Special Education Paraprofessional - KIPP Texas Public Schools

KIPP Texas Public Schools is a network of 59 public charter, open-enrollment, pre-k-12 schools educating nearly 34,000 students across Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Together with families and communities, our mission is to create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose —college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

Founded in Houston in 1994, and operating as KIPP Texas since 2018, our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism in our classrooms, in our offices, and in the communities we serve is unwavering. We are looking to hire a diverse team of dynamic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals with an unyielding belief that every child will succeed. Join our Team and Family and champion equity, chase excellence, persist with purpose, bring joy, and help us rise together.

KIPP Texas is part of the national KIPP network of 255 college-preparatory public charter schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Nationwide, KIPP students complete four-year college at a rate of 36 percent, comparable to the national average for all students and approximately three times higher than the average of students from low-income communities.

Every member of the Team & Family at KIPP Texas Public Schools plays a critical role in ensuring our students have the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose - college, career and beyond. Our educators are passionate advocates for their students and their families, working tirelessly to ensure that our students have access to opportunity. In our classrooms and across the KIPP family we embrace, honor and celebrate our differences across several characteristics that construct our unique identities in our little and big KIPPsters. We are especially committed to attracting and developing individuals who share the life experiences of our students because we believe the best work we do is grounded in the realities and experiences of our families and KIPPsters. As a KIPP Texas Public Schools Special Education Instructional Aide, your core responsibilities include:

• Work with students in instructional and classroom activities at the direction of the special education and/or general education teacher

• Assist with direct academic, functional and/or specifically designed instructional or physical activities

• Tutor individual students and help them prepare assignments or explain material they do not understand

• Supervise and accompany special education students to the office, bus, classroom, cafeteria, etc.

• Communicate regularly with classroom teacher and parents regarding student’s needs and progress

• Some positions may require the employee to be able to stay with excessively disruptive or aggressive students during which time the employee may need to restrain, hold, lift, apply physical management techniques, and crisis intervention techniques for the student

• Provide clerical support to teachers which may include, but is not limited to, creating photocopies, preparing materials, etc.

• Perform other duties as assigned

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), that LEAs continue to ensure that instructional aides performing instructional duties on a Title I, Part A School-wide served campus, or those that have at least part of their salary paid for by Title I, Part A on a Targeted Assistance campus, meet the Instructional Aides Highly Qualified requirements.

Highly Qualified Instructional Aide must have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and meet one of the following requirements:

1. Complete at least two years of study at an institution of higher education (defined as completion of 48 semester hours or equivalent trimester hours) of college coursework or an applicable number of semester hours as defined by the institution of higher education attended, whichever is less;

2. Possess an associate’s (or higher) degree; or

3. Meet a rigorous standard of quality and can demonstrate, through a formal state or local academic assessment–

·   Knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing reading, writing, and mathematics; or

·   Knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness, as appropriate. 

The instructional aide must also meet the state’s paraprofessional certification exam and requirements.  Instructional Aides whose duties consist solely of parent and family engagement activities or translation services are exempt from the qualification requirement.

• Satisfactory outcome of a background check. Employees are responsible for a non-refundable fingerprinting fee (approximately $50.00).

Additional Qualifications:

• Prior experience working in inclusion, life skills and/or behavioral support setting (preferred)

• Experience working with students or parents as approved by the employing superintendent

• Physical and emotional endurance to deal with challenging students; maintain emotional control under stress

• Ability to work with students with physical, emotional, and/or intellectual disabilities

• Ability to engage in restraints such as hug containment, elbow to hip containment, and two-person containment with middle school students on a regular basis

• Ability to lift and position students with physical disabilities or assist students with personal hygiene routines such as toileting, hand washing, feeding, etc.

• Knowledge of classroom management and child development techniques and principles

• Knowledge of all applicable federal, state, and local laws, guidelines, and procedures

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus

Competencies:

• Unwavering commitment to KIPP Texas mission, students, families, and community

• Strong record of helping students achieve academic success, primarily with students living in educationally underserved communities

• Strong desire to teach an academically intense curriculum and commit to an extended school day, week, and year

• Desire to continuously learn and increase effectiveness as a teacher and professional; offer and receive constructive feedback

• Willingness to be flexible and to go above and beyond to meet the needs of KIPP Texas students

Compensation and Benefits

As a full-time KIPP Texas employee you are eligible to participate in all KIPP Texas’ benefit plans. KIPP Texas offers a robust variety of benefits choices with competitive rates, including medical, dental, and vision options, life insurance, and disability plans.

KIPP provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or disability.