Paraeducator 1 (Special Education)

Under the general supervision of an administrator, the Paraeducator 1 provides instructional assistance to students individually and/or in groups according to state standards, classroom objectives and the individualized education program (IEP), including health and/or behavioral plans.   The Paraeducator 1 provides ongoing basic or emergency health-related assistance to students as needed.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS AMONG RELATED CLASSES:

• The Paraeducator 1 is the entry-level position of the Special Education job family
• All duties performed by a Paraeducator 1 may also be performed by a Paraeducator 2 and Paraeducator 3
• The Paraeducator 1 will primarily provide non-intrusive medical health assistance, whereas a Paraeducator 2 may primarily provide intrusive medical assistance
• The Paraeducator 1 may provide emergency specialized medical support and intervention, whereas a Paraeducator 2 may provide daily ongoing specialized medical support
• The Paraeducator 1 may occasionally provide basic behavioral support, prompting, or guidance, whereas a Paraeducator 3 may provide regular ongoing behavioral monitoring, data collection, assessment, and intervention

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION:  

Must have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and ONE of the following:

• Completed 48 units at an institution of higher learning OR
• Obtained an Associate’s (or higher) degree OR
• Obtain a passing score on the District's Instructional Assistance (ESSA) written examination

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS/INFORMATION:

Valid First Aid and CPR certification must be obtained within 60 calendar days of start date and maintained.

NOTE: The statements listed below are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees in this classification, and are not to be interpreted as an exhaustive list of responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified. Reasonable accommodations will be made so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES:

• Work with students with special needs in all educational settings individually and/or in groups to provide instructional support (academic and functional) in, but not limited to, cognitive, gross/fine motor and adaptive behavior skills, vocational skills, social and leisure skills, and physical development and fitness, according to state standards, classroom objectives, and the Individualized Education Program (IEP)
• Lift/transfer students in and out of holding or locomotive devices, which can include on and off the bus, on and off the toilet, in and out of a wheelchair, in and out of a stander, push locomotive devices, and/or assist students with necessary physical aid appliances when trained by appropriate staff
• Accompany or assist students to and from, and/or on the school bus and/or other forms of transportation (such as public transit and taxis) including moving to and from activities on the school site and in off-campus and community settings
• Provide ongoing basic or emergency medical assistance to students as needed using appropriate equipment; including, but not limited to, first aid, CPR, and emergency injections or suppositories
• Assist students with basic personal hygiene; hand washing, eating, toileting (including diapering) and other basic personal care needs
• Assist in monitoring the safety of students in various educational settings, including assisting in basic emergency procedures
• Assist teacher in the implementation of students’ Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), emergency health care plans, and classroom/individual behavioral plans
• Assist in the physical material preparation, instructional delivery accommodation, instructional modification, and implementation of lesson plans/instructional materials as directed by the teacher
• Assist students in using computer applications and related assistive technology
• Assist in monitoring of students’ behavior, skills, and abilities, using basic note taking and data entry
• Communicate student progress to teachers and designated service providers through logs and other data collection methods
• Complete reports and records, such as accident and incident reports as needed
• Perform routine sanitation duties to ensure a clean environment by cleaning dishes, tables, toys, therapy equipment, and other commonly used materials
• Assist with cleaning personal equipment, such as glasses, hearing aids, orthopedic devices, etc.
• Attend trainings, workshops, and staff development meetings as required
• Perform related duties as assigned

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

KNOWLEDGE:

• Oral and written communication skills; correct English usage, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and grammar
• Basic instructional techniques and methods
• Basic principles and practices of child development and child guidance
• Basic child development as it relates to students with significant disabilities
• State standards specific to grade level(s) assigned
• Pertinent Federal, State and local laws, codes and regulations
• Basic mathematics
• Basic computer application practices (e.g., data entry)
• Basic assistive technology
• Health-related Standard Precautions
• Basic health and safety regulations (including First Aid and CPR procedures)
• Basic emergency procedures as they relate to obtaining professional medical and safety assistance 
• Personal hygiene practices 
• General needs, behavior, physical limitations, special needs and emotional problems of students who may require personal or health care 
• Basic behavior management techniques 
• Methods and techniques of lifting and moving children with physical limitations 
• Health and safety and basic first aid techniques, including CPR 
• Child guidance principles and practices as they relate to children with physical limitations 
• Safe practices in school and playground settings 

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Cultural Proficiency – Modeling communications and interactions that respect and include all individuals and their languages, abilities, religions and cultures
• Customer Focus – Attending to the needs and expectation of customers
• General Physical Ability – Using strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination
• Handling Conflict – Managing interpersonally strained situations
• Mathematical Facility – Performing computations and solving mathematical problems
• Oral Communication – Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Professional & Technical Expertise – Applying technical subject matter to the job
• Reading Comprehension – Understanding and using written information
• Self-Management – Showing personal organization, self-discipline, and dependability
• Teamwork – Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals
• Writing – Communicating effectively in writing

SUPERVISION:

General supervision is received from a certificated site administrator. No supervision is exercised.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

ENVIRONMENT: 

May require sitting, stooping, crouching, standing, bending, climbing, squatting, kneeling, crawling, pulling, pushing, and walking to work with assigned students. Must have hand and finger dexterity to operate office equipment, learning aid, and instructional materials.  May lift or move a student weighing up to fifty (50) pounds alone.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Other physical demands include running, reacting, and moving quickly; safely cleaning up body fluids and the ability to apply Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) restraint techniques.

HAZARDS:

Exposure to contact with blood and other bodily fluids.  May be required to work with harsh and toxic substances, such as bleach.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS:To be considered for an employment opportunity with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, it is necessary for you to complete an official District Application and Supplemental Questions. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. The application is part of the examination process and is part of your total evaluation of qualifications for employment.THE EXAMINATION PROCESS:For those candidates who meet the minimum qualifications, the examination process will consist of any one or more of the following: Training and Experience Evaluation, Written Test, Performance Test, and/or Structured Interview. Additional information pertaining to the examination process will be emailed to those candidates who meet the minimum qualifications.EXAMINATION PROTESTS:Protest of any part of the examination process must be in writing and received in the office of the Director of Classified Personnel no later than five (5) working days from the date you were notified of examination results. All notifications are sent electronically via email.  Any protest must include rationale to support the protest and must be based on illegal discrimination, abuse of discretion, or procedure/process error.  We are not responsible for any incoming mail that is lost or misdirected after it has been entrusted to the US Postal Service.ACCOMMODATION FOR DISABLED:If you have a disability that may require an accommodation in any of these examination procedures, please notify the Personnel Commission in writing at the time you submit your application.ESTABLISHMENT OF ELIGIBILITY LIST:This examination process shall be open to all qualified applicants and shall result in one integrated eligibility list. All eligibility lists shall be established in accordance with Personnel Commission rules and shall be established for a period one (1) year, unless otherwise noted, or until there are fewer than three (3) ranks of eligible candidates who are available.  Candidates are placed on the eligibility list in rank order according to their final examination score.  Final examination scores will not change, but ranking may change as other candidates are added or removed from the list.ADVANCED STEP PLACEMENT:Generally, new employees start at the first step on the appointed salary schedule. When filling a permanent vacancy, a new employee may request a higher salary placement based on having training and experience that greatly exceeds the minimum qualifications. An employee may submit a formal request for advanced step consideration on or after the first day of employment. Education transcripts, training certificates, and additional references may be requested for verification purposes.HOW YOU WILL HEAR FROM US: All correspondence and notifications regarding this recruitment will be sent to the email address you provide. It is your responsibility to review, follow instructions, and respond to information in a timely manner; as if it was a function of your job.The provisions of this announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract, and any provisions contained in this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice. 

CLASSIFICATION ESTABLISHED:

June, 1977

REVISED:

August, 1981

June 13, 1994

February 21, 2006

September 19, 2006

September 2, 2008

December 10, 2013

November 12, 2014

March 10, 2015

June 15, 2022

Salary : $19 - $24