Special Education Communications Aide

Reports to: Campus Principal and Assigned Teacher(s)

Wage/Hour Status: Nonexempt

Compensation Plan: Clerical/Paraprofessional

Pay Grade: 03

Minimum Hourly Rate: $17.40

Minimum Annual Salary: $26,030

Duty Days: 187 days per year

Primary Purpose:

Helps meet the physical, academic, and personal needs of individual students with disabilities inside and outside the classroom. Assists with the implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEP) and of self-help, and behavior management. Works under the general supervision of assistant principal and immediate direction of certified teacher. Assigned based upon the recommendation of ARD Committee.

Qualifications:

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent and ability to pass a rigorous content-oriented exam

or

• Associate degree or 48 semester hours of college credit

Certification

• Current Texas educational aide certificate or ability to obtain

Experience

• Some experience working with children

Special Knowledge and Skills

• Ability to work well with children with disabilities
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions
• Ability to exercise good judgment in handling confidential information
• Excellent organizational, communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills

Major Responsibilities and Duties:

Student Management

• Helps students take care of physical needs and personal care, including feeding, bathroom needs, and personal hygiene.
• Helps manage the behavior of assigned students. This includes intervening in crisis situations and restraining disruptive or dangerous student behavior as needed.
• Assumes responsibility for learning and adapting to each student's special medical, physical, communicative, and emotional needs.
• Works with assigned students or small groups to develop motor skills and conduct instructional exercises assigned by teacher.
• Assists assigned students throughout school day, inside and outside classroom. This includes lunchroom, bus, and playground duty.
• Keeps teacher informed of special needs or problems of assigned students

Other Related Duties:

• Follows district safety protocols and emergency procedures.
• Participates in professional development, department meetings, and special events as assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:

Tools and Equipment Used: Standard office equipment including computer and peripherals; standard instructional equipment; other specialized and adaptive equipment used by students, including wheelchair lift and ramp

Posture: Frequent standing; kneeling/squatting, bending/stooping, pushing/pulling, and twisting

Motion: Frequent walking and reaching

Lifting: Frequent light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds); Occasional heavy lifting (45 pounds or over) and positioning or students with physical disabilities, controlling behavior through physical restraint, assisting nonambulatory students, and lifting and moving adaptive and other classroom equipment

Environment: Work inside and outside (exposure to sun, heat, cold, and inclement weather); exposure to noise; exposure to biological hazards (bacteria, communicable diseases); may require occasional district-wide and statewide travel

Mental Demands: Work with frequent interruptions; maintain emotional control under stress

This document describes the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.