded in our values of respect, inclusivity, and educational equity.
  
  

Resilience and Passion

• Dedication to Students: Put students at the heart of your work. Be passionate about their success and well-being.
• Adaptability: Handle adversity with resilience and flexibility. Be prepared for a dynamic work environment.
  
  

Professional Integrity

• Ethical Conduct: Uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity. Act responsibly and respectfully toward all individuals, communicate with candor and care.
• Team Player: Be dependable, punctual, and collaborative, contributing positively to our supportive work environment.
  
  

JOIN US!

Indianapolis Public Schools is more than a workplace; it's a community where purpose, impact, and belonging come together to help Prove What's Possible - in your career and in your school. If you're ready to embrace challenges, strive for excellence, and make a meaningful impact, IPS is the place for you.

Summary Of Essential Job Functions

The Unified Student Supports team is looking for an experienced instructional coach with special education certification and/or a coach with significant experience in growing teachers' application of specially designed instruction. The SDI Coach plays a key role in ensuring that instruction, regardless of the least restrictive environment, addresses students' Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals, accounts for their disability, provides modifications or adaptations to content, and maximizes access to the general education curriculum. As a member of the Unified Student Supports Team, you will receive excellent benefits, opportunities to grow within your role and the organization, and collaborative and supportive colleagues who put students first.

Qualifications

• Certification or ability to be fully certified by the Indiana Department of Education in special education or
• Hold or eligible for Indiana administrator and/or special education director license
• 5 to 7 years of experience as a skillful practitioner and evidence of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to execute this role at a high level
• Working knowledge of federal and state special education laws, rules, and practices including IDEA and Article 7
  
  

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Serve as the first and strongest advocate for racial and ableness equity and student-centered approaches to instruction, intervention, and student engagement
• Utilize the IPS district coaching framework, with fidelity, to enhance teachers' ability to foster high expectations, rigorous learning environments, and student achievement
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of special education and general education instructional best practices relating to services and academic supports necessary for student success
• Ability to problem-solve, support, and model instructional strategies
• Ability to work collaboratively with teachers, building leaders, and USS members
• Experience in aligning teacher moves to student outcomes in order to translate the critical connection for teachers experiencing the coaching cycle
• Ability to relate, motivate, and inspire teachers to strive to new heights
• Provide weekly updates to USS admin on coaching data to inform systematic professional development (for the district, LC, or school)
• Mentor new Teachers of Record on organizational, academic and culture/climate systems and best practices that allow the teacher to maximize the learning environment
• Communicate effectively, and in a timely manner, with school staff, parents and guardians, USS and district staff
• Attend I-TEAM, MTSS, and/or RDA meetings, periodically or when requested, in order to provide academic (SDI) and intervention or enrichment recommendations for the problem-solving teams
• Build capacity of special educators and co-teaching pairs by participating in and facilitating school, LC, and district professional learning opportunities that target the need of assigned schools and teachers
• Facilitate PLC meetings for special and general educators to ensure SDI, UDL, and similar best practices are taught, practiced, monitored, and reflected on
• Monitor and support with student transitions (bridging) and transition planning with an emphasis on instructional needs and supports that may need modification due to the transition
• Assist Learning Community staff and school principals in setting and attaining goals for student achievement, as well as all goals and big bets identified by the USS team
• Work with building leadership to discuss, strategize and problem solve student academic instruction and supports
• Ensure MTSS is the backbone of all special education programming, intervention planning and monitoring, strategic data response, etc.
• Assist in the coordination and articulation of the district's special education programs and services across and between grade levels
• Advocate for and model strong school-family partnerships to ensure students have as few barriers to academic achievement as possible
• Consistently contribute to a positive team culture by being direct and transparent and helpful and collaborative, while prioritizing a customer service orientation
• Other duties as assigned by the USS administrative team
  
  

"Day In the Life" Overview

On a regular day, as the SDI Coach, you might:

• Support teachers with their preparation of rigorous, engaging lessons and other instructional materials to meet the individual needs of all students
• Facilitate a walkthrough or paired observation to identify strengths and areas of development in special educators' and/or co-teaching teams' instructional practices
• Engage in a debrief conversation with a special educator, highlighting instructional practices or moves to be implemented in future lessons while ensuring an opportunity for the teacher's personal reflection, practice, and feedback
• Review student data (NWEA, class or content CFA, etc.) to draw correlations between instructional practices and student mastery
• Review coaching data (via the IPS district coaching framework) to determine priorities for the week's SPED PLC or faculty meeting
  
  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one, small group, and large group situations.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to find, handle, or feel. The employee frequently is required to talk or hear. The employee is required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and humid conditions and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

DISCLAIMER

The above job description is designed to denote the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications of employees assigned to this job.

https://myips.org/employment/employee-benefits/