EDUCATOR OPT. B (Math)

Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice is seeking a dedicated, innovative, and student-centered Math Educator to join our educational team. This position provides meaningful instruction within a structured, security-minded environment where education serves as a cornerstone to rehabilitation, personal growth, and public safety. The ideal candidate understands that many youths have experienced significant adversity and recognizes the importance of using trauma-informed instructional practices that foster trust, consistency, engagement, and resilience. Through high-expectations, relationship-centered teaching, and differentiated instruction, the Math Educator creates a safe and supportive classroom culture where students can build confidence while developing essential mathematical knowledge and problem-solving skills. Working collaboratively with education, behavioral health, security, and facility leadership, the Math Educator delivers standards-aligned instruction that addresses learning gaps while preparing youth for academic achievement, career readiness, and lifelong success. The educator monitors student progress, adapts instruction to meet individual learning needs, and encourages critical thinking, perseverance, and personal responsibility. Mathematics is more than a graduation requirement - it equipes youth with practical skills that support informed decision-making, financial literacy, workforce readiness, and everyday problem solving. By helping students strengthen these competencies, the educator will play a vital role in preparing youth for successful reintegration into their families, schools, workplaces, and communities. If you are passionate about making a lasting difference through education and believe in potential of every learner, this may be the role for you! 

Essential Functions

• Under general supervision, administers classroom and individual instruction to participating youth in the assigned subject area(s).
• Within the purview of the Core Curriculum policy, develops curricula for each assigned teaching subject.
• Develops examination tools designed to measure each students’ strengths, weaknesses, and progress.
• Prepares and keeps detailed records and reports on attendance, achievement, and individual progress and needs of the students.
• Directs students in recreational, social, or other extracurricular activities.
• Attends and participates in discussion and planning at regular teachers’ meetings, including counselor-teacher meetings, team meetings, and staff development.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

Requires possession of a current and valid Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Professional Educator License (PEL) with Secondary Education, Grades 9-12, in Mathematics.

Preferred Qualifications (In Order of Significance)

• Prefers ability to communicate with, and instruct, students of all levels of competence when assigned.
• Prefers ability to communicate with, and instruct, students with physical and/or intellectual disabilities.
• Prefers elementary knowledge of behavior modification principles.
• Prefers elementary knowledge of and ability to operate a personal computer.
• Prefers ability to prepare written documentation related to student performance and education.
• Prefers ability to relate to students with extreme and profound emotional impairments.
• Prefers patience and tolerance of a wide range of behavior.
• Prefers ability to evaluate the student, to select behavioral objectives to meet the student's needs, and to guide and to direct facility staff regarding the necessary training and educational development of a student.
• Prefers ability to maintain effective working relationships with staff, assigned students and parents of assigned children.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires the ability to pass an IDOC/IDJJ background check.
•  Requires ability to pass a drug screen. The use of unauthorized drugs by an employee, regardless of position held, is prohibited. 
• Requires the ability to travel in the performance of duties and to attend meetings, conferences, and other events as required.
• Requires ability to attend seminars, conferences, and trainings to stay current on methods, tools, ideologies, or other industry related topics relevant to the job duties.

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency

The mission of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) is to build youth skills and strengthen families by promoting community safety and positive youth outcomes. Over 900 staff members from across various departments—security, programming, education, mental health, and more—collaborate with the understanding that youth are physically, emotionally, and cognitively different from adults. The department provides extensive services to young people through a developmental, treatment-focused model of care that builds youth resiliency, engages families, and promotes community safety at the five youth facilities it operates across the state. IDJJ serves and houses approximately 150 youth and is responsible for approximately 500 youth on Aftercare in various Illinois’ communities.

Benefits

The Department of Juvenile Justice offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Health, Life, Vision, and Dental Insurance
• Pension Plan
• Paid parental leave 
• Pre-tax benefits programs including but not limited to: Deferred Compensation, Medical, Daycare, etc.
• Employees earn twelve (12) paid Sick Days annually
• New Employees earn ten (10) paid Vacation Days their first year of service and can earn up to twenty-five (25) paid Vacation Days annually (based on years of service)
• Employees earn three (3) paid Personal Days annually (pro-rated based on start date)
• Thirteen-Fourteen (13-14) paid holidays annually (based on start date)
• Flexible work schedules in many program areas (remote work may be an option for certain positions)