SANTA CLARA COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION

Personnel Commission

CLASS TITLE: Paraeducator-Special Education

DESCRIPTION OF BASIC FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To assist teacher(s) and/or other certificated personnel by performing a variety of instructional support duties to individual or small groups of Special Education pupils in a classroom or resource environment encompassing a range of physical, emotional, intellectual, and communication disabilities for severely and non-severely handicapped pupils; to assist in the establishment and maintenance of appropriate classroom and site behavior; and to perform a routine of clerical tasks as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The class of Paraeducator-Special Education provides responsible clerical, care-taking, and/or paraprofessional activities in support of the educational/training objectives of certificated staff and requires a high degree of positive contact with special education students, community members, and both district and county office staff. Employees in this class receive direct supervision within a framework of well-defined policies and procedures.

Depending on assignment, employees in this class work with students who have moderate to severe learning, physical and emotional disabilities, assisting in the implementation of classroom behavior intervention plans where necessary. Employees in this class may be assigned to work in the classroom(s), learning laboratory, community setting, and/or an office situation.

ESSENTIAL/TYPICAL DUTIES

• Works with students in small groups or in prescribed one-to-one assignments to tutor, reinforce, or follow up learning activities in basic academic, language, and/or specialized subject areas related to the level of achievement; under direction of teacher, provides individualized instruction by matching instruction to needs of each learner
• Controls volatile students physically as needed according to approved P.A.R.T. (Professional Assault Response Training) techniques
• Assists in the implementation of assigned sections of the students Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and behavior intervention plans which may involve use of approved behavior modification, physical management techniques or other skills or knowledge to establish and maintain appropriate behaviors
• Assists the teacher in establishing and maintaining a clean, safe, and cooperative classroom and learning environment
• Assists in organizing learning environment; prepares and sets up instructional materials and/or equipment for use in classroom activities; maintains instructional material and equipment. Assists teachers in implementing the course of study through one-to-one and group instruction; accompanies or assists students to and from school bus or other transportation and in moving to and from activities on school site
• Assists in the supervision and monitoring of students during lunch, recess, bus loading/unloading etc.; accompanies and assists students in “mainstream classroom activities”, computer lab, library, etc.
• Accompanies and supervises students on community based instructional outings, work programs, and/or field trips; reinforces positive behavior in public settings; assists students in learning life skills such as crossing streets safely, riding buses, etc.
• Performs routine clerical tasks as assigned; operates duplicating machines; assembles materials for classroom projects; prepares material and masters; files classroom, student, instructional and program materials; and may perform incidental typing tasks
• Participates as a member of the appropriate team or committee to assist staff with developing and implementing individual or site crises management plans
• Confers on a regular basis with a teacher in regard to planning and scheduling activities, progress in instructional goals and objectives, pupil progress, and pertinent health or behavior problems
• Provides assigned teacher with information on student progress through observation, daily contact, and maintenance of accurate student progress records/logs
• Assists in establishing and maintaining routine informational and operational records and files related to classroom/program activities
• Assists students in becoming self-reliant; fosters student independence in classroom and learning environments
• Prepares lunch trays and under direction of certificated staff feeds students unable to feed themselves
• Attends in-service and staff meetings as required
• Assists lifting of students in and out of wheelchairs, braces, and other orthopedic equipment; assists in physically transferring/lifting students to and from their wheelchairs for busing, school, and/or community activities
• Performs kneeling, stooping, standing, and lifting activities in the performance of required daily activities
• Guides students and/or provides appropriate modeling in a variety of areas: physical development and fitness, communication, personal hygiene, academic learning, appropriate dress, vocational skills, and is often assigned to do more in-depth work in one of these area
• Maintains confidentiality of student records and classroom information in accordance with legal requirements and policies
• Assists severely handicapped students with personal hygiene functions including toileting, diapering, eating, dressing and other self-help skills
• Under direct or indirect supervision of school nurse, may provide routine and/or backup one-to-one physical health care and assistance to a severely medically or neurologically disabled student including tube feed, suctioning, and proper positioning of students in specialized equipment, etc.
• Administers medications according to physician orders with parent permission and under the direct or indirect supervision of the assigned school nurse; ensures the security of medications by placing in locked cabinets and ensuring all medication containers are accounted for; maintains accurate and complete medication logs
• Assists in maintaining first aid supplies and maintaining disaster preparedness supplies
• Administers first aid in accordance with established procedures and policies
• Performs related duties as assigned

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Knowledge of:

• Proper English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Basic concepts of child development and behavior
• The unique needs of exceptional children
• Effective record-keeping practices and procedures
• Basic academic subjects/developmental activities taught/practiced in assigned instructional unit
• Behavior intervention techniques and strategies

Ability to:

• Learn the methods and procedures to be followed in assigned special education classroom/program
• Understand and follow both oral and written instructions
• Understand the needs of assigned special education students and effectively relate to these needs in a learning situation
• Effectively supervise assigned special education students in a variety of situations, maintaining emotional control under difficult and emergency situations
• Maintain a variety of records related to the activities and operations of assigned special education classroom/program in a confidential manner where appropriate
• Recognize and report safety hazards; learn, understand and adhere to laws, rules, practices, and procedures related to public education for pupils and those related to the program which assigned
• Exercise tact, diplomacy, and good judgment in dealing with special education students with severe medical disabilities
• Effectively and tactfully communicate in both oral and written forms
• Maintain confidentiality of records or discussions
• Assist teachers and administrators in dealing with behavior disorders
• Operate standard office equipment
• Provide own transportation and be reassigned/relocated annually/semi-annually to behavior intervention assistant positions
• Meet the physical requirements necessary to safely and effectively perform required duties including lifting student weighing up to 50 pounds into and out of wheelchairs and special equipment
• Establish and maintain a positive and effective work relationship with those contacted in the performance of required duties.

May require the ability to:

• Assists severely disabled students with personal hygiene and grooming functions such as toileting, feeding, tube feeding, and/or suctioning in a proper manner
• Speak, read, and/or write in another language other than English.

Requires:

• Passing a pre-employment physical examination related to job duties/assignments and in accordance with applicable law, statutes, bargaining unit agreements, and merit system rules.

EXPERIENCE, TRAINING AND/OR TESTING REQUIREMENTS:

• Possession of a high school diploma or its equivalent and at least 48 college semester units earned at an institution of higher learning; OR
• Possession of a high school diploma or its equivalent and possession of a degree earned at an institution of higher learning; OR
• Possession of a high school diploma or its equivalent and the ability to obtain a passing score on the County Office of Education No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Paraprofessional Examination.

Paid or volunteer experience working with or serving individuals with exceptional needs or behavioral deficits is preferred.

BARGAINING UNIT: Paraprofessional Unit

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Frequently (34-66%): smell and reach above shoulders
• Continuously (67-100%): bend, twist, push, pull, climb, squat, crawl and kneel
• Frequently (34-66%): employ the use of the Hoyer Lift to elevate up to 120 lbs. from floor to chest height
• Frequently (34-66%): lift 40-50 lbs. to waist height
• Frequently (34-66%): sit, reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stand and walk; grasp with hands and fingers; and lift up to 50 lbs.
• Continuously (67-100%): use hands to finger, handle or fell objects, tools, or controls; see (including close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus), hear and speak; key (i.e., computer, calculator, telephone); and lift (up to 40 lbs.).

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

• Approximately 95% of the time performing job duties is spent indoors, within a specialized classroom environment.
• While performing the duties of this job, constantly exposed to risk of trip and fall (over wheelchairs, walkers, IV stands, Hoyer lifts, crutches, etc.)
• Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Approximately 30 minutes each day is spent at bus loading area where noise is extremely shrill and loud.
• The temperature of the work environment is moderate and ranges from 65 – 80 degrees.

MACHINES, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT:

• Seldom (1-5%): automobile
• Occasionally (6-33%): copier, fax and computer
• Frequently (34-66%): writing instruments and telephone
• Frequently (34-66%): hand-crank Hoyer lift, IV stands and tubes for feeding and medication

TRAVEL:

• This job class requires minimal routine travel within close proximity to the regular assigned work location.

Approved by the Personnel Commission: July 30, 2009; Revised: 05/19/11