Kind of work: Under supervision of an ESE teacher, the Instructional Paraprofessional for Special Needs is assigned for at least 80% of the workday the responsibility for assisting with classroom instruction and with the maintenance of discipline and childcare needs. Other responsibilities such as additional related classroom clerical duties, cafeteria duty, etc. may be assigned for a minor portion of the workday. General requirements of this position would be that the Instructional Paraprofessional for Special Needs would be able to provide assistance in all of the areas indicated as appropriate for the Instructional Paraprofessional (Regular Needs) as adapted to the complex and individualized areas required for students with special needs.

Examples of work: Classroom Instruction - Provides assistance with individual/group tutoring in academic areas including introducing and monitoring instructional activities, monitoring testing situations, and planning for instruction with the teacher according to student's Individual Educational Programs (IEP's). Assistance may include creating and using alternative instructional materials, assistance with electronic aids such as Braille and other reader programs, tape recorders, audio readers/trainers, adapted computer programs, communication programs, etc. based on student's individual special needs. Other areas of assistance in classroom instruction might include note taking, continuous planned prompting of students to initiate/maintain/complete learning activities, and individual use of low vision/hearing aids/materials. Providing individualized communication assistance including interpretive/translation (ESOL) services, communication board assistance, Braille transcribing assistance, and other adaptive devices necessary for instructional purposes.

Classroom/Behavior Management - Provides assistance to the teacher with planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating complex individualized student behavior management programs. Assists with behavioral data collection, identifying problem behaviors and planned strategies to change behaviors according to students IEP's. May participate in social skills training activities through individual/group counseling sessions with students, role-playing activities, and structured behavioral programming assistance (proximity control, prompting, and contingencies, coaching, cuing and planned ignoring). Under supervision of certificated staff, and after completing appropriate training, may provide physical crisis intervention assistance to prevent students from hurting themselves, others, or destroying property.

Child and Health Care Needs - Provides assistance designed to support and encourage independent functioning of students, daily living assistance, self-care activities, physical and occupational therapy assistance, orientation and mobility assistance and assistance with student safety according to students IEP's. Examples of this might include assistance with lifting, positioning, diapering, feeding, and physical restraint of individual students. The paraprofessional who has received appropriate training may assist with monitoring student's health status, assistance with prosthetic devices, student mobility training, and helping students with self-monitoring health care activities (catheterization, blood glucose monitoring, skin care for braces, etc).

Minimum Qualifications:  High school diploma or equivalent and successful completion of 60 semester hours or a passing score of the ETS/Praxis Paraprofessional examination