Special Education Intervention Teacher (formerly known as IEP teacher)

The Special Education Intervention Teacher is a centrally funded learning specialist. The position was originally created in 2003 as part of a settlement of grievances concerning the elimination of the education evaluator position. Prior to the start of the 2016-17 school year, the DOE and the UFT collaborated to update the position. The goal was to emphasize the IEP teacher's role in supporting schools with high referrals for special education services and high numbers of students with individualized education programs (IEPs) by providing interventions for struggling readers. As stated by then-Deputy Chancellor Corinne Rello-Anselmi, “In a system where one in five students has an IEP and only nine percent of students with disabilities in grades 3 through 8 are proficient in reading, it is imperative that we work together to ensure that all students are receiving the instruction and intervention that they need in order to become proficient readers and achieve.”

Duties and responsibilities

As described in the June 2023 posting, the Special Education Intervention Teacher fulfills the role of the special education teacher at initial IEP team meetings for newly identified students with disabilities. The Special Education Intervention Teacher also provides coverage for the special education teachers of students already receiving special education services while they participate in three-year reviews and requested reviews for their students. A minimum of five periods per week are devoted to these activities. Please note: Special Education Intervention Teachers no longer provide coverage for special education teachers attending annual reviews.

Special Education Intervention Teachers also

Attend centrally approved professional development on evidence based reading instruction and interventions;
Provide specially designed instruction to students with disabilities for one (1) up to a maximum of five (5) periods a week;
Provide individual and/or small group reading instruction, interventions and progress monitoring for special education students and at-risk general education students for the balance of their programs

In the event the number of periods required in a given week to prepare for and participate in initial IEP team meetings and provide coverage for teachers to attend IEP team meetings is fewer than the number located, such time will be used to: administer curriculum based assessments for at risk general education students; prepare and deliver professional development workshops and provide coaching support to teachers and paraprofessionals to building capacity for delivery of evidence-based instruction and interventions.

Guidance for centrally funded IEP/intervention teachers clearly states that the IEP/intervention teacher cannot serve in any other role in the school that may detract from their responsibilities as the IEP/intervention teacher, and thus should not be assigned other out-of-classroom duties. Specifically, the IEP/intervention teacher must not be assigned to serve as the special education and/or IEP coordinator, special education liaison, teacher mentor or other non-instructional roles. The IEP/intervention teacher should not serve as the district representative at IEP team meetings for students other than students initially referred and students for whom the IEP/intervention teacher is providing IEP mandated services. When not participating in IEP team meetings for newly referred students or providing coverage for special education teachers so they can attend IEP team meetings for their students, the IEP/intervention teacher should be working directly with students.

Schools with Special Education Intervention Teachers

The Special Education Intervention Teacher allocation funds 960 Special Education Intervention Teachers. Schools are selected based on a review of the number and percent of students with IEPs enrolled in each school. The allocation is subject to change every three years. Additional information about the Special Education Intervention Teacher allocation can be found in the School Allocation Memorandum (SAM). The Special Education Intervention Teacher allocation is over and above other special education teacher allocations and without regard to special education teacher vacancies.

The Special Education Intervention Teacher is a posted three-year instructional position. A new three-year cycle began the 2023-24 school year and will culminate at the end of the 2026-27 school year. The teacher selected for this position in the 2023-24 school year will continue in the position for the remainder of the three-year cycle, as long as the school and the teacher continue to be eligible. Teachers who enter the position in the middle of the three-year cycle will remain in the position until the cycle ends (at the culmination of the 2026-27 school year.

Additional information

To the extent not inconsistent with SAM No. 16, FY 2024, the Centrally Funded IEP/Intervention Teacher Guidance addresses a number of other important issues related to the Special Education Intervention Teacher position. Included in this document is information regarding the purpose of the Special Education Intervention Teacher position, roles and responsibilities of the Special Education Intervention Teacher, identification of Special Education Intervention Teachers in the school budget, Special Education Intervention Teacher ratings, involvement in IEP meetings, postings/seniority, training and professional development and additional assistance and resources.