Work where the
work actually matters.
Illuminate Academy is a neuroaffirming learning environment serving neurodivergent learners ages 2 to 18 in Nashville, TN. We are looking for people who believe what we believe β that every learner arrives whole, and that the right environment changes everything.
You will not just work here.
You will grow here.
The best people in special education are not looking for a job. They are looking for a place that matches their conviction. A place that invests in them the way they invest in their learners. A place where the culture is real, the growth is intentional, and the work actually means something. If that is you β keep reading.
Four roles.
One mission.
Every person who joins IA joins a team that is deeply committed to neurodivergent learners, to each other, and to growing. These are not just jobs. They are opportunities to do the most meaningful work of your career.
You are a certified teacher who lights up when a learner clicks. You love being part of a team, you persevere through hard moments, and your first instinct when things get hard is to understand why β not to manage the behavior, but to understand the person behind it. You want to teach in a place that hands you the lesson plans, the materials, and the content so you can focus on what you do best: showing up for your learners every single day.
$33,000 to $35,000 per year / $3,300 to $3,500 per month / 10-month position, August through May.
Four-day work week. Four weeks of paid vacation. Every single year.
Monday through Thursday, done by 3pm. Fall break, winter break, spring break, and bonus days built into the school calendar β all paid, all yours. You are not negotiating for time off or saving up PTO like a precious resource. It is already there, already built in, already yours. Most people spend years chasing work-life balance. Here it is in writing.
You might be new to education, making a career switch, or simply someone who loves being around kids and wants to make a difference in a special needs setting. You do not need a teaching certificate. You need a genuine heart for this community, a love of being on a team, and the kind of attentiveness that notices the small moments β because at IA, the small moments are everything. If you love people, love connection, and want to grow professionally, this role was made for you.
$28,000 to $30,000 per year / $2,800 to $3,000 per month / 10-month position, August through May.
Four-day work week. Four weeks of paid vacation. Every single year.
Monday through Thursday, done by 3pm. Fall break, winter break, spring break, and bonus days built into the school calendar β all paid, all yours. You are not negotiating for time off or saving up PTO like a precious resource. It is already there, already built in, already yours. Most people spend years chasing work-life balance. Here it is in writing.
You are the kind of preschool teacher who gets on the floor. You understand that the most important thing you can do for a young child is make them feel safe, seen, and ready to engage with the world around them. You have been in early childhood classrooms and you know that regulation comes before instruction, connection comes before curriculum, and that a two-year-old's best work happens when they feel completely at home. You are patient, playful, and deeply committed to neurodivergent learners and their families.
$30,000 to $35,000 per year / $3,000 to $3,500 per month / 10-month position, August through May.
Four-day work week. Four weeks of paid vacation. Every single year.
Monday through Thursday, done by 3pm. Fall break, winter break, spring break, and bonus days built into the school calendar β all paid, all yours. You are not negotiating for time off or saving up PTO like a precious resource. It is already there, already built in, already yours. Most people spend years chasing work-life balance. Here it is in writing.
You believe music is one of the most powerful forces for connection, healing, regulation, and growth that exists. You know it crosses every language barrier, reaches every kind of learner, and can be experienced by anyone regardless of communication level or developmental stage. You love bringing music into everything you do β not just as a lesson, but as a way of being present with people.
$30,000 to $35,000 per year / $3,000 to $3,500 per month / 10-month position, August through May.
Four-day work week. Four weeks of paid vacation. Every single year.
Monday through Thursday, done by 3pm. Fall break, winter break, spring break, and bonus days built into the school calendar β all paid, all yours. You are not negotiating for time off or saving up PTO like a precious resource. It is already there, already built in, already yours. Most people spend years chasing work-life balance. Here it is in writing.
Why I built this.
Why it still matters.
I started Illuminate because I saw a need in the community. I loved the idea that we could meet kids right where they are and really help them grow. Thirteen years ago, when I was dreaming up this idea with my six-month-old on my hip, trying to smash my keyboard while I typed β I had no idea what Illuminate would become today. And I could not be more proud.
What we get to do here is take all the science, all the research, all the best practice you learn in school β and actually apply it. We bring together the best of special education, neuroscience, occupational and speech therapy, and behavior science, and we run it through a neuroaffirming, dignified, relationally rich lens. It is my life's work. And I will keep improving it, tweaking it, responding to the science and the research for as long as I live β because I believe in being the best.
I want to hire the best people and build the best community, because we truly are better together. What we really do is create the conditions for growth. The room matters. When you put the flower in the right environment, it blooms. All we are here to do is tend the soil, nurture the flower, and cultivate over time.
This is not for you
if...
We would rather you know now than find out later. This is one of the most rewarding places you will ever work β and it is also one of the most real. Here is what to consider before you apply.
You get knocked down and struggle to get back up. Grit is not optional here β it is the job. Hard moments happen. Learners have hard days. You need to be the kind of person who can reset, re-regulate, and show up again the next morning ready to go.
You are noise-sensitive or need a quiet environment to function. Our classrooms are alive β movement, music, voices, energy. We love that about this place. But it is something to know about yourself before you walk in.
You are looking for a heads-down solo role. This is a team environment, full stop. You will be coached, given feedback, and expected to grow. If that feels threatening rather than exciting, this is not the right room for you.
Our staff support neurodivergent learners, which means some learners may use unkind language or physical behaviors during hard moments. We always prioritize your safety and well-being, and we have a clear framework for every hard moment. But this is real work, and we want you to walk in with eyes open.
What life at IA
actually looks like.
From day one you are part of a team with a real rhythm. Here is what you can count on.
You will learn the House of Growth framework, the IA Way, and how we do things here. You will also be asked about your favorite coffee order, your go-to lunch, your preferred pizza slice, and about twenty other things β because you matter to us and we want to know you, not just your resume.
Your team meets daily to go over concepts, align on the learners in your care, and make sure everyone is moving in the same direction. You will never feel like you are guessing or going it alone. The team is the plan.
Weekly team meetings keep the whole IA team connected, informed, and moving forward together. This is where culture lives β in the consistency of showing up for each other every single week.
One Friday every month is set aside for learning, growing, and team culture. No classrooms, no instruction β just investment in you. These days are where the framework deepens, the team bonds, and you leave better than you came in.
Like, probably more than you are used to. A learner uses a new word β we are losing it. Someone navigates a hard moment with grace β we are talking about it at the team meeting. You show up on a rough Tuesday and just keep going β we see that. We do not wait for an end-of-year review to tell people they are doing great. We do it on a Wednesday. In the hallway. In a text at 3:04pm. We literally have a thread called Magical Moments where the whole team celebrates all the things. If being celebrated regularly is something you have never experienced at work before, get ready. It is going to feel weird at first. Then you are going to love it.
Ready to join
the team?
Simple, human, no lengthy forms. Send your resume, answer the three questions from your role's posting, and we will be in touch within 48 hours. That is it.
