Paraprofessional Educator Special Education

Position Information

• Position Type:
  Other/ Parapro Educator Spec Ed Resource Secondary
• Date Posted: 12/16/2025
• Location:
  
  HIGHLAND ACADEMY
• District:
  Anchorage School District
• Bargaining Unit: TOTEM
• Work Year: 9 months
• Work Day: 6.0 hours per day
• FTE:
  Full time, .875 FTE
• Salary: T-10, $20.53 to $21.40 per hour, DOE

The Resource Early Childhood Elementary Paraprofessional Educator implements special education services and supports under the direction of a special education teacher. The para educator provides instruction assistance to special education students in special education classrooms, regular education classrooms and other settings in the schools. The position has a retirement association with the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS).

Required:

• A high school diploma or equivalent, or current enrollment in a GED program.
• Must meet paraprofessional requirements for the state of Alaska through one of the following methods: 48 college semester credits from a regionally accredited institution, OR a passing score of 459 or greater on the ETS Paraprofessional Assessment exam, OR passing the Work Keys by ACT assessment, OR passing the ASD provided Master Teacher paraprofessional training.
• Basic skills in reading, writing, and math
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and inspire confidence and cooperation of staff, parents, students, administrators, and the public.
• Ability to establish and maintain a professional relationship with staff, parents, students, administrators, and the public.

Preferred:

• Knowledge of first aid.
• One year experience working in general education, special education, agency, or private school settings.
• Experience working directly with individuals experiencing disabilities.
• Basic experience with office equipment and computer literacy skills, including word processing, printing, and e-mail.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as Individual Education Plans (IEPs), behavior plans, and lesson plans, etc., under the direction of a special education teacher.
• Ability to remain calm and maintain a professional demeanor during times of conflict and make effective decisions under pressure.
• Ability to share essential information appropriately with team members to aid in the development of individual student programs.
• Ability to be trained in specific instructional strategies, programs, and techniques and to implement training correctly and consistently.
• Ability to take direction and follow through on tasks independently.
• For para educators in preschool self-contained classrooms
  : experience working with young children ages 3 to 5 and working with students with disabilities.
• For para educators on preschool CARE teams (community-based itinerant teams): experience working with young children ages 3 to 5, experience working with students with disabilities, ability to work independently in a wide variety of settings and to interact in a positive way with other adults in community settings.
• A valid Alaska driver’s license, ASD required vehicle insurance, and the willingness to use personal vehicle for department business.

• Provides instructional services in reading, math, writing, etc. to students individually or in small groups under the supervision of a special education teacher.
• Prepares or modifies instructional materials for students as specified by special education teacher.
• Collects data in accordance with student IEP goals and objectives as directed by certified special education staff.
• Collaborates and works cooperatively with colleagues and staff.
• Follows written and oral instructions, and independently follows through on teacher directed programming/strategies.
• Implements and provides special education services and supports for students as detailed in the IEP. Duties will include providing instructional services, accommodations and modifications, behavioral and social interventions, individual behavior improvement plans, personal hygiene assistance and assisting to and from buses.
• The majority of the workday is spent in special education or regular education classroom environments. However, student support may be required in other school settings as per individual student need. This may include providing assistance/monitoring during lunch periods, breaks and recesses as specified in the IEP.
• Supports ASD’s position of valuing diversity, promoting respect and maintaining standards of confidentiality.
• For Life Skills and Structured Learning classrooms: Provides primary support in special education or general education classroom environments. Provides additional student support in other school settings such as restrooms, corridors, lunch rooms, gyms, conference rooms, or playgrounds. This also includes assistance/monitoring during lunch periods, breaks and recesses, and assisting students to and from buses as specified in the IEP.
• For preschool self-contained classrooms: Provides primary support in special education…