Under general supervision, the Paraprofessional Educator provides the classroom teacher with assistance in providing for the physical and instructional needs of special education students. This population may include students with one or more of the following disabilities: intellectual disability, deaf or hard of hearing, speech or language impairment, visual impairment, emotional disability, orthopedic impairment, health impaired (e.g., ADHD, medically fragile, compromised immune system), specific learning disability, autism, traumatic brain injury, or deaf-blindness.

Monitors arrival and dismissal of students assuring that they get to correct classrooms;

Performs tasks such as taking attendance, bus duty, lunch duty, recess duty, upkeep of bulletin boards and checking homework and forms going home;

Keeps data, point sheets, and anecdotal records of students’ behavior and performance;

Assists students at lunch to assure that they eat properly and clean up afterwards (this may include feeding the student);

Assists students with personal care needs in the bathroom, when they are ill or physically uncomfortable; and with physical need such as lifting, positioning in various equipment, adjusting and pushing wheelchairs;

Assists teacher and students with audiovisual equipment;

Assists students with their assistive technology and communication devices, both low and high tech, including basic sign language;

Reinforces the pre-academic, academic and functional academic subjects and functional skills being taught; assists in the preparation of instructional materials, e.g. copying, cutting out, laminating; may assist with classroom coverage when necessary;

Accompanies students to classes such as motor development and music to assist the teacher as needed;

Accompanies students to special classes such as homeroom, PE, music, art, electives or assemblies to facilitate inclusion;

Works with students, educators and other professional personnel in carrying out the various special education programs at early childhood, elementary and secondary levels; and

Performs other duties as assigned.

Working knowledge and understanding of the field of child development with specific application to the area of special education and related services;

Working knowledge of academic and functional instruction as defined by the school/center’s population;

Considerable patience and awareness of the different disabilities of students in assigned location;

Ability to assist students with personal care/hygiene needs such as diapering, toilet training, handling clothing fasteners, bath rooming adolescents and young adults, and feeding students;

Ability to physically assist students, such as lifting, transferring, and other activities required to care for students with physical disabilities;

Ability to work cooperatively with and provide a broad range of assistance to the instructional staff;

Working knowledge of or ability to learn computer skills; and

Ability to communicate effectively between students and educators.

 At least two (2) years of volunteer or paid experience working with children. 

Must meet the requirements for the designation of being a Highly Qualified paraprofessional and met the requirements of the federal No ChildLeft Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 by:

Obtaining an Associate’s Degree or higher or

Obtaining a minimum of 48 earned college credits or

A passing score of 455 on the Paraprofessional Praxis exam.

None Required.



No direct supervisory responsibilities.



The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, talk, hear, walk, sit, and use fingers, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, the ability to adjust focus, and depth perception. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally push or lift up to 25 lbs.




The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.




None.