Special Education Para Educator 4 - 2026-27

Para Educator IV

The position of Para Educator IV is done for the purpose of assisting and supporting students as identified within a specialized program or with specialized instruction.

The Bellevue School District is committed to a diverse workforce representative of our students, one that embraces and models cultural competency as an international community.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Has a primary focus on supporting activities of daily living, (toileting, feeding), and other adaptive/life skills.
• Provides for the physical, health and safety needs of students.
• Provides social, emotional, behavioral and educational support for students with significant disabilities as needed.
• Provides direct academic, functional, vocational and specifically designed instruction.
• Serves as advocate and support of students with disabilities in their least restrictive environment.
• May support students with significant emotional regulation challenges.
• Encourages and fosters student independence in all settings.
• Collects functional behavior assessment data on individual students as appropriate for the assignment.
• Implements components of Individual Education Programs (IEP's) as required.
• Ensures the safety of students and staff when dealing with escalated behavior based upon needs of students.
• May collect other data as directed by the case manager/teacher.
• Provides coaching and support for staff as required for the position.
• For some position assignments, may be required to assist students in reaching post-secondary goals including, but not limited to the Aquatic Center, Community Center, etc.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationships:

Reports directly to and is supervised by building administrator, receives direction from assigned certificated staff.

Education & Experience:

Required:

• High school graduation or equivalent. And have at least one of the following:
• ETS Para educator Assessment, or
• Have an Associate of Arts degree (original transcripts), or
• Have earned 72 quarter credits or 48 semester credits at an institution of higher education (original transcripts), or
• Have completed a registered apprenticeship program (certificate);
  Foreign degrees accepted if evaluated by a NACES member company.

Preferred:

• Experience working with students in self-contained learning settings
• Experience working individually with students with diverse aptitudes and levels of achievement.
• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) training
• Right Response Training
• Experience working individually with students with diverse aptitudes and levels of achievement and/or with behaviorally disabled students.

Licensing Requirements:

• First AID/CPR certification required.
• Required to complete specified courses related to the General Para educator Certificate as identified by OSPI

Knowledge:

• Understands the basics of child development and the behavior of children
• Knowledgeable of reading, writing and arithmetic
• Understands safety procedures for students and staff
• Understands behavior modification programs, including restraint techniques
• Utilizes adaptive technology and equipment to meet student needs
• Demonstrates non-violent crisis intervention techniques, including de-escalation strategies as needed for the specific assignment
• Utilizes basic therapy techniques and procedures
• Knowledgeable of functional life skills/activities of daily living, including tube-feeding and toileting
• Demonstrates proper lifting techniques

Skills:

• Demonstrates effective oral and written communication skills
• Work with students in a warm and confident manner
• Demonstrates appropriate techniques related to activities of daily living and proper lifting techniques as required
• Demonstrates the ability to work effectively as member of a team
• Possesses ability to follow oral and written directions
• Demonstrates ability to model and monitor appropriate student behavior
• Maintains confidentiality and respect between students, parents and teachers
• Maintains positive relationships with students, staff, parents and the public
• Able to perform all physical activities and meet all physical requirements indicated above
• Able to perform activities of daily living including feeding and toileting by various means
• Able to provide appropriate care for students who experience seizures
• Able to provide proper physical restraint of students with severe behavior that poses a danger to themselves or others
• Demonstrates multicultural sensitivity with the ability to effectively and collaboratively work with diverse populations
• Ability to perform all duties in accordance with all applicable Board policies and district and legal requirements
• Ability to meet and maintain punctuality and attendance expectations

Physical Requirements:

• Positions in this class typically require: stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, finger dexterity, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions.
• Heavy Work:
  Exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20…