Founding SPED Advisor
Full-Time • $80,000 • 11-Month Contract • Start Date: August 2026
The Opportunity
In too many schools, special education means separation. Pull-out services. Self-contained classrooms. Students with disabilities missing the richest learning experiences because "accommodations" means doing something different, somewhere else.
That's not what we're building at ARCHS.
We're looking for a founding SPED Advisor who believes students with disabilities belong in the room—not a different room. Someone who wants to work alongside general education teachers, not in parallel. Someone who can ensure students with IEPs have full access to authentic projects, community partnerships, and independent research at Milwaukee Public Library—not watered-down alternatives.
Why This Role Matters
ARCHS anticipates that 20-40% of our students will have IEPs. That's not a problem to manage—it's a design parameter. We're building a school where inclusion isn't an add-on; it's foundational.
Our model is Gold Standard project-based learning. Students investigate authentic problems, create real products, and present to genuine audiences. That kind of learning is powerful for all students—including those with disabilities. But it requires intentional design, skilled differentiation, and someone who knows each student's needs intimately.
You'll be that person. The one who ensures the student with autism can participate in the community panel. The one who scaffolds the research process for the student with a learning disability. The one who advocates fiercely when systems aren't working. The expert on your caseload—not a service provider checking boxes.
The Role
Unlike Core Advisors, you won't have your own advisory. Instead, you'll support students with IEPs and 504 plans across all advisories—knowing their academic progress, their projects, and their learning profiles intimately.
Special Education & IEP Management:
• Serve as case manager for assigned students, ensuring all services and accommodations are implemented with fidelity
• Develop, write, and monitor IEPs in compliance with IDEA and Wisconsin DPI regulations
• Lead IEP meetings, annual reviews, and re-evaluations in partnership with families—bilingual accessibility when needed
• Coordinate with related service providers (speech, OT, PT, counseling)
Collaboration & Instructional Support:
• Partner with Core Advisors to develop differentiated materials and facilitate access
• Accompany students to Milwaukee Public Library and community-based learning experiences
• Co-teach and provide push-in support during projects, seminars, and exhibitions
• Consult on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies
• Support students preparing for Showcase Nights and community presentations
Student Advocacy:
• Serve as the primary expert on each student's needs—advocate fiercely
• Teach students to understand their own learning profiles and self-advocate
• Guide transition planning, connecting post-secondary goals to project experiences
• Provide specialized instruction in small group or individual sessions when needed
What We're Looking For
Required:
• Bachelor's degree in Special Education or related field
• Valid Wisconsin Special Education teaching license (Cross-Categorical or specific disability area)
• 2-3+ years special education teaching experience, preferably secondary level
• Demonstrated expertise in IEP development, implementation, and compliance
Preferred:
• Master's degree in Special Education
• Bilingual Spanish-English proficiency
• Experience with project-based learning or competency-based education
• Training in Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• Experience with co-teaching and collaborative service delivery
• Background in restorative justice practices
Compensation & Benefits
• $80,000 annual salary — professional compensation for expert educators
• Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) — employer contribution to your pension
• Comprehensive insurance — health, dental, vision, life, disability
• Generous time off — paid vacation, sick leave, personal days
• Professional development — SPED conferences, PBL training, coaching support
• Technology stipend — equipment provided
The Honest Truth
Inclusion is harder than pull-out. It requires constant collaboration with Core Advisors. It means being in multiple classrooms, knowing multiple projects, tracking multiple students across settings. You won't have the simplicity of a self-contained room where you control everything.
And in a startup, you'll be building systems while using them. Writing IEP templates while conducting IEP meetings. Designing accommodation protocols while implementing accommodations. It's messy.
But if you believe students with disabilities deserve access to the richest learning experiences—not watered-down alternatives—this is your chance. The inclusive systems you build in year one will serve students for years to come. And you'll never have to explain why your students "can't" do something because of their disability. At ARCHS, we design so they can.
How to Apply
Submit your resume, cover letter, and three professional references through WECAN. To access the job posting, click here or search vacancy ID 252239.
In your cover letter, please tell us:
• Describe a time you ensured a student with a disability had full access to a learning experience others assumed was "too hard" for them.
• How do you approach collaboration with general education teachers?
• Why does building inclusive systems for a new school appeal to you?
Our selection process includes a phone screen, lesson demonstration, and panel interviews with staff and families. We're looking for educators who combine SPED expertise with collaborative spirit and advocacy fire.
ARCHS is committed to building a diverse team that reflects the community we serve. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who identify as Latino, bilingual, and/or from Milwaukee's South Side. We are an equal opportunity employer.
Questions? Contact Bounrod Xiong at bounrod@archsmke.org or (414) 369 – 2445.