What does a special education assistant do?
A special education assistant is responsible for supporting class activities in an inclusive classroom setting, assisting students with their tasks under the supervision of a special education teacher. Special education assistants create comprehensive lesson plans which adhere to the students' curriculum and special needs. They also help with developing engaging activities to promote an active learning environment while monitoring the students' personal and social behavior. A special education assistant must have excellent communication and organization skills, ensuring the progress of the students by regular interaction, and managing their needs.
Special education assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real special education assistant resumes:
- 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.
- Assist special needs children with independent skills and work tasks, fill out Medicaid paperwork.
- Provide one on one attention to pre-k partner child with multiple activities while promoting language and developmental skills.
- Design visual schedules for children with autism and developmental delay which clarify behavioral expectations.
- Used centers/rotations to teach literacy and math and to encourage independence and student responsibility for learning.
- Work collaboratively with teachers to develop successful strategies to teach reading, writing and math to students struggling academically.
- Communicate with supervising instructional staff and professional support personnel for the purpose of assisting in evaluating progress and/or implementing IEP objectives.
- Direct responsibility for providing daily instruction and support to one ADHD student.
- Job duties range from filling teaching positions to supplementing regular classroom curriculum with additional enrichment activities for students.
Special education assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Special Education Assistants are proficient in Paraprofessional, Behavior Management, and IEP. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Interpersonal skills, and Patience.
We break down the percentage of Special Education Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Paraprofessional, 15%
Rendered individual/small group instruction applying paraprofessional techniques.
- Behavior Management, 10%
Implement behavior management of students by planning, carrying out and supervising students in structured and unstructured settings including crisis intervention.
- IEP, 9%
Implemented behavioral plans designed by IEP team for students with behavior disorders or other learning disabilities
- CPR, 7%
Participated in Education training and enrichment courses in CPR, and Crisis Prevent
- Adaptive, 7%
Provide a positive and adaptive learning environment.
- Behavioral Issues, 6%
Supervised students with behavioral issues in the classroom* Assisted the teacher with class instructions/interventions* Provided counseling to parents/students* Performed administrative assignments
Common skills that a special education assistant uses to do their job include "paraprofessional," "behavior management," and "iep." You can find details on the most important special education assistant responsibilities below.
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a special education assistant to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what special education assistants do because "teacher assistants need to be clear and concise in discussing student progress with teachers and parents." Additionally, a special education assistant resume shows how special education assistants use communication skills: "teach basic skills to kids with severe disabilities to improve their literacy and communication techniques. "
Interpersonal skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling special education assistant duties is interpersonal skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "teacher assistants must be able to develop relationships with a variety of people, including teachers, students, parents, and administrators." According to a special education assistant resume, here's how special education assistants can utilize interpersonal skills in their job responsibilities: "follow education plan using writing, art, and interpersonal coaching to supplement instruction and provide accountability. "
Patience. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of special education assistants is patience. This skill is critical to many everyday special education assistant duties, as "working with students of different abilities and backgrounds may be difficult." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "demonstrate patience and understanding while providing individualized instruction in a safe, inclusive classroom learning environment for students with significant disabilities. "
Resourcefulness. special education assistant responsibilities often require "resourcefulness." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "teacher assistants must find ways to explain information to students who have different learning styles." This resume example shows what special education assistants do with resourcefulness on a typical day: "showed resourcefulness and teaching effectiveness in meeting the needs of students with limited english language proficiency as well as learning disabilities. "
The three companies that hire the most special education assistants are:
- Albuquerque Academy33 special education assistants jobs
- Peoria Unified School District17 special education assistants jobs
- Avon Community School12 special education assistants jobs
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Compare different special education assistants
Special education assistant vs. Assistant daycare teacher
An assistant daycare teacher is responsible for performing support tasks in a daycare center. Most of the duties primarily revolve around maintaining a safe and healthy environment for children, preparing meals and learning materials, assisting children during bathroom or hygiene-related activities, and keeping the classroom clean and sanitized. Furthermore, there are instances when an assistant daycare teacher must come up with recreational activities, maintain student records, and help children improve their motor skills and basic knowledge in concepts such as recognizing the alphabet or coloring.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between special education assistants and assistant daycare teacher. For instance, special education assistant responsibilities require skills such as "paraprofessional," "behavior management," "iep," and "adaptive." Whereas a assistant daycare teacher is skilled in "child care," "kids," "child development," and "open communication." This is part of what separates the two careers.
On average, assistant daycare teachers reach lower levels of education than special education assistants. Assistant daycare teachers are 7.7% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Special education assistant vs. Instructional aide
An instructional aide focuses on performing support-related tasks for a teacher or faculty member. They are primarily responsible for helping teachers maintain a safe and healthy learning environment, recording attendance, creating visual aids or presentations, participating in the preparation of lesson plans and tests, and assisting students who are having difficulties in a particular task or lesson. An instructional aide may also take part in counseling and supervising students' behavior during class activities, all while adhering to the school's policies and regulations.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, special education assistant responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "paraprofessional," "adaptive," "autism," and "cpi." Meanwhile, an instructional aide has duties that require skills in areas such as "work ethic," "direct supervision," "basic math," and "powerpoint." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, instructional aides earn a lower salary than special education assistants. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, instructional aides earn the most pay in the education industry with an average salary of $30,309. Whereas special education assistants have higher pay in the education industry, with an average salary of $32,645.In general, instructional aides achieve similar levels of education than special education assistants. They're 2.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for special education assistants in the next 3-5 years?
Chris Craig
Deputy Provost, Missouri State University
Special education assistant vs. Early childhood special educator
Early childhood special educators are professionals who provide direct services for infants and young children that are experiencing delays in their development. These educators are required to collaborate with parents to provide a program of activities that can encourage the growth of the children's skills. By incorporating the advice of other professionals, early childhood special educators must create individual education plans that address the specific learning challenges of children. They must also identify signs of child abuse and neglect so that they can take the necessary actions to remediate the situation.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a special education assistant is likely to be skilled in "paraprofessional," "behavior management," "adaptive," and "behavioral issues," while a typical early childhood special educator is skilled in "child development," "child care," "early intervention," and "kids."
Early childhood special educators earn the best pay in the education industry, where they command an average salary of $34,240. Special education assistants earn the highest pay from the education industry, with an average salary of $32,645.Most early childhood special educators achieve a higher degree level compared to special education assistants. For example, they're 6.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Special education assistant vs. Work-study assistant
A work-study assistant's responsibilities depend on his/her or her place of employment. His/Her or her duties include processing paperwork, responding to inquiries, and maintaining records. The essential skills that a work-study assistant should possess to accomplish his/her or her responsibilities include good writing, interpersonal, and organizational skills. The education requirements to qualify for the job include obtaining a bachelor's or master's degree in the field of business, psychology, and criminal justice.
Types of special education assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
