Special Ed Program Assistant w/SEPA

JOB

DESCRIPTION

Program

Assistant

• Special

Education

GENERAL

INFORMATION

Title:

Program

Assistant

• Special

Education

Union

Status:

ESPA

Work

Year:

Based

on

the

official

school

calendar

Reports

To:

Building

Administration

ISBE

Classification/Code:

310

Evaluation :

Assistant

Principal

or

Designee

FLSA

Status:

Non-Exempt

Supervisory

Responsibilities:

None

Salary:

Schedule

A

Pay

Scale

Benefits:

Board

Paid

Single

Coverage

GENERAL

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The

Program

Assistant

provides

instructional

support

work

in

providing

assistance

to

teachers

in

the

daily

management

and

instruction

of

students.

The

employee

is

responsible

for

performing

clerical

and

instructional

tasks

to

relieve

teachers

of

routine

activities

and

to

help

carry

out

daily

classroom

activities.

The

work

involves

observing

and

reporting

on

the

behavior

and

learning

of

students

and

closely

monitoring

the

needs

of

children

including

basic

personal

needs

and

physical

help.

These

professionals

reinforce

lessons

by

tutoring

individual

students

or

small

groups.

ESSENTIAL

FUNCTIONS :

Maintain

confidentiality

in

the

performance

of

all

assigned

duties

regarding

all

aspects

of

work

with

children

and

staff

Assist

teachers

in

providing

a

well-organized,

smooth

functioning

environment

in

which

all

students

can

take

full

advantage

of

the

instructional

program

Work

with

individual

students

or

small

groups

to

reinforce

instructional

material

initially

introduced

by

the

teacher

Work

with

individual

students

or

small

groups

for

intervention

programming

under

the

direction

of

certified

staff

Attend

training

and

professional

development

when

appropriate

Assist

the

teacher

with

non-instructional

classroom

duties

such

as

snack,

restroom,

recess,

and

clothing

routines

Help

prepare

and

distribute

lesson

materials

Assist

in

monitoring

student

progress

and

report

concerns

to

teacher(s)

Assist

the

teacher

in

keeping

the

classroom

neat

and

orderly

Assist

the

teacher

in

preparing

and

arranging

bulletin

boards

Assist

with

supervision

of

students

in

and

out

of

the

classroom

Assist

with

preparing

and

maintaining

student

records

when

requested

Assist

teachers

and

students

with

technology

Assist

with

escorting

and

supervising

students

within

and

outside

the

school

to

special

area

classes,

recess,

field

trips,

etc.

Participate

in

collaborative

planning

for

instruction

with

classroom

teacher(s)

Assist

the

teacher

in

preparing

the

classroom

for

the

opening

of

school

and

in

storing

materials

and

getting

the

classroom

ready

for

closing

of

school

Demonstrate

cooperation,

openness

for

growth,

and

willingness

to

contribute

as

a

productive

team

member

Perform

clerical

duties

for

teacher

when

necessary

Monitor

student

progress

by

checking

work

in

progress,

making

corrections

and

reporting

results

to

the

teacher

Have

the

ability

to

work

from

home,

in

the

event

work

from

home

is

provided

by

the

district,

including

the

ability

to

access

WIFI

Assist

in

organizing

and

maintaining

classroom

materials

Prepare

center

projects

and

set

up

weekly

center

areas

Correct

and

grade

papers,

supervise

testing

and

makeup

work

1

JOB

DESCRIPTION

Program

Assistant

• Special

Education

Substitute

Teach

as

needed

(for

employees

who

meet

IBSE

requirements

to

substitute

teach)

Monitor

and

ensure

appropriate

student

behavior

Check

and

respond

to

District

email

at

a

minimum

of

once

daily

Have

the

ability

to

work

from

home

in

cases

of

virtual

learning

days

including

the

ability

to

access

WIFI

Additional

job

requirements

include

supervision

of

students

both

indoor

and

outdoor,

such

as

to/from

the

bus

each

day

and/or

lunch/recess

assistance

resulting

in

exposure

to

all

weather

conditions

Perform

other

duties

as

assigned

Program

Assistant

in

Personal

Care

and

High

Needs

(Special

Education)

positions:

Provide

personal

care

to

students

that

includes

performing

one

or

more

of

the

following

duties

at

least

three

times

per

week:

catheterization,

diapering,

tube

feeding,

oral

feeding,

oxygen

monitoring,

body

repositioning/turning/lifting,

toileting

(beyond

support

typical

for

the

child's

age/grade)

Participate

in

de

escalation

training

or

other

applicable

trainings

as

determined

by

the

Administration

JOB

REQUIREMENTS:

MINIMUM

QUALIFICATIONS

Strong

organizational

skills

Understanding,

patience,

emotional

stability

and

a

positive

attitude

for

working

with

children

Excellent

communication

and

interpersonal

skills

EDUCATION,

CREDENTIALS

and/or

EXPERIENCE:

Must

possess

a

minimum

of

a

Paraprofessional

License

or

Substitute

Teaching

License

through

the

Illinois

State

Board

of

Education

(ISBE)

Paraprofessional

approval

from

the

Illinois

State

Board

of

Education

Prior

school

experience

a

plus

Physical

Demands

and

Work

Environment:

While

performing

the

duties

of

the

job,

the

employee

is

frequently

required

to

sit;

use

hands

to

finger,

handle,

or

feel;

and

talk

or

hear.

The

employee

regularly

is

required

to

reach

with

hands

and

arms.

The

employee

is

frequently

required

to

stand

and

walk.

The

employee

must

regularly

lift

and/or

move

up

to

10

pounds

and

occasionally

lift

and/or

move

up

to

a

minimum

of

50

pounds

or

more.

Specific

vision

abilities

required

by

this

job

include:

close

vision,

distance

vision,

color

vision,

peripheral

vision,

depth

perception,

and

ability

to

adjust

focus.

The

employee

occasionally

types

using

a

keyboard.

In

the

work

environment,

the

employee

is

regularly

exposed

to

video

display

and

works

in

a

classroom

environment.

Occasional

opportunities

may

be

available

for

work

in

the

evening

or

on

weekends.

The

employee

is

frequently

exposed

to

outdoor

weather

conditions.

The

employee

will

have

contact

with

the

public

which

requires

appropriate

demeanor

and

apparel.

The

noise

level

in

the

work

environment

is

usually

moderate.

The

physical

demands

and

work

environment

described

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 .

Reviewed/Revised:

July,

2022

Salary

and

Benefits

information

updated

7/2026

The

statements

in

this

job

description

are

intended

to

describe

the

general

nature

and

level

of

the

work

to

be

performed

by

(an)

individual(s)

assigned

to

this

position

They

are

not

an

exhaustive

list

of

all

duties

and

responsibilities

related

to

the

position

This

job

description

will

be

reviewed

periodically

as

duties

and

responsibilities

change

with

the

business

necessity

and

School

Board

Policy

and

procedures

Essential

and

marginal

job

functions

are

subject

to

modification

2