.875 FTE Special Education Assistant

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District; United States; On-site; USD 25,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District is seeking a Special Education Assistant at Palmer High School. The role supports students with IEPs, assists instructors, and helps maintain daily classroom operations in a structured setting.

Starting wage is $19.77 per hour, with a .875 FTE schedule (7:15am-2:45pm). Duties include data entry for IEPs, materials prep, and coordinating with parents and staff as needed.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of IEP processes and paraprofessional requirements.
• Ability to assist in planning and implementing student IEPs.
• Experience providing attendant care in an ED/BD environment preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist Special Education instructors with planning IEPs and teaching in small groups.
• Provide student care during the day, monitor safety and behavior.
• Enter IEP data and print student files according to procedures.
• Prepare materials, grade projects, and maintain attendance records.
• Coordinate parent conferences and attend meetings as needed.
• Assist with testing procedures and screening as required.
• Perform other administrative duties as assigned.

Skills

IEP support

Classroom assistance

Student care

Record keeping

Education

High school diploma or GED

Two years of college

Associate's degree

Para Pro Assessment & paraprofessional standards

Job description

• Position Type: Classified Positions/ Special Education Assistant
• Date Posted: 9/25/2026
• Location: Palmer High School
• Closing Date: Open until Filled

Position: Special Education Assistant

Position FTE: .875

Pay Grade: 7

Starting Wage: $19.77

Days Per Year: 202

Shift hours: 7:15am-2:45pm

Class Summary: Under supervision performs a variety of teaching support functions in an emotionally disturbed/behaviorally disordered or self-contained environment. Assists Special Education instructors in planning and implementing student Individualized Education Plans (IEP's), provides teaching assistance to individual students and/or small groups, and provides requisite student care as necessary to ensure the effective delivery of student learning activities.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Duty No. Essential Duties Frequency Band/Grade

• 1 Enters student Individualized Education Plans (IEP's) into a computer system and prints student data files/ information according to established procedures. Daily A1
• 2 Prepares and returns materials for classroom use and related activities. Locates necessary supplies (e.g. books, movie projectors and VCRs), reproduces class notes and/or handouts, prepares bulletin boards and craft projects and cleans/organizes classroom upon completion of daily activities. Daily A1
• 3 Provides attendant care for moderately and severely handicapped and/or emotionally disturbed/behaviorally disruptive students throughout the course of the school day. May assist students off/on buses; monitor student activities and safety during class, recess, lunch breaks and field trips; and assist with feeding, dressing and toileting needs. Daily A1
• 4 Professional staff by typing, filing, duplicating and organizing materials for distribution; grades student projects/exams using specified criteria; maintaining attendance records; and assisting instructors and/or professional staff with screening and testing procedures for students referred for Special Education. Daily A1
• 5 Assists Special Education instructors in planning and implementing student Individualized Education Plans (IEP's). Provides teaching assistance to individuals and/or small groups in a variety of educational areas; monitors student performance; and provides information. Daily A1/ B2
• 6 Assists Special Education instructors in scheduling parent conferences, Individualized Education Plan meetings with professional staff and student visits to school nurse. As Needed A1
• 7 May be required to provide other administrative assistance (e.g. proctoring student detentions, picking-up student prescriptions and transporting/accompanying students to therapy sessions/jobs. As Needed A1
• 8 May be directed by Supervising teacher to make phone contacts concerning meetings, however, all programmatic communication flows between teacher and parents. Daily A1
• 9 Other duties as assigned. As Needed

Knowledge: Applicants must be Highly Qualified prior to the end of the probationary period. *Highly Qualified means you have met the paraprofessional requirements as defined by No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The NCLB minimum requirements for paraprofessionals are defined in NCLB Sections 1119(f) and 1119(c)(1) as: High school diploma or GED, AND

• Two years of college (at least 48-semester hour credits);
• Associate's (or higher) degree;
• Pass the Para Pro Assessment and the Paraprofessional Standards Checklist.

Skills (position requirements at entry):

Training and Experience (position requirements at entry): Previous education, training, work or life experience which provides reasonable evidence of the successful performance of the various tasks listed. Such experience may be evidenced by six (6) months of providing attendant care within an emotionally disturbed/behaviorally disordered and/or self-contained environment.

Licensing Requirements (position requirements at entry): A valid Alaska Driver's License.

Physical Requirements: The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee is frequently required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl to assist students. The employee continuously uses hand-strength to grasp items such as classroom supplies, feeding instruments, or testing material. The employee will occasionally lift, carry, push and/or pull to 40 lbs, such as a wheelchair, student, or other assistive devices. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

Medium Work:

• Lifting/carrying a maximum weight of 40 pounds (lbs.) occasionally (less than 33% of the time, or 1-100 times per day to move objects
• Pushing a maximum force of 40 ft./lbs. to move objects
• Pulling a maximum force of 40 ft./lbs. to move objects