Special education paraprofessional job description template
By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated
Short answer
A special education paraprofessional job description states who the para reports to, the duties they carry out under a teacher's direction, the duties that belong to teachers instead, the qualifications your state requires, the training provided and the physical demands. Use the fill-in template below, then compare it with the completed example before posting.
A para job description does three jobs at once. It tells applicants what the work is. It tells teachers what they can and cannot ask of a para. And it gives the district a written basis for training, supervision and evaluation. A vague description, such as "assists teacher with students; other duties as assigned," fails at all three.
Federal rules allow paras to assist with special education and related services when they are appropriately trained and supervised under state law, regulation or written policy.[1] The job description is where a district writes that policy down for one position. States set their own qualification rules, so the qualifications section must follow your state's requirements.
For what the role looks like day to day, see paraprofessional roles and responsibilities.
Fill-in job description template
Copy this table into your district's job posting format.
| Section | What to write | Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Position title | The title used in your district | ______ |
| Reports to | The supervising teacher or provider for daily work; the administrator for HR | ______ |
| Position summary | 2 or 3 sentences: who the para supports and under whose direction | ______ |
| Essential duties | 6 to 10 duties, each starting with a verb | ______ |
| Duties that belong to teachers | What the para does not do | ______ |
| Qualifications | Education, testing or certification required by your state | ______ |
| Skills | Specific skills that can be checked in an interview | ______ |
| Training provided | Initial and ongoing training topics | ______ |
| Physical demands | Lifting, standing, personal care, outdoor duty | ______ |
| Schedule and setting | Hours, calendar, building or program | ______ |
| Evaluation | Who evaluates and how often | ______ |
Completed example
This example is fictional and written for an elementary program. Adjust every line to your state's rules and your bargaining agreement.
| Section | Entry |
|---|---|
| Position title | Special Education Paraprofessional, Elementary Resource and Inclusion |
| Reports to | The special education teacher assigned on the para's schedule for daily direction; the building principal for HR matters. |
| Position summary | Supports students with IEPs in general education classrooms, the resource room and school routines. Carries out instruction, accommodations, data collection and behavior supports planned by the special education teacher or related service provider. |
| Essential duties | Delivers lessons and practice activities planned by the teacher. Gives IEP accommodations as directed. Collects goal data on teacher-provided data sheets and turns them in daily. Follows behavior intervention plans as written. Provides personal care, feeding or mobility support as trained. Supervises students during transitions, lunch and recess as scheduled. Prepares materials the teacher has designed. Writes a brief daily log for the supervising teacher. Keeps all student information confidential. Takes part in required training and coaching. |
| Duties that belong to teachers | Planning instruction or choosing curriculum. Writing or changing IEP goals, services or accommodations. Deciding whether a goal is met. Giving standardized tests. Sharing progress or concerns with families without the teacher's direction. |
| Qualifications | As required by state rules for paraprofessionals. High school diploma or equivalent, plus any state-required coursework, assessment or certificate. |
| Skills | Follows a written plan step by step. Records data accurately on the same trials a teacher scores. Uses calm, short language with students. Takes feedback and applies it. |
| Training provided | Before starting: confidentiality, the para role, safety procedures. First month: prompting, data collection and the behavior plans for assigned students, trained in the classroom with feedback. Ongoing: coaching visits each grading period. |
| Physical demands | Stands and walks for long periods. Lifts up to 40 pounds with assistance. Supervises students outdoors. Provides toileting and personal care as trained. |
| Schedule and setting | 7:45 to 3:00, student calendar. Assigned to one elementary building. |
| Evaluation | Annual evaluation by the principal, with input from the supervising teacher's coaching notes. |
Notes on each section
Reports to
Name two people: the teacher who directs daily work and the administrator for HR. Reviewers look for this because federal rules expect paras to be supervised.[1] A para with no named teacher ends up taking directions from whoever is nearby.
Position summary
Use the phrase "planned by the teacher" or "as directed." It sets the line between the para's work and the teacher's work from the first sentence. The comparison is laid out in paraprofessional vs teacher roles.
Essential duties
Start each duty with a verb a supervisor can observe. "Collects goal data on teacher-provided data sheets" can be checked; "helps with data" cannot. Data collection deserves its own line because it is daily work. Most paras use the opportunity and trial data sheet, with prompt codes from the prompt hierarchy. An interview task can check this skill: show a 2-minute video, have the candidate mark 10 trials, and compare with the key.
Duties that belong to teachers
Many job descriptions skip this section. Parents look for it when they ask why the para, not the teacher, seems to be teaching their child. Writing it down protects the para too.
Qualifications
Copy the wording from your state's rules. Do not add degree requirements the state does not require without HR review. Positions paid from some federal programs may carry extra qualification rules; ask your federal programs office.
Training provided
IDEA requires that everyone who collects or uses personally identifiable student information be trained on the state's confidentiality procedures.[2] List that training by name. Classroom-based training on prompting and data works better than a single workshop; the method is in how to train paraprofessionals.
Physical demands
List what the job truly requires. If personal care is part of the role, say so. Applicants deserve to know, and it reduces turnover in the first month.
Evaluation
Say who evaluates and how coaching notes feed in. The para observation checklist gives teachers a coaching record to share.
What to leave out
- "Other duties as assigned" as a catch-all. If you keep it, add "related to student support."
- Diagnoses or student details. A posting names the program, not the students.
- "Teaches students." Write "delivers instruction planned by the teacher."
- Unlimited 1:1 language. One-to-one support is assigned by the IEP team and should come with a plan to fade; see fading paraprofessional support.
Common mistakes
- Weak: "Assists the teacher as needed." Better: A list of 6 to 10 duties, each starting with a verb.
- Weak: No supervising teacher named. Better: "Reports daily to the special education teacher on the para's schedule."
- Weak: Confidentiality not mentioned. Better: A duty line and a named training before the first day. See paraprofessional confidentiality.
- Weak: Training described as "as available." Better: Topics and timing, written into the description.
Frequently asked questions
What qualifications does a special education paraprofessional need?
It depends on your state. Most require at least a high school diploma or equivalent, and many add coursework, a skills assessment or a state certificate. Some federally funded positions carry their own rules. Check your state's education agency.
Should a para job description mention data collection?
Yes. Most special education paras collect IEP goal data every day. Naming it as a duty sets expectations, supports training, and lets interviewers check the skill.
What is the difference between a para and a teacher's aide?
Districts use the titles differently. In many, a special education paraprofessional supports students with IEPs under a special education teacher's direction, while a general teacher's aide helps with whole-class tasks. Your district's job descriptions set the difference.
Use it in IEP Atlas
- Paraprofessional in the IEP glossary
- Opportunity trial data sheet
- Prompt hierarchy in the IEP glossary
- FERPA in the IEP glossary
Related guides
- Paraprofessional roles and responsibilities
- Paraprofessional confidentiality: what you can and cannot share
- Paraprofessional schedule template with a completed example
- Special education sub plans: template and completed example
- Paraprofessional vs teacher roles: who decides and who carries it out
Sources
- 34 CFR §300.156: Personnel qualifications, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
- 34 CFR §300.623: Safeguards, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.