Special Education Paraprofessional

Special Education Paraprofessional

Reports To: Teacher/Process Coordinator/Director of Special Education

Summary: Assist the teacher in providing each student with a program that will enable the student to reach his/her fullest potential.

• The length of the day and calendar shall be determined by the district.
• Become familiar with the teaching procedures used by the teacher, the teacher’s schedule of activities, the continuity of academic progression, and the material and equipment available.
• Assist the teacher in devising strategies for reinforcing materials or skills based on an understanding of individual students, their needs, interests, and abilities.
• Provides escort and assistance to children as necessary throughout a variety of school and community settings.
• Checks students’ work, corrects papers, and supervises testing and make‑up work, as assigned by the teacher.
• Assists the students assigned to him/her in such physical tasks as putting on and taking off outerwear, moving from room to room, using the restroom, etc.
• Operate teaching aides, i.e. VCR, DVD Player, computer, individual assistive technology.
• Alerts the teacher to any problem or special information about an individual student.
• Assists with clerical responsibilities of the classroom teacher and Special Education Teacher (including goal data).
• Participate in workshops, in‑service training, IEP meetings, etc.
• Assist with lunch, snack, clean‑up, wash up, and toilet routines.
• Assist with health‑related procedures such as, but not limited to, feeding, tube feeding, lifting, positioning, carrying, toileting, clean intermittent catheterization and suctioning when trained.
• Assists teachers in dealing with students who have challenging behaviors.
• Participates and implements Safe Crisis Management (when trained).
• Work with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning of material or skills initially introduced by the teacher.
• Assists the teacher in maintaining an environment that is conducive to learning.
• Monitor the classroom when there are IEP meetings and staffings.
• Observes, records and follows the management plan established by the teacher.
• Assists in managing students in the classroom, cafeteria, on the playground, and all related activities as directed.
• Assists in preparing teaching materials during the school day as directed by the teacher.
• Within the classroom setting, the assistant reports to the classroom teacher/case manager in matters involving the students’ programs and related activities.
• Perform any additional duties as assigned by the administration.

• Must possess good communication skills and have the ability to work with students and parents.
• Paraprofessionals are required to obtain 60 college credit hours or:
• Have passed the Para Pro Assessment (before September 23, 2013) or
• Have passed the Paraprofessional Assessment through Pearson (September 23, 2013 through June 20, 2024) or
• Have passed the Para Pro Assessment through ETS (July 1, 2024 forward) or
• Completed the 20‑hour Substitute Certificate Course in order to work under the direct supervision of an appropriately certified teacher to provide instructional assistance.
• Experience working with children preferred.

Language Skills

Ability to read and comprehend instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write general correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one‑on‑one and group situations.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals. Ability to compute rate ratio and percent. Draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties and responsibilities of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, stand, walk, sit and use hands and arms to handle, feel and reach. The employee is frequently required to stoop and/or kneel. The employee may work in an outdoor environment and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 lbs. Regular attendance on the job is an essential function.

Each paraprofessional will be provided a work schedule. The work calendar may be modified by the Board of Education/Director of Special Education/Principal at any time, as needs dictate. Terms covering compensation, benefits, and working conditions are specified by the Board of Education’s policies, agreements, and approvals. This is a 9‑month non‑exempt position.

Position Type: Full‑Time

Salary: $19.34 to $34.11 per Hour

Job Categories: Instructional Support >
Paraprofessional / IA