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What is a special education assistant and how to become one
A special education assistants' job is to assist class activities in a comprehensive class setting and help students with their work. This should be done under the monitoring of a special education tutor. As a special education assistant, you must develop an extensive lesson scheme that corresponds to the special necessities and curriculum of students. Also, you must assist with creating captivating activities to improve an active learning setting while observing the social and private actions of the students. Furthermore, you have to cooperate with school teachers to keep neat, secure, and efficient classrooms by observing students' organization and safety. Occasionally, you would be required to create a personal time to talk and listen to students, especially those with disabilities or feelings of being insecure.
To become a special education assistant, you must have at least a high school diploma or GED along with on-the-job training. An associate degree can also be used depending on the employer. Alongside these, you must have great organizational, interactive, and interpersonal skills, and you must also be empathetic towards students. A special education assistant earns an average salary of $30,963 yearly or $14.88 an hour.
What general advice would you give to a special education assistant?
Chris Craig
Deputy Provost, Missouri State University
Avg. Salary $32,149
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 4%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.39%
Asian 8.68%
Black or African American 8.84%
Hispanic or Latino 18.82%
Unknown 4.63%
White 57.65%
Genderfemale 78.10%
male 21.90%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is basic
7 - challenging
Work life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Special education assistant career paths
Key steps to become a special education assistant
Explore special education assistant education requirements
Start to develop specific special education assistant skills
Skills Percentages Paraprofessional 14.97% Behavior Management 9.70% IEP 9.48% CPR 7.33% Adaptive 7.20% Gain additional special education assistant certifications
More About CertificationsSpecial education assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific special education assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for special education assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.
Research special education assistant duties and responsibilities
- Perform responsible human support and paraprofessional work assisting classroom teacher or other professionals, achieve institution objectives.
- Implement behavioral plans design by IEP team for students with behavior disorders or other learning disabilities
- Accompany students to special classes (art, music, PE) and on field trips.
- Complete Medicaid forms on a daily basis.
Prepare your special education assistant resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your special education assistant resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a special education assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable special education assistant resume templates
Build a professional special education assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your special education assistant resume.
Apply for special education assistant jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a special education assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first special education assistant job
Are you a special education assistant?
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Average special education assistant salary
The average special education assistant salary in the United States is $32,149 per year or $15 per hour. Special education assistant salaries range between $25,000 and $40,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do special education assistants rate their job?
Special education assistant reviews
Helping students with various intellectual or behavior disabilities to be successful in the classroom and in life.
As a paraprofessional, you often get left out of Professional Development activities, vertical team meetings, etc. and have a limited capacity to influence educational decisions within the organization.
The kids light up my days.
The demand and low pay. Teachers have families, too.
You got to work with learners who will love you unconditionally. It gives a great satisfaction to be able to help them. I love learners with Special Needs and I am a Mom of one.
I can't say, maybe because there is none.
Updated January 8, 2025
