Citywide Teacher of Deaf or Hard of Hearing - Part-Time Role

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 320,000 students in 600+ schools and employing approximately 40,000 people, most of them teachers.

CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life.

In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans : academic progress, financial stability, and integrity.

Six core values are embedded within these commitments student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The mission of the Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services (ODLSS) is to provide high-quality and specially designed instructional supports and services for all diverse learners within their least restrictive environment.

We work collaboratively with several units, specifically schools and Networks with the goal of improving the academic achievement of all diverse learners by ensuring diverse learners receive meaningful and relevant access to grade-level core instruction within their neighborhood school, school of choice, or the school closest to their residence.

Job Summary :

Citywide teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing are responsible for providing direct instruction, as outlined in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), to students who have been identified as Deaf or hard of hearing.

As an integral component of their duties, this position will provide consultation to classroom teachers to provide strategies for the implementation of IEP accommodations and modifications in order to ensure student success in the least restrictive environment.

This position will report to the Manager of Deaf or Hard of Hearing Programs.

The Part-Time Teacher of the Deaf or Hard of Hearing will be held accountable for the following responsibilities :

• Provide direct instruction and / or consultative services to students on assigned caseloads as documented in student IEPs
• Conduct assessments for initial or special re-evaluations in order to determine students’ academic and communication needs;

prepare reports to enter into IMPACT based on these assessments.

• With the assistance of the audiologist, provide basic training to students and teachers on individual and / or classroom amplification systems used by students
• Attend and participate in the IEP meetings of students, entering pertinent information into the IEP
• Collaborate and consult with team members to develop IEPs that will meet the identified student’s needs
• Collaborate and consult with school staff members to provide strategies to adapt or modify learning tasks rooted in the Common Core State Standards, physical setting, and / or performance assessments to ensure student success in the least restrictive environment
• Train students and staff members on the implementation of assistive technology devices related to hearing impairments
• Consult with the audiologists on the student’s hearing loss and the use of appropriate amplification
• Effectively communicate with both deaf and hard-of-hearing students, using sign language when appropriate
• Work collaboratively with stakeholders in an effort to positively impact overall student achievement
• Collect data to document student progress toward mastery of IEP goals
• Prepare quarterly progress reports based on data collection
• Maintain weekly instruction plans and consultation logs
• Attend and participate in CPS citywide professional development / staff development sessions and meetings; attend conferences and seminars related to the education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing when able
• Implement and / or share new strategies by providing in-service to school staff, as assigned
• Maintain weekly schedules and monthly summaries on an ongoing basis
• Adhere to all mandated CPS policies and procedures, including the attendance policy
• Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Part-Time Teacher of the Deaf or Hard of Hearing must possess the following qualifications :

Education Required :

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Special Education with a concentration in hearing loss, required
• Valid teaching certificate / Professional Educator’s License (PEL) issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) with appropriate content and / or grade-level endorsement(s), required
• Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Certification / License, required

Experience Required :

Minimum of five (5) years of experience in the education of students with an identified hearing loss

Other Requirements :

• Proficiency in sign language / ASL, strongly preferred
• Bilingual proficiency in English and another language, preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

• Ability to collaborate with team members and to be a creative problem solver
• Ability to efficiently schedule and manage large caseloads of students in several schools in different areas of the city
• Knowledge of CPS operating systems, including IMPACT
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate with multiple stakeholders
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrators, staff, students, parents, governmental and community agencies, and employers
• Ability to establish and maintain data tracking systems
• Ability to effectively communicate with deaf or hard of hearing students using their preferred communication style
• Ability to teach students to use assisted tech devices in conjunction with stakeholders
• Ability to incorporate the use of various assisted listening devices during instruction
• Knowledge of regulations and procedures stipulated in IDEA
• Ability to provide training on the education of students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing to school staff members
• Ability to promote and encourage independence in students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing to the greatest extent possible
• Ability to independently manage multiple assignments effectively

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to :

Establish / Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district.

The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary / part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.

Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire.

Up-to-date on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.