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What is a special education paraeducator and how to become one
Some kids need a little extra help to succeed in school. Special education paraeducators are part of a team that provides kids with disabilities with the additional support that they need to succeed in the classroom. Special education paraeducators work with individual students or small groups within a larger classroom.
The day-to-day tasks of a special education paraeducator depend on the needs of the student. They can interpret the classroom teacher's words using ASL for hard-of-hearing students, help students with physical disabilities move around the school, or manage the behavior of students with behavioral disabilities. The special education paraeducator works with a whole team, from classroom teachers to administrators, to fulfill students' IEP.
A special education paraeducator needs to be patient and good at connecting with kids. They also need to have special training to help kids with disabilities. They can prepare for this role by earning a bachelor's degree and often need to become certified by the state.
What general advice would you give to a special education paraeducator?
Patricia Rogan Ph.D.
Professor, Special Education/Urban Teacher Education, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Avg. Salary $32,092
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 4%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.38%
Asian 3.73%
Black or African American 8.03%
Hispanic or Latino 12.30%
Unknown 4.00%
White 71.56%
Genderfemale 79.56%
male 20.44%
Age - 42American 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 - 42Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Special education paraeducator career paths
Key steps to become a special education paraeducator
Explore special education paraeducator education requirements
Start to develop specific special education paraeducator skills
Skills Percentages CPR 12.61% Instructional Support 6.79% Autism 6.23% Data Collection 6.12% Instructional Materials 5.33% Research special education paraeducator duties and responsibilities
- Perform responsible human support and paraprofessional work assisting classroom teacher or other professionals, achieve institution objectives.
- Tutor students with academic subjects such as reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, language arts, and science.
- Participate in transfer, graduation, and annual ARD's.
- Attend CPSE meetings and create annual reports for the individual child.
Prepare your special education paraeducator resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your special education paraeducator resume.
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Apply for special education paraeducator jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a special education paraeducator 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 paraeducator job
Are you a special education paraeducator?
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Average special education paraeducator salary
The average special education paraeducator salary in the United States is $32,092 per year or $15 per hour. Special education paraeducator salaries range between $25,000 and $39,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do special education paraeducators rate their job?
Special education paraeducator 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
