Special Education Instructional Assistant
About The Position
This position is for the 2026-2027 school year. The Special Education Instructional Assistant works with students under the guidance of the classroom teacher, preparing for classroom activities, delivering specially designed instruction, and assisting in the implementation of adaptations, modifications, and accommodations to the general curriculum to meet individual student needs per their IEP. The role involves clerical duties, health services, assisting students with self-care (including toileting, dressing, tube feeding, catheterization), gathering and recording student progress data, and creating, selecting, adapting, and evaluating materials for students with special needs. The assistant will support individual students and small groups, assist students across various settings (resource room, regular classroom, building, community), and maintain a patient attitude during stressful situations. This includes assisting students with mobility challenges, which may involve lifting, positioning, moving children, and using gross motor equipment like standers and wheelchairs. The assistant will also support therapists by implementing recommendations as instructed and per the IEP, ensuring consistency in services and instruction, and implementing the student's IEP goals, including behavior support and management plans. Aiding in the management of inappropriate or physically forceful behaviors, including assisting students at risk of harming themselves or others through prevention, de-escalation, and safe physical intervention strategies, is also a key responsibility. The role requires adherence to professional ethics, maintaining strict confidentiality, and referring parent requests to the teacher. Functioning as a cooperative team member and fostering good working relationships are essential. The assistant must prevent students from harming themselves or others in crisis situations using techniques learned in Safe Crisis Management training and maintain certification in this training. Other tasks may be assigned by the supervising teacher or Principal.
Requirements
- High School Diploma or GED
- Successful completion of the paraeducator exam or 64 credit hours of college credit
- Ability to pass safe crisis management training
Nice To Haves
- Certification in Safe Crisis Management
Responsibilities
- Prepares for classroom activities, delivers specially designed instruction and assists in the implementation of adaptations/modifications/accommodations to the general curriculum to meet the needs of individual students per the IEP under the guidance of the classroom teacher.
- Performs clerical duties as directed by the teacher.
- Performs health services and assists students with self-care under the direction of the supervising teacher including toileting, dressing, tube feeding, catheterization, and other needs.
- Assists the teacher in gathering and recording student progress data.
- Assists the teacher in creating, selecting, adapting and evaluating materials appropriate for students with special needs.
- Assist individual students and groups of students of for small group instruction and attention under the guidance of the classroom teacher.
- Assists students across settings including the resource room, regular classroom, the building and the community.
- Maintains a patient attitude when assisting students through stressful situations.
- Assists with students who have challenges with mobility. This includes lifting, positioning and moving the child and the proper use of gross motor equipment, such as standers and wheelchairs.
- Assist therapists (e.g. PT, OT, Speech, and others) in recommendations of therapy as instructed in consultation with the therapist and under the direction of the supervising teacher per the IEP.
- Assists the teacher in providing consistency in services and instruction and in implementing the student’s IEP goals, including behavior support and management plans.
- Aides in management of students’ behavior when they are exhibiting inappropriate and/or physically forceful behaviors. This may include assisting students who are at risk of harming themselves or others through the implementation of prevention, de-escalation, and safe physical intervention strategies.
- Adheres to ethics and standards of the education profession, which include maintaining the strictest confidentiality concerning students, including their performance, conduct, activities, remarks or personal information.
- Refers all parent requests for information regarding their child to the teacher.
- Functions as a cooperative team member and take responsibility for fostering and maintaining good working relationships throughout the building.
- Prevents students from harming self or others in crisis situation through use of techniques learned in Safe Crisis Management training as appropriate
- Maintains certification in Safe Crisis Management after initial certification
- Other tasks that may be assigned by the supervising teacher or Principal.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
