Special Populations Aide

Special Populations Aide

The Special Populations Instructional Aide supports scholars receiving special education and English learner services so they can access rigorous, grade-level instruction and succeed in the general education classroom. Under the direction of certified teachers and designated special populations staff, the aide implements assigned accommodations, instructional supports, language-development activities, small-group interventions, data collection, progress-monitoring tasks, records review, and family-meeting preparation. The position promotes scholar independence, inclusion, confidentiality, and consistent implementation of each scholar's individualized supports.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide direct academic, behavioral, communication, mobility, personal-care, and/or classroom support to scholars with disabilities, as assigned and trained, while preserving dignity and encouraging independence.
• Assist certified teachers in implementing IEP goals, accommodations, modifications, behavior intervention plans, supplementary aids, and services exactly as communicated by the instructional team.
• Deliver teacher-planned one-to-one and small-group instruction, reteach, intervention, practice, and reinforcement in reading, language, mathematics, behavior, executive functioning, and other identified areas.
• Support English learners with structured opportunities to listen, speak, read, and write in English using visuals, modeling, sentence supports, vocabulary development, comprehensible input, and other teacher-directed language-acquisition strategies.
• Collect accurate, objective data on IEP goals, intervention skills, language development, behavior, participation, work completion, and use of accommodations; submit documentation within established timelines.
• Administer or assist with approved progress-monitoring tools, curriculum-based measures, observational checklists, work-sample collection, and other assigned assessments.
• Review special education, intervention, and English learner folders using district checklists; organize records, identify missing or expired items, and promptly refer discrepancies to the appropriate staff member or administrator.
• Assist with preparation for ARD/IEP, LPAC, RTI, Section 504, and parent meetings by gathering work samples, data, forms, notices, translation/interpretation requests, and other materials as directed.
• Attend meetings when assigned to provide factual observations or implementation information;
• Support communication with parents and guardians by scheduling meetings, distributing approved information, documenting contacts, and facilitating access to language assistance; refer programmatic or confidential questions to authorized staff.
• Collaborate with general education teachers to prepare accessible materials, preteach or reinforce key concepts, support classroom routines, and promote meaningful inclusion in whole-group, small-group, station-rotation, and independent learning.
• Provide testing accommodations and designated supports only as documented and assigned; complete required training and maintain test security and confidentiality.
• Monitor scholars during arrival, dismissal, transitions, meals, recess, field experiences, transportation, and other school activities as assigned.
• Participate in required professional learning related to special education, IEP implementation, behavior support, de-escalation, English language acquisition, LPAC processes, intervention, progress monitoring, confidentiality, safety, and mandated reporting.
• Maintain a safe, organized, welcoming learning environment and perform other duties as assigned.

Compliance and Professional Expectations

• Work under the supervision and direction of appropriately certified or authorized personnel.
• Protect the confidentiality of scholar records and information in accordance with FERPA, IDEA, district policy, and all applicable requirements.
• Follow IEPs, service schedules, safety plans, health plans, behavior plans, campus procedures, and lawful directives with consistency and fidelity.
• Report concerns involving scholar safety, suspected abuse or neglect, discrimination,…