How to hire an assistant elementary teacher

How to hire an assistant elementary teacher, step by step

Here's a step-by-step assistant elementary teacher hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an assistant elementary teacher job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant elementary teacher
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the assistant elementary teacher you need to hire. Certain assistant elementary teacher roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect assistant elementary teacher also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of assistant elementary teachers.

   Type of Assistant Elementary Teacher	Description	Hourly rate
   Assistant Elementary Teacher	Teacher assistants work under a teacher’s supervision to give students additional attention and instruction.	$11-23
   Teacher Aide	Teacher aides help lead teachers in managing the classroom. They assist teachers in conducting classroom sessions by setting up the classroom in advance, sourcing materials needed for class activities, helping in presentations, and guiding students during class activities... Show more	$11-17
   Teacher	Being a teacher is one of the most passionate professions, among others. Teachers educate, motivate, and guide every generation of learners to prepare them for the real world... Show more	$15-33

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Instructional Materials
   • Kids
   • Mathematics
   • Math
   • Pre-K
   • Classroom Materials
   • Bulletin Boards
   • IEP
   • Learning Centers

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
   • Execute modified assignments using remedial resources resulting in improve math and reading skills.
   • Participate in staff development opportunities to master Montessori math materials and learn how to help children resolve conflicts peacefully.
   • Participate in establishing the American chemistry curriculum base on guidelines provide by the head-quarters office in Lebanon.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the assistant elementary teacher job description is a good way to get more applicants. An assistant elementary teacher salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an assistant elementary teacher in New Mexico may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level assistant elementary teacher. Additionally, an assistant elementary teacher with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average assistant elementary teacher salary

   $16.52hourly

   $34,367 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level assistant elementary teacher salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average assistant elementary teacher salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$43,609	$21
   2	California	$42,117	$20
   3	Oregon	$41,842	$20
   4	Michigan	$38,771	$19
   5	New York	$38,316	$18
   6	Massachusetts	$37,637	$18
   7	Wisconsin	$35,951	$17
   8	Ohio	$35,872	$17
   9	Nevada	$33,901	$16
   10	Colorado	$30,777	$15
   11	Texas	$30,400	$15
   12	Nebraska	$29,447	$14
   13	Oklahoma	$28,782	$14
   14	Virginia	$28,380	$14
   15	Indiana	$28,329	$14
   16	Florida	$26,582	$13

   Average assistant elementary teacher salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Hemet Unified School District	$36,033	$17.32	9
   2	Liberty Middle School	$34,685	$16.68	5
   3	San Ramon Valley Unified School District	$33,466	$16.09
   4	Learning Care Group	$33,020	$15.88	771
   5	Travis Unified School District	$32,448	$15.60	1
   6	Childhaven	$32,340	$15.55
   7	Community action of pike county	$32,331	$15.54	3
   8	Marysville Joint Unified School District	$28,674	$13.79	17
   9	KinderCare Education	$28,181	$13.55	1,292
   10	The Learning Experience	$28,127	$13.52	1,601
   11	North Country School	$26,912	$12.94
   12	Derby Public Schools	$26,534	$12.76	8
   13	Edmond Public Schools	$25,168	$12.10	17

4. Writing an assistant elementary teacher job description

   A job description for an assistant elementary teacher role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an assistant elementary teacher job description:

   Assistant elementary teacher job description example

   Are you energetic, enthusiastic, and fun? Do you have a great attitude and enjoy helping young minds discover the world? Are you looking for a welcoming and supportive team where you'll make a difference in your community?
   
   We're looking for Assistant Teachers in several Greater Cleveland licensed locations, and you're welcome to apply and work at multiple sites! You'll develop positive, nurturing relationships with children while building cooperative connections with their caregivers. All this with the freedom to create adventures and have a lifelong impact!
   
   This is an excellent opportunity for college students studying early education and adults seeking a flexible part time morning and afternoon schedules.
   You'll be a great fit if: You're over 18 You have a high school diploma or GED (enrollment in a relevant degree-seeking program is a plus) You've worked with children, especially in a licensed childcare or educational environment
   You're our ideal Assistant Teacher if this sounds like you: Sense of humor * Loads of patience * Curious * Adaptable * Organized * Creative
   What you'll get: Mentoring from experienced professionals who are interested in your growth Free YMCA membership Employee discounts around town at places like Playhouse Square and Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse Voluntary participation in our retirement plan Morning and afternoon schedules with a shift differential
   A little about us: Our goal is to build strong kids, strong families and strong communities. Our mission is to support healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Our vision is to provide quality, safe and healthy programs and services in our community.
   However you identify and whatever life experience you bring, we celebrate you! Join us and you'll be excited to come to work every day!
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro

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5. Post your job

   To find the right assistant elementary teacher for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with assistant elementary teachers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit assistant elementary teachers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your assistant elementary teacher job on Zippia to find and recruit assistant elementary teacher candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting assistant elementary teachers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new assistant elementary teacher

   Once you've found the assistant elementary teacher candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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