Paraprofessional, Special Education (Sped) - Moderate Needs

Mesa County Valley School District 51; Orchard Mesa (CO); On-site; USD 27,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Mesa County Valley School District 51 is seeking a Paraprofessional for Special Education to support students with moderate needs under licensed staff direction. The role includes implementing IEP goals, assisting with instruction, and collecting data to monitor progress.

The position may involve personal care, health-related tasks with nurse oversight, and collaboration with teachers and related service providers to maintain a structured learning environment.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate degree or 48 college hours or WorkKeys score required for Title I schools.
• Experience with children in educational or care settings preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills required for bilingual programs.

Responsibilities

• Support teacher-directed instruction in individual, small-group, and classroom settings.
• Assist with implementing IEP goals, accommodations, and modifications under licensed staff.
• Prepare and adapt instructional materials and visuals under direction.
• Collect data on IEP goals and behavior plans for progress monitoring.
• Support positive behavior strategies and SEL instruction.
• Assist with personal care, mobility, and health-related tasks per nurse direction.
• Collaborate with teachers and service providers to meet student needs.
• Attend trainings and team meetings; perform other duties as needed.

Skills

Instructional support

Data collection

Behavior monitoring

Personal care support

Collaborative/teamwork

Adaptability

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate's degree / 48 college hours / WorkKeys (Title I)

Bilingual English/Spanish (when assigned bilingual program)

Job description

Paraprofessional, Special Education (Sped) - Moderate Needs JobID: 12868

• Date Posted: 10/30/2026
• Closing Date: 11/5/2026

Pay Program: Support Staff Non-Exempt

Pay Range: Range 8 ($19.68 - $21.96)

Reports to: Building Leader/Special Education Coordinator

Summary

Operating under the direction of the Building Leader and licensed special education staff, this position provides instructional, behavioral, and personal-care support to students with moderate needs. This position assists with the implementation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), supports academic and social-emotional skill development, reinforces positive behavior strategies, and helps maintain a structured and supportive learning environment. This position also assists with data collection, personal care needs, delegated health services (as appropriate), and safety procedures across school settings. This position may involve working with individual students or small groups and requires strong communication, teamwork, and adaptability to meet diverse student needs.

Job Tasks Descriptions

Instructional Support

• Support teacher-directed instruction in individual, small-group, and classroom settings.
• Assist in implementing IEP goals, accommodations, and modifications under the direction of licensed staff.
• Prepare, adapt, and organize instructional materials, schedules, visuals, and multi-sensory supports as directed.
• Reinforce academic skills through guided practice, prompting, cueing, and modeling.
• Support assistive technology, communication tools, and other adaptive materials after training.

Data Collection and Documentation

• Collect data on student IEP goals, general education goals, behavior plans, and interventions.
• Review collected data with special education staff to support progress monitoring.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential records.

Behavior Monitoring and Support

• Support implementation of positive behavior intervention plans and classroom routines.
• Reinforce social-emotional learning strategies and teach replacement behaviors as directed.
• Assist with de-escalation, redirection, and problem-solving strategies using district-approved practices.
• Maintain a calm, supportive presence when students experience frustration or behavioral challenges.

Personal Care and Hygiene Support

• Assist students with personal care needs such as toileting/diapering, hygiene, feeding, dressing, or medication support under direction or delegation by a School Nurse (RN).
• Support mobility needs including walking, wheelchairs, lifts, positioning, or transferring as trained.
• Follow student health and safety plans developed by district nursing and therapy staff.
• Maintain a clean, sanitary environment and follow infection-control procedures.

Delegated Nursing Support

• Assist with delegated healthcare tasks as permitted by district policy and training.
• Provide support with medication administration, G-tube feeding, seizure response, catheterization, or other delegated tasks as assigned.
• Follow direction of licensed nursing staff and maintain accurate documentation.

Student Supervision and Safety

• Supervise students during transitions, recess, lunch, arrival/dismissal, hallways, and field trips.
• Ensure student safety and monitor for risk during all activities.
• Provide support on transportation (including riding buses) when assigned, with schedule adjustments as needed.

Team Collaboration and Development

• Participate in team meetings, planning sessions, and problem-solving meetings.
• Attend building-level training, professional development, and assigned workshops.
• Collaborate with teachers, specialists, and related service providers to support student needs.

Other Duties

• Additional tasks, duties, and responsibilities may be assigned as needed/requested.

Education and Experience

Acceptable demonstration of acceptable education and/or experience will be at the sole discretion of the District.

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Associate's degree, completion of at least 48 semester hours of college coursework, or a passing score on the WorkKeys assessment (or other approved assessment) required for Title I schools
• Experience working with children or students in educational or childcare settings preferred
• Prior school district experience preferred
• Experience supporting students with disabilities or diverse learning needs preferred
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) language skills required when assigned to a bilingual program

Licenses, Registrations or Certifications

• Criminal background check required for hire
• Must be able to lift 35 pounds. Lift test required at time of hire
• Quality Behavioral Solutions certification (QBS) must be obtained within 60 days of hire
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) certification required within 60 days of hire
• Ability to obtain and maintain required district trainings (e.g., restraint training, first aid/CPR if assigned)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to follow teacher-directed instruction and implement accommodations and interventions.
• Skill in using prompting, cueing, modeling, and adaptive supports to reinforce student learning.
• Understanding of assistive or adaptive technology (training provided).
• Ability to remain calm when faced with challenging student behavior, including physically or verbally aggressive behavior
• Ability to support behavior intervention plans, routines, and SEL instruction.
• Ability to build supportive, respectful relationships with students and maintain appropriate boundaries.
• Ability to adapt to changing needs, manage frequent interruptions, and maintain focus in a busy school environment.
• Ability to supervise students safely in a variety of settings and respond appropriately in crisis or emergency situations.
• Ability to follow district safety procedures and report concerns promptly.
• Ability to be adaptable and flexible with collaborative critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities
• Ability to assist students with toileting, feeding, hygiene, mobility, or positioning following training.
• Ability to follow health plans and safety protocols with accuracy.
• Understanding of infection-control and sanitation procedures.
• Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills
• Strong customer service skills, with the ability to provide support in a professional and approachable manner
• Commitment to handling sensitive and confidential information with the highest ethical standards
• Strong interpersonal skills to collaborate with staff and various stakeholders
• Ability to lead, communicate, interact and work effectively and cooperatively with people from diverse ethnic and educational backgrounds
• Ability to follow applicable federal, state, local laws and Board of Education policies, in addition to building and department procedures
• Ability to recognize the importance of safety in the workplace, follow safety rules, practice safe work habits, utilize appropriate safety equipment and report unsafe conditions to the appropriate administrator
• Basic operating knowledge of computers, district-approved devices, and common educational technology tools.
• Ability to use email, word processing, spreadsheets, and other standard office software.
• Ability to operate typical office equipment such as copiers, printers, and telephones.