Forest Park | 5.75hr Mild Mental Disability Special Education Assistant

Forest Park Elementary; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 21,000 - 26,000; Part time

Job summary

Forest Park Elementary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, part-time position as Mild Mental Disability Special Education Assistant, supports students with special needs within the classroom and during school activities.

Responsibilities include providing one-to-one support, helping access instruction, documenting progress, and implementing behavioral and communication supports per IEPs. Requires a high school diploma or GED and strong communication skills; experience with special needs preferred.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; experience with students with special needs preferred.
• Flexible to meet changing student needs; able to relate to students, staff and parents.
• Strong office, computer, and oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of child guidance principles and basic instructional methods.
• Willingness to supervise students in community settings and participate in training.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-to-one or continuous support to the assigned student throughout the school day and activities.
• Assist the student in accessing instruction and school routines within the general education environment as appropriate.
• Modify or adapt materials and activities as directed by licensed staff.
• Reinforce academic concepts and skills previously taught by teachers.
• Provide prompts, cues, modeling, redirection, and reinforcement per the educational plan.
• Support functional communication across classroom, social, and school environments.
• Assist with augmentative/alternative communication systems and visual supports when applicable.
• Promote social interaction, turn-taking, and self-advocacy per the educational team.
• Implement behavioral supports and routines as directed by IEP/BIP.
• Monitor student safety; report concerns per district procedures and applicable law.
• Assist with personal care activities as required by IEP and student needs.
• Maintain privacy and dignity; follow health and sanitation procedures.
• Assist with transitions and movement through school settings; support during emergencies.

Skills

Communication skills

Computer skills

Oral and written communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Forest Park | 5.75hr Mild Mental Disability Special Education Assistant

Fort Wayne Community Schools Forest Park Elementary - Fort Wayne, Indiana Open in Google Maps

This job is also posted in Fort Wayne Community Schools

Job Details

Job ID: 5973095
Application Deadline: Posted until filled
Posted: Oct 27, 2026 4:00 AM (UTC)

Starting Date: To Be Determined

Job Description

PURPOSE

Assist teachers with a variety of instructional, clerical, student management, and daily life activities for special education students in special education or general classrooms.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Candidate must have a high school diploma or GED. Prefer candidate who has previous experience working with students with special needs.

• Must be flexible to meet the changing needs of students and have strong tutorial skills. Must be able to relate well with students, staff and parents.

• C andidate must have a strong desire to see young people be successful.

• Must have a positive attitude and be able to complete tasks independently.

• Must have strong office, computer, and oral and written communication skills.

• Incumbents must possess knowledge of child guidance principles and practices, and basic instructional methods and techniques.

• Must be willing to supervise students in community settings.

• Must participate in training provided by the Special Education Department.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provide continuous or designated one-to-one support to the assigned student throughout the school day and during school-sponsored activities, as directed by the student's IEP and educational team.

• Assist the student in accessing instruction, classroom activities, school routines, and the general education environment to the greatest extent appropriate.

• Modify or adapt materials and activities as directed by licensed instructional staff.

• Reinforce academic concepts and skills previously introduced by the classroom or special education teacher.

• Provide prompts, cues, modeling, redirection, and reinforcement consistent with the student's educational plan.

• Support the student's functional communication across classroom, social, and school environments.

• Assist the student with use of augmentative or alternative communication systems, visual schedules, communication devices, picture systems, or other communication supports when applicable.

• Reinforce appropriate social interaction, peer engagement, turn-taking, self-advocacy, and other social skills identified by the educational team.

• Encourage developmentally appropriate communication and interaction while maintaining the student's dignity and respecting individual communication preferences.

• Implement behavioral strategies, positive behavioral supports , reinforcement systems, sensory supports , visual supports , and structured routines as directed by the student's IEP, BIP, or educational team.

• Recognize signs that the student may be becoming overwhelmed, frustrated, anxious, dysregulated, or otherwise in need of additional support and respond according to established plans and training.

• Assist the student in using taught coping, self-regulation, sensory, and de-escalation strategies.

• Respond appropriately to challenging behaviors while maintaining a calm, professional, and supportive approach.

• Avoid the use of punishment, humiliation, unnecessary confrontation, or behavioral practices not authorized by the student's educational plan or district procedures.

• Provide the minimum level of assistance necessary for the student to participate successfully and safely.

• Systematically reduce or fade prompts and adult assistance when appropriate and as directed by the educational team.

• Encourage the student to make choices, communicate needs, solve problems, participate with peers, and perform tasks independently whenever possible.

• Maintain appropriate supervision of the assigned student throughout the school day and during transitions, arrival, dismissal, meals, recess, transportation, community-based activities, and other assigned settings.

• Closely monitor the student's safety when the student's disability may affect awareness of hazards, impulse control, elopement, communication of needs, or other safety-related skills.

• Follow established procedures for students who wander, elope, engage in unsafe behavior, or require enhanced supervision.

• Immediately report safety concerns, injuries, suspected abuse or neglect, bullying, threats of self-harm, or other concerns in accordance with district procedures and applicable law.

• Assist the student, when required by the IEP or individual needs, with activities such as eating, dressing, toileting, hygiene, mobility, positioning, and other personal care activities.

• Maintain the student's privacy and dignity while providing personal assistance.

• Follow applicable health, sanitation, infection-control, universal precautions, and student care procedures.

• Assist the student in safely navigating classrooms, hallways, stairs, playgrounds, buses, cafeterias, and other school environments.

• Assist with transfers, positioning, adaptive equipment, mobility devices, or other physical supports when required and when appropriately trained.

• Participate in student evacuation and emergency procedures as required.

• Perform physical assistance associated with the student's documented needs, consistent with district training and established procedures.

• Accurately collect academic, behavioral, communication, social, attendance, functional, or other student data as directed by licensed staff.

• Document observations objectively and accurately without making independent diagnoses or clinical conclusions.

• Provide relevant information to teachers and other members of the educational team regarding student progress, behavior, needs, and response to interventions.

• Maintain required records and documentation in accordance with district procedures.

• Become familiar with those portions of the student's IEP, BIP, safety plan, health plan, or other educational plans necessary to perform assigned duties.

• Implement accommodations, modifications, supports, and services as directed by licensed staff.

• Follow the instructional and behavioral direction of the student's teacher, special education teacher, case manager, and other authorized professionals.

• Communicate concerns regarding the student's program or progress to appropriate licensed staff rather than independently changing established interventions.

• Prepare and assist the student with transitions between classrooms, activities, staff members, transportation, lunch, recess, specials, assemblies, field trips, and other school settings.

• Use visual schedules, advance notice, timers, social narratives, first/then strategies, or other supports identified by the educational team.

• Provide additional structure and support during changes in routines, substitute-teacher days, special events , drills, and other situations that may be challenging for the student.

• Follow the student's established crisis, behavior, and safety plans.

• Use district-approved de-escalation strategies and maintain student and staff safety during behavioral incidents.

• Implement physical intervention, restraint, or seclusion only when permitted by law and district policy, when circumstances legally warrant such intervention, and when the employee has received required training.

• Promptly report and document behavioral and safety incidents according to district procedures.

• Work cooperatively with special education teachers, general education teachers, administrators, therapists, psychologists, behavior specialists, nurses, transportation personnel, and other members of the student's educational team.

• Maintain proper professional boundaries.

• Protect confidential student information in accordance with FERPA, district policy, and other applicable requirements.

• Participate in training and maintain required skills.

• Support the FWCS Schools of Success mission to empower all students to reach their potential through equitable and relevant community-connected experiences to ensure students achieve at least one of the 4E’s - (Enrollment, Employment, Enlistment, or Entrepreneurship).

• Positively promote and embody the FWCS Schools of Success six core competencies in our daily work: Creativity and Innovation, Critical and Analytical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Cultural Agility, and Self-Direction.

• Perform related duties, as assigned.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

To perform the essential functions of this job effectively and safely, employees must meet the following physical qualifications:

• Communication Skills: Ability to speak clearly and hear effectively in various environments.

• Manual Dexterity: Adeptness in the use of hands and fingers.

• Postural Endurance: Sit or stand for prolonged periods, as the job requires.

• Flexibility: Ability to bend at the waist, kneel, or crouch to perform specific duties.

• Visual Acuity: Close vision ability with the capacity to adjust focus.

• Mobility: Freedom to sit or walk at will throughout the work environment.

• Strength and Stamina: Capability to lift, carry, push, or pull up to twenty (25) pounds or more.

FWCS will reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Position Type: Part-Time

Salary: $15.51 to $18.64 Per Hour

Job Categories:
Special Education > Special Education Assistant

Job Requirements

• Citizenship, residency or work visa required