Paraprofessional Coordinator

Portland Public Schools is seeking a dedicated, organized, and collaborative professional to serve as the district’s Paraprofessional Coordinator, providing leadership, supervision, coaching, and support to special education paraprofessionals throughout the district. Under the direction of the Special Education Supervisor, this position is responsible for coordinating the effective assignment and utilization of paraprofessional staff to support student needs and district programming.

The Paraprofessional Coordinator will work closely with building administrators, special education staff, teachers, and other district leaders to assign and schedule paraprofessionals based on student and program needs. This position will provide direct supervision, ongoing coaching, training, and professional development to paraprofessional staff and will support consistent expectations and practices across the district.

The ideal candidate is a strong communicator and relationship builder who is highly organized, able to respond effectively to changing staffing and student needs, and committed to developing paraprofessionals through meaningful training, coaching, feedback, and support.

• Strong leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to effectively supervise, coach, support, and provide feedback to staff.
• Knowledge of effective practices for supporting students with disabilities in both general and special education settings.
• Understanding of the appropriate role and responsibilities of paraprofessionals within educational settings.
• Ability to develop positive and productive working relationships with paraprofessionals, teachers, administrators, students, and families.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and respond effectively to changing staffing and student needs.
• Strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Commitment to student independence, inclusion, and the effective use of adult support.
• Ability to plan, develop, and facilitate meaningful professional development for adult learners.

• Bachelor’s degree in special education or current enrollment in a special education degree program with anticipated completion within two years.
• Minimum of three years of experience working in special education.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate, coach, supervise, or lead staff.
• Experience working with paraprofessionals and/or other educational support staff.
• Knowledge of student behavior supports, accommodations, modifications, and strategies for supporting diverse student needs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to coordinate staffing and schedules across multiple buildings and programs.
• Ability to effectively use technology and district systems for communication, scheduling, documentation, and staff management.

• Provides direct supervision, leadership, coaching, and support to district special education paraprofessionals.
• Coordinates and oversees the district wide assignment, scheduling, and deployment of special education paraprofessionals based on student, classroom, building, and program needs.
• Works collaboratively with the Special Education Supervisor, building administrators, special education staff, and other district leaders to determine appropriate paraprofessional staffing and assignments.
• Responds to changing student and staffing needs and adjusts paraprofessional assignments and schedules as necessary.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for special education paraprofessionals regarding assignments, schedules, job responsibilities, expectations, and day-to-day employment questions.
• Establishes and communicates consistent district wide expectations for paraprofessional roles, responsibilities, professionalism, and performance.
• Conducts regular observations of paraprofessionals in their assigned settings and provides timely coaching, feedback, modeling, and support.
• Develops, coordinates, and implements ongoing coaching models and cycles of support for paraprofessional staff.
• Identifies individual and district wide paraprofessional training needs and develops an annual professional development plan.
• Plans, coordinates, and facilitates required training, orientation, and…