HomeInformation for Potential Special Education Teachers
About Salt Lake City School District Special Education Programs
Introduction
Salt Lake City School District is an urban district where teachers make a difference in student’s lives! Our special education programs focus on child-centered decision making.
Special Education Programs
The district has 38 school campuses – 29 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 4 high schools.
Special education programs include a full continuum of services for identified students with disabilities. The district is divided into four quadrants—northwest, southwest, northeast, and southeast—to serve elementary and middle school students. Students then attend their neighborhood middle schools and high school. In each quadrant, special education services include:
- Special education pre-school programs
- Resource programs at each school
- Special classes at the elementary, middle school, and high school level
In addition to the above programs, special education programs include:
- Collaborative special classes between Salt Lake City School District and Valley Mental Health at the elementary level and middle school level
- Collaborative transition programs for 18-22 year old students who have not received their high school diploma between Salt Lake City School District and Columbus Community Center
- Home and/or hospital-based instruction
Support
Special education support to teachers and schools include the following:
- Instructional assistants assigned to each school
- Special education consultants assigned to schools
- School psychologists assigned to schools
- Speech language pathologists assigned to schools
- Technical Compliance Managers (TCMs) assigned to each quadrant
- Transition Specialist
- Autism Specialist
- Special Education school nurse
- Itinerant staff, including OT/PTs, Adaptive PE specialists, Hearing and Vision specialists
- Assistive Technology Team
New Teacher Support
Salt Lake City School District is committed to providing relevant and ongoing opportunities for beginning, new-to-district and provisional teachers in order to engage in mutual learning in an urban education district. Salt Lake City School District STAR Initiative is a three-year induction program for new teachers. The main core value of the STAR Initiative is to create an environment where “reflective practice” is the norm and that student, teachers and administrators build a community of reflective and self-directed professionals. All new teachers and related service providers will be approved a school-based mentor as well as ongoing professional development opportunities throughout the school year, beginning with New Teacher Orientation in August.
Beyond inclusion in district-wide activities and meetings for all new teachers to the district, the Special Education Department provides added support for new special education teachers and related service providers during their first three years. Support is provided through a systematic induction program that recognizes that professionals new to the district need to feel included at the classroom, school, and district level. This induction program includes:
- Mentor/Induction coordinator who provides additional support to new special education teachers and school-based mentors.
- District-wide Special Education induction activities and meetings
- Quadrant-level activities and meetings
- An on-site mentor and/or special education mentor with similar assignment
For more information
If you are interested in more information about potential employment as a special education teacher or related service provider in Salt Lake City School District, please go to the Human Resources to begin the application process.
