How to hire a special education para professional

How to hire a special education para professional, step by step

Here's a step-by-step special education para professional hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the special education para professional you need to hire. Certain special education para professional 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 special education para professional 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 presents special education para professional salaries for various positions.

   Type of Special Education Para Professional	Description	Hourly rate
   Special Education Para Professional	Special education teachers work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. They adapt general education lessons and teach various subjects, such as reading, writing, and math, to students with mild and moderate disabilities... Show more	$12-19
   Teacher Internship	Teaching interns are individuals who assist teachers and educators in the classroom. The interns are instructed to fulfill the tasks set out and provided by the supervisors for them... Show more	$16-32
   Student Internship	Student interns are student trainees in a company. They undergo on-the-job training as it may be required by their degree program in order to graduate... Show more	$10-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Autism
   • CPI
   • Mathematics
   • Instructional Support
   • Student Learning
   • Progress Monitoring
   • Classroom Management
   • Instructional Materials
   • Data Collection
   • Occupational Therapy
   • Behavior Management
   • Learning Disabilities
   • Professional Development
   • Learning Materials

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform responsible human support and paraprofessional work assisting classroom teacher or other professionals, achieve institution objectives.
   • Work with the vocational classroom teaching student life skills * CPI certify
   • Assist in establishing unique programs and initiatives for students, para-professional educators, and substitutes in both academic and occupational environments.
   • Plan and instruct professional development for peers on RTI regulations, various educational computer software, and PowerPoint presentations.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your special education para professional job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A special education para professional can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, special education para professionals' average salary in montana is 42% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level special education para professionals 37% less than senior-level special education para professionals.
   • Certifications. A special education para professional with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a special education para professional's salary.

   Average special education para professional salary

   $15.87hourly

   $33,013 yearly

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   Entry-level special education para professional salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

4. Writing a special education para professional job description

   A special education para professional job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a special education para professional job description:

   Special education para professional job description example

   Under supervision, assists in the supervision and instruction of children with special needs, disabilities or delays; observing and documenting student progress; implementing plans for instruction; and providing clerical support to teachers and therapists.
   MAJOR TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Adapts classroom activities, assignments and/or materials under the direction of the special education teacher or therapist for purposes of providing an opportunity for all children with special needs, disabilities or delays to participate in classroom activities. 2. May assist students with personal hygiene needs for the purpose of providing for and/or developing students' daily living activities and behavioral skills.
   3. Confers with teachers as requested for purpose of assisting in evaluating student progress, coordinating tests or assignments, and/or implementing IEP/IFSP objectives.
   4. Implements behavioral plans for students with behavior disorders or other special conditions for the purpose of assisting in meeting students' needs and providing a consistent environment
   5. Instructs children with special needs, disabilities or delays, one-on-one or in groups for purpose of implementing goals for remediation of student deficiencies and ensuring students success
   6. Performs record keeping and clerical functions for the purpose of supporting the teacher and/ or therapist(s) in providing necessary records/materials.
   7. Prepares/processes food and assists in feeding of assigned students for the purpose of meeting the nutritional needs of medically fragile children. 8. Monitors children with special needs, disabilities or delays for the purpose of providing a safe and positive learning environment. 9. May drive a van or automobile to transport students. 10. Uses positive reinforcement strategies and other appropriate techniques to assist students in the development of appropriate behavior and an appreciation of human diversity. 11. Assists in the preparation of a variety of instructional materials and learning aids for use with individual or small groups of students.
   12. May administer and score a variety of tests and record test results.
   13. Requisitions, stores, and maintains an appropriate inventory of textbooks, instructional materials, supplies and equipment.
   14. Uses good judgment regarding appropriate action to assist injured or physically ill students.
   15. Assists in maintaining an orderly, attractive and positive learning environment.
   16. Because of the Tribe's commitment to community service and the well-being of its members, each employee may be expected to perform a wide range of office and field duties from time to time. Such duties may or may not be related to their regular responsibilities. EDUCATION - EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING FOR POSITION Required : Associate's degree or Bachelor's degree in Education, or related field. One (1) year of professional experience working with children with special needs, disabilities or delays in an educational or similar setting. Para Professionals are required to complete the Fundamental Course of Study (FCS) within one year of employment and obtain a General Para Educator Certificate. Preferred: Possess Special Education Para Educator Certificate Special Requirements : Must pass a criminal background check, a drug screen and meet all health and immunization requirements. Must be able to obtain satisfactory results on a pre-employment physical examination, including tuberculosis screening. SPECIFIC SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES REQUIRED FOR POSITION Skilled In: Effective communication with students, parents, or guardians, staff and administrators; working with children in an understanding, patient, receptive and confident manner; organizing activities in keeping with the maturity and attention span of assigned students; following written and oral instructions; managing student behavior; using standard office equipment, including personal computer; utilizing a variety of equipment used in the care and handling of students with severe disabilities; and preparing and maintaining accurate records.
   Knowledge of : Basic concepts of child development and developmental behavior characteristics; basic effective behavior management techniques; rules and procedures for child/student safety; basic math.
   Ability to : Read and write; follow verbal and written instructions; work with students in a positive and confident manner; observe safe work practices; establish and maintain cooperative work relationships; arrive to work in a timely manner; attend required training; maintain confidentiality; adapt and be flexible to changing work priorities; work with constant interruptions PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS The working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this class; While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk and talk or hear; occasionally required to sit; use hands to operate, finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms; occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet. Licenses or Certifications Required A current and valid Washington State driver's license; a valid Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR certificate and Food Handler's permit may be required at the time of appointment or at a time set by the Tribe.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right special education para professional for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your special education para professional job on Zippia to find and recruit special education para professional candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with special education para professional candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 special education para professional

   Once you've selected the best special education para professional candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new special education para professional. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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