3rd - 4th Grade Alternative Education Teaching Assistant

Decatur-Public-Schools; Decatur (IL); On-site; USD 22,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Decatur Public Schools District #61 is seeking a 3rd-4th Grade Teaching Assistant to support classroom instruction and student activities. The TA will work under the supervision of the classroom teacher to help with daily academics, grading, and individualized student support.

The role emphasizes maintaining a safe learning environment, assisting with materials, tracking student progress, and reporting any safety concerns to the building administrator. ASAP availability is desired.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 60 semester hours of college credit.
• Hold or be eligible for teacher assistant certificate.

Responsibilities

• Assist students in daily academics as instructed by teachers.
• Assist in grading work and assign students individual academic tasks.
• Alert the teacher to special needs of individual students.
• Provide escorts and assistance to students.
• Maintain individual records for each student.
• Distribute and collect workbooks, papers and materials for instruction.
• Adapt instruction as needed to meet individual student needs.
• Supervise and regulate student behavior to maintain safety.
• Report unsafe conditions to the principal promptly.
• Report accidents or injuries to the principal.

Education

60 semester hours of college credit

Teacher assistant certificate eligibility

Job description

Frontline Applicant Tracking - Decatur Public Schools District #61

3rd - 4th Grade Alternative Education Teaching Assistant JobID: 10356

• Position Type: Teaching Assistant
• Date Posted: 10/7/2026
• Date Available: ASAP

500.052A

TITLE: Teacher Assistant

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of 60 semester hours of college credit.
• Hold or be eligible for teacher assistant certificate.

REPORTS TO: Building Administrator

JOB GOAL: To assist the teacher in maintaining appropriate classroom activities and environment in order that students may learn effectively.

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist all students in their assigned daily academics as instructed by teachers.
• Assist in grading work and assigning students individual academic work.
• Alerts the teacher to special needs of individual students.
• Provides escorts and assistance to students as necessary.
• Helps maintain individual records for each student.
• Distributes and collects workbooks, papers, and other materials for instruction.
• Changes will be implemented as needed to meet the individual needs of students.
• Is responsible for student safety education and accident prevention.
• Reports all unsafe conditions to the school principal promptly.
• Reports all accidents or injuries to the principal as soon as possible.
• Supervises and intervenes to regulate student behavior so as to alleviate the risk that inappropriate behaviors will place students or staff at risk of harm.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: Wages, hours, terms, and conditions of employment pursuant to negotiated agreement.

EVALUATION: Performance in the position will be evaluated once every two years in accordance with District's plan for evaluation.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Handle work which deals mostly with people, objects, equipment in a general setting; depth perception and field of vision are important. Employee regularly is required to bend, stoop, twist, turn, reach, lift (up to 50 pounds), carry, pull, push, climb, and kneel; walking and standing approximately 50-75% of each shift. Employee must recognize differences in sound, such as voices/noises that are loud and playful instead of angry and combative; ability to differentiate tones and volumes in conversation.

MENTAL DEMANDS: The Teaching Assistant must ensure that children are supervised at all times, and that children are involved in safe and appropriate activities. There may be a number of situations happening at once, and the Teaching Assistant must be prepared to handle accidents and emergencies at any time.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The Teaching Assistant will be working in a busy and occasionally noisy environment. There may be a number of activities and situations happening at once, and the Teacher will have to supervise all students at all times. This position falls under the Decatur Federation of Teaching Assistants - July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2025. The Salary Schedule is attached above. Benefit information can be found HERE.