special education teacher

social worker

assistant teacher

assistant

teacher

Specialized Education Services, Inc.

I was previously employed as a Behavioral Specialist with this position and I couldn't wait until the end of the school year. The people I've worked at two different schools clearly had animosity and frustration between them, whereas you can feel the tension as soon as you walked in the classroom. The management did nothing to stop the ongoing heated issues between both schools. Its was a very uncomfortable situation and the salary for the position is very low for someone who has a Bachelor's degree or higher. The only thing that I founded enjoyable about working in this position I was able to work with children who were social emotional learners. There were too many individuals complaining about management and gossiping...again, It was a A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WORKING ENVIRONMENT!! If you like ongoing drama(that management could put an end to) then this position is for you. When I was working in this position I found myself being more to myself, when I am normally an ongoing extroverted person. My advise to new prospective applicants, the interview process will be good start until you are actually working with individuals who want to take part of onging conflict instead of finding the proper and professional way to find a solution when there a disagreement between two different schools.

I worked at two different schools. The first school, in Colorado, incredible. Probably the best job I've ever had, hands down. Even today, a year and a half since leaving, I still miss it. Great staff, great students, great everything. Then, I transferred to a school in Ohio. One of the worst places I have ever had the displeasure of being employed. I had to look over my shoulder constantly, not just due to students, but also staff. Many times my director came to talk to me about things, just to hear my side of the story and say "yeah, I figured there were parts missing to their side of the story". The director and I left on good terms. On top of that, I had administration who, I cannot think of a word to best describe them. Lazy for starters, since I'm pretty sure social workers are supposed to do social skills with the students rather than gossip with the secretary every day. Social skills never happened. Not once. Behavior therapists, whose behavior plans could have been written better by a middle schooler. Oh, and the coworkers with no college degree making $2 more per hour than others just because they took a 40 hour online class, which you had to be picked and chosen to take that course. Not everyone got that opportunity. So I suppose to summarize, if you're in Ohio and looking to work for SESI, don't. If you're in another state, you may have a much better time

I am a teacher's assistant at a SESI School. A typical day involves greeting your students at the door, assisting in planning and implementing highly structured and personalized curriculum, and helping each student achieve their maximum potential. At SESI, the work is challenging and highly rewarding. You are servicing students with special needs who require extra support to manage their behavior and close achievement gaps. The management is very supportive, encouraging you to further your education and take on additional responsibility when you are ready for it. Managers do not shy away from working alongside you to creative a positive classroom. The culture is very inclusive and warm. We are a very tight-knit family here with small classes and a close staff. Everyone is so supportive and helpful. The hardest part of the job is the behavior management aspect, as students with special needs often present with challenging behaviors. The most enjoyable part of the job is watching your students improve and grow throughout the year (and the next). Also, there is room to advance for all those who aspire to do so. 

A typical day at work consist of opening building for Director/Principle and educational staff and students, input and submit student and employee daily attendance for billing and payroll purposes.  I performed all kinds of basic office administration tasks; drafting correspondences and managing phone calls, scheduling appointments, arranging meetings, taking minutes of meetings, maintaining executive staff calendars, providing support to managers, dealing with students, clients, human resource management, billing inquires, accounts payable and receivable.  the most challenging part of my job is I occasionally have to participate in student crisis and de-escalate situations, student escorts to time-out rooms; student restraints (more severe cases). Prepare student transcripts adhere to confidential educational record requests.  Manage and maintain school's petty cash and checking accounts and logs.  Sign in/out visitors, students, vehicles and office equipment.  Call announcements and switching of classes throughout the course of the school day.  Overall, provide administrative and office support to the Director/Principle and staff.  The rewarding part of this job is the joy I get in making a different in a child's life and watching them grow academically.

Sierra school of Aurora- this is the worst place I’ve ever been part of! The work culture is manipulative and staff acts like they are in high school. They form clicks and push others out, video and screen shot convos, it’s ridiculous how management responds to this behavior too. The principal has little to no experience as a leader yet they run the daily operations. It shows too, everything is operating on a whim and in “emergency mode”. No one is over 25 in classrooms. Most staff is only 19-20 year olds dealing with high need student that are nearly the same age. None of them are licensed or have completed their teaching programs (which is violation of services-but it’s somehow kept quiet). Recruiting is based on lies don’t believe any of it! Bonus is real but good luck make it to the 90 days. There is no structure, on boarding, guidance when starting! Them they’ll try and hold you accountable for their lack of communication and work.
I can’t explain how bad it is here, I truly wish I could report them but don’t know to whom it would be. There is absolutely no learning going on. No programs at all. It doesn’t matter what position you get hired for stay AWAY! It’s not worth your integrity.


I worked at SESI ( High Road Schools) for 3 years. I did advance in my position during my time at SESI but that's rare. I basically got the promotion because I was the one doing the work when the person hired did not, they fired them and promoted me. 

SESI was a great start in the education world but it's not a school you want to be at long term. If you're passionate about education you don't want to be there at all.  One of my breaking points is when I seen the kids weren't progressing and the school didn't care. This is a Behavioral school, students who were kicked out of their zoned school are sent to SESI. I was under the impression we would be giving them the tools to succeed back in their regular environment but that's not what happened. 

SESI earns money for each student in the building so why would the want students to improve? SESI is a good school to get a teaching job on your resume for experience and that's it! 

Management doesn't encourage growth within the students or the staff. I honestly thought this school was shut down but it turns out they just switched locations. This is a school to prison pipeline school and again I can't believe it's still open!

As a seasoned retired public-school teacher, who has taught primarily in alternative education settings, it was extremely refreshing and reinvigorating to find Camelot Education in Vineland NJ. It is great to have found an organization that believes in the whole student. Student are shown how to live in their complex environments, as well as, how and when to switch modes to other social environments. The staff as a community, works as a gestalt of true successful education practices. School leadership sets high expectations for everyone including themselves. As a school community, everyone works toward authentic student success both academically, and social-emotionally. It is not a bunch of people who dictate edicts to student. No one is above redirection, a phrase you will hear often. Students and families  are part of the process. They are made to feel welcomed and great effort is put forth to maintain this relationship. Having worked here for almost 3 years, I see no end to this new chapter of my life. 

High Road lower school in Lanham is a toxic work environment. This is not a place where fulfilling work can be produced. Unfortunately higher ups and admin and other staff work against each other and encourage unethical behavior. People try to get each other fired and a lot of workplace gossip. The pay is also low and does not equal to the amount of things you have to put of with. Admin staff use intimidation tactics instead of encourage and showing staff support. I wouldn’t recommend anyone work here if you would like a workplace that is supportive and understanding of your needs and wants. Students are only given a breakfast bar and one hot pocket. The turnover rate is extremely high and no one stays for to long unless you’re a individual who thrives in drama. It’s tough coming into work wondering what the day might hold and if your coworkers are spreading gossip and so forth. Unfortunately this is not a place that seeks to help and give excellent guidance to staff and students. Also you do not get breaks, no planning time, taking advantage of by doing more work than you are compensated for, also no paid holidays, breaks, time off, and not good benefits. 

A typical week of work for a special education teacher with SESI is around 60 hours of overtime exempt work for a successful teacher. The pay rates are not competitive, and the corporate management is extremely rude and hostile. The directors for the site are amazing individuals, but they are constantly forced to push the agenda of regional and state directors even when it goes against compliance. Some of the stuff that we are directed to do is so wildly unethical that it is disturbing. I'm getting out of this position due to the management of the company. It's exhausting. 

This is NOT a student-first program. It is a for-profit cash cow. The budget that gets allocated for the classrooms is laughable considering how much they make per day for each student. 0.33% of monthly gross income goes back into the classroom budget generating that income.

Working with the students is an amazing experience. I absolutely love when I get to focus on day-to-day interactions and rotations with the students. The students are the only reason that I held out as long as I did. 

Management does not always communicate with each other. No matter what, the information does NOT get passed onto the staff. We find out about things that are going on from the kids (ie Valentine's dancing coming up and classes are only going to be 18 minutes long). When things are communicated, will be told to do something a certain way from the Director of Operations and the Principal will say do it a different way. Can't get them to work together to come up with one way of doing things.They are very secretive about everything and anything. Talking with them about their lack of communication does not help. Nothing changes. They like it better when someone "stays in their lane." That is how they put it. They don't want any feedback when it affects the teachers as well. This is a do as your told not as a I do type of work environment as well. 

NO pay raises. NONE. 

They promise tuition reimbursement, but they don't follow through. No one that has asked for it has ever gotten it since I have been here (4 years). There are many that have applied for it. 

Don't offer any support. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Special education teacher 50 salaries reported	$60,682 per year
Social worker 25 salaries reported	$59,164 per year
Assistant teacher 35 salaries reported	$18.84 per hour
Assistant 72 salaries reported	$18.25 per hour
Teacher 93 salaries reported	$57,179 per year

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