LTS Educational Support Professional (ESP-3) Anticipated Job ID 1353

Bedford Public Schools; West Bedford (MA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Bedford Public Schools is seeking an Educational Support Professional (ESP-3) Long Term Substitute to support students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in general education settings. The ESP will implement ABA-based strategies and collect data to monitor progress under supervision.

Responsibilities include small group instruction, de-escalation, and collaboration with teachers to align with IEP goals, PBIS principles, and behavior plans across multiple classrooms.

Qualifications

• Associates Degree preferred in psychology, education or related area.
• ESP is an Instructional Aide as defined in General Laws.
• Experience with ABA concepts and data collection is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Support classroom routines and reinforce behavioral programs in line with PBIS.
• Provide supervision and/or student support across school activities (recess, lunch, arrivals, dismissals, field trips).
• Deliver small group or individual instructional support aligned with IEP goals and behavior plans.
• Consult with teachers to align daily classes with targets and success criteria.
• Collect, record, and analyze data; report progress to staff.

Skills

Data collection

De-escalation

Collaboration

Observation & recording

Education

Associates Degree in Psychology, Education or related area

Tools

Google Sheets

Google Drive

Job description

LTS Educational Support Professional (ESP-3) Anticipated Job ID 1353 JobID: 1353

• Position Type: Education Support Professionals/ ESP-3
• Date Posted: 9/17/2026

Bedford Public Schools

Invites applications for the position of:

Educational Support Professional (ESP-3)

Long Term Substitute

Description:

A SAIL 2 ESP is responsible for providing direct support to students who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or related disorders in a general education classroom. The ESP will also be responsible for small group instruction in the general and/or special education classroom setting and implementing individualized academic and behavior programs. The ESP will provide instruction using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis including discrete trial task analysis and naturalistic teaching. The ESP will be trained to utilize de-escalation strategies and to take data on academic and behavioral support plans. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a certified Special Education Teacher supervises the ongoing training and support of all ESPs.

Responsibilities:

Support classroom routines and procedures; reinforce the principles of social interaction programs by modeling positive behavior, e.g., Responsive Classroom, RULER, PBIS and assist with providing behavioral support to students in accordance with school expectations.

Provide supervision and/or student support services in all environments of the school for activities including but not limited to recess, lunch, arrival, dismissal and field trips, as scheduled, and escorting students to designated areas throughout the building (activities, fire and crisis drills) with guidance from teaching/counseling/administrative staff.

Provide small group or individual instructional support with guidance from teaching/counseling staff aligned with student goals, benchmarks, individualized education plans, and/or related behavior plans.

Consult with teachers in preparation for daily classes to become familiar with the learning targets, success criteria, and other classroom expectations.

Support academic programs (reteaching, reinforcing, reviewing, assessing, scribing, note-taking, data collection); and behavioral programs (data collection, cueing, providing motor breaks, implement behavior plans).

Provide regular feedback to the teaching/counseling staff on the progress and challenges experienced by assigned students in addressing their goals.

Work in conjunction with the classroom teacher to support learning experiences in the classroom, focusing first on identified priority students and then for the broader group of students. The goal is to be actively engaged in the learning environment, providing support for learners.

Support implementation of behavior intervention plans and social skill facilitation across various school settings.

Support crisis intervention as needed in a culturally responsive manner, including verbal de-escalation/processing of events with students and staff and the application of physical intervention methods to reduce risk of injury to students or staff as assigned/trained.

Adapt to varying needs of students.

Perform other job-related tasks or duties at the discretion of administrators.

Monitor and maintain accurate data and records for progress monitoring of student plans such as IEP goals and individual support plans and share the information with teaching/counseling staff,

Must possess the ability to:

Integrate into the classroom setting when appropriate, working under the direction of administrative/teaching/counseling staff to support student engagement and learning.

Collect, record, and analyze data across multiple data points.

Record data collected into spreadsheets and provide graphs to visually display student progress with multiple data points using Google tools

Adapt and acquire new skills and knowledge and use them consistently to support student engagement with learning activities, behavior interventions, social interactions, and the school day.

Maintain flexibility in day-to-day priorities set to reflect changing student needs.

Work in multiple classrooms or environments during the school day.

Maintain the high level of confidentiality and professionalism expected of the teaching staff.

Anticipate and effectively address unforeseen events associated with working with large groups of children.

Maintain positive relations with students, parents, staff and the public.

Specialty Area:

Passion for working with children/students.

Knowledge of child growth and development.

Knowledge of basic learning strategies.

Knowledge of social emotional learning (SEL).

Knowledge of proper de-escalation strategies and restraint protocols.

Ability to work with diverse learning styles.

Ability to collaborate and participate as a member of a teaching team.

Physical and Environmental Demands:

The physical and environmental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Able to move with students from one school environment to another.

Physical agility and strength, with proper safety protocols.

Additional Information:

Associates Degree in Psychology, Education or related area preferred.

An ESP is considered to be an Instructional Aide as defined in General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 38.

Salary/Benefits:

In accordance with the Bedford Education Support Professional Contract. $28.18/hour to $34.64/hour; Annualized for 184 work days at 6.75 hours/day, $35,006 to $43,028. Benefits are outlined at Benefits | Bedford Public Schools (bedfordps.org).

Bedford Public Schools are committed to hiring, mentoring, and retaining a diverse staff. We are relentless in our efforts to bolster equity, in both academic and work spaces, by fostering a culture of belonging and ensuring our diverse employees and students have equitable access to the resources and opportunities needed to thrive — personally, professionally, and academically.

School Committee Approved: August 8, 2024