work weeks / year

hours / day

Shift

Hourly rate

Annual shift stipend

38

6

N/A

SY 24/25 - TBD

SY 23/24 - $16.91

N/A

The hourly rate for the 2024-2025 school year will be determined by the ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

This position includes eligibility for insurance benefits.

To qualify for employment the candidate must have or be eligible for State of Illinois Paraprofessional Approval. Find out if you qualify for the license here: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educator-Licensure-Requirements.aspx

Purpose Statement

The Special Education Paraprofessional is responsible for providing services and supports to the instructional program within assigned classroom(s) with specific responsibility for assisting in the supervision, care, and instruction of students with unique or specialized needs in the regular classroom or in a specialized program; assisting in implementing plans or interventions/strategies for instruction; monitoring and supporting student behavior within and outside of the classroom; and providing information to appropriate school personnel.

This job reports to Principal.

Essential Functions

• Accommodates, adapts and modifies classroom activities, assignments and/or materials, under the direction of the supervising teacher, for the purpose of supporting and reinforcing classroom objectives.

• Administers tests, homework, make-up work, etc. for the purpose of supporting teachers in the classroom.

• Assists students with activities of daily living as necessary (e.g. bathroom, change clothes, change diapers,feeding students, hygiene care, etc.).

• Communicates with supervising instructional staff, and/or professional support personnel for the purpose of assisting in evaluating progress and/or implementing IEP objectives.

• Monitors students during assigned periods within a variety of school environments (e.g. rest rooms, playgrounds, hallways, bus loading zones, cafeteria, parking lots, bus, etc.) for the purpose of maintaining a safe and positive learning environment.

• Provides, under the supervision of assigned administrator or certified staff, instruction to students in a variety of individual and group activities (e.g. academic subjects, social skills, daily living skills, etc.) for the purpose of reinforcing instructional objectives; implementing IEP plans; and ensuring students success in school.

• Implements behavioral plans for students, including data collection, under the supervision of administrative staff or assigned certificated staff for the purpose of presenting and/or reinforcing documented objectives.

• Maintains instructional materials and/or manual and electronic files/records for the purpose of ensuring availability of items; providing written reference; and/or meeting mandated requirements.

• Provides, under the supervision of assigned administrator or certified staff, instruction to students in a variety of individual and group activities (e.g. academic subjects, social skills, daily living skills, etc.) for the purpose of reinforcing instructional objectives; implementing IEP plans; and ensuring students success in school.

• Reports observations and incidents relating to specific students (e.g. academic progress, accidents, fights, inappropriate social behavior, violations of rules, safety conditions, etc.) for the purpose of communicating information to appropriate certified and/or administrative personnel.

• Responds to emergency or crisis situations (e.g. behavioral crisis, injured student, fights, safety drills, etc.) for the purpose of resolving immediate safety concerns and/or directing to appropriate personnel for resolution.

• Responsible for completing "other related job duties" as assigned by supervisor

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the behavior support paraprofessional must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

• Must possess a valid TASN (NCLB) paraprofessional license from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)
• Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply

Experience Required:

• One (1) year of experience working with individuals with disabilities in an educational setting, preferred.

Job Requirements: Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Familiarity with classroom-based strategies related to managing and addressing behavior concerns

• Strong verbal, written language, and interpersonal skills to support communication among school staff, community partners, parents, and other team members

• Basic familiarity with technology (i.e. Google Suite, Chrome, etc.)

• Ability to respond professionally to all parental and/or staff questions and concerns

• Ability to adhere to predetermined timelines, multi-task between projects, and respond to work requests based upon priority and complexity

• Capable of adapting easily to changes and shifts in work assignments/tasks

• Ability to establish and maintain effective consultative working relationships with administrators, staff, associates,students, parents, governmental and community agencies, and employers

Working Environment

The usual and customary methods of performing the job's functions require the following physical demands: significant lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling; some climbing and balancing; some stooping, kneeling, crouching, and/or crawling; and significant fine finger dexterity. Generally the job requires 50% sitting, 25% walking, and 25% standing. The job is performed under conditions with some exposure to risk of injury and/or illness and in a clean atmosphere.