Special Education Assistant - SEA Cadre (2026-2027)

Minneapolis Public Schools; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 34,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

HSA & FSA

Retirement plan

Job summary

Minneapolis Public Schools seeks a Special Education Assistant to join the CADRE team. The role supports students with disabilities across sites and assists staff to implement individualized lessons, with duties including behavior support and daily care.

Ideal candidates have required credits or a diploma, two years of related experience, and may possess bilingual abilities. Positions offer full benefits and require reliable transportation across district sites.

Qualifications

• Sixty (60) semester or Ninety (90) quarter college credits.
• High school diploma/GED and a passing score of at least 460 on the ParaPro Assessment.
• Two (2) years of experience working with children or young adults. Additional education or training may substitute for experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide support services to children with moderate to severe disabilities and assist staff to facilitate educational functions.
• Work with students to improve personal skills and reinforce classroom learning.
• Assist students through reinforcement of positive behavior, individual instruction, socialization, and communication.
• Monitor student activities and document behavior for IEP/SAIL/FBA.
• Assist with daily routines including medications, meals, buses, and class transitions.
• Serve as a reserve/substitute SEA and travel between sites; transportation is required.

Skills

Two years of experience with children

Ability to secure transportation

Bilingual (preferred)

Education

60 semester credits

High school diploma/GED

Associate's degree in Child Development (preferred)

ParaPro Assessment passing score 460

Job description

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Job Title: Special Education Assistant - SEA Cadre (2026-2027) and Requisition ID number:104206

Close Date: No established closing date; open until filled

Organizational Unit: W Harry Davis (10000253)

Site: Davis Center (0001)

FTE:78.78 FTE - 31.5 hrs/week (41 weeks); this is based on full-time equivalency with 1.0 being full time

Union:ESP(28)

Salary Range: $26.37 - $29.85

Benefits: Dental insurance | Health insurance | Vision insurance | Paid time off | HSA & FSA | Retirement plan

Resume and Cover Letter are mandatory to apply for any position.

SUMMARY

Under general supervision, Special Education Assistants (SEA) providea variety of services to assist students with special needs in a learning environment; assistMinneapolis Public School (MPS) staff to develop and implement appropriate individualizedlessons and activities for students with disabilities; and helpstudents to meet their therapy and education goals.CADRE team members have a unique opportunity toprovide city-wide assistance to special needs students,ranging from Birth to 21 years of age, at schools throughout the entireDistrict. SEAs on the CADRE team specfically support the sick days and paid leaves for over 750MPS Special Education Assistants. While CADRE positions can belikened tobeing 'substitute SEAs', CADRE team members are pemanent employees who work daily and are fully eligble for benefits!

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Principal responsibilities of SEAs include:

• Providingsupport services to children with moderate to severe disabilities and assisting MPS staff to facilitate educational functions and other services that maintaina safe and productive learning environment, sensitive to the needs and legal rights of special education students.
• Working with students to improve personal skills and reinforcingclassroom learning.
• Assisting students in learning processes through reinforcement of positive behavior, individual instruction, socialization, and good communications.
• Monitoring student activities, promotingrespect, explaining social norms and disciplinary consequences, and de-escalatingpersonal confrontations.
• Maintaining behavior documentation, written observations and anecdotal information files for Support and Advocacy for Independent Living Program (SAIL), Individualized Education Program (IEP), and Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA).
• Monitoring work, correcting papers, and transitioning students for medications, meals, buses, and classes.
• Attending to and providingfor students' daily hygiene, personal and health related cares, as directed by licensed staff. Assisting students in community, recreational, school, and vocational training. Providingassistance to students in classrooms and after-school programs.
• Servingas a reserve/substitute Special Education Assistant. Employees in this unique group will be assigned on an emergency basis to support schools/programs in high need situations across disability areas. Personal transportation is required as position may move from site to site.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

Successful applicants will meet the criteria listed in the three (3) bullet points below:

• Sixty (60) semester or Ninety (90) quarter college credits.

OR

• A high school diploma/GED and apassing score of at least 460on the ParaPro Assessessment. (For more information on the ParaPro Assessment, contact Educational Testing Service at 1-800-772-9476 or www.ets.org/parapro.)
• Two (2) years of experience working with children or young adults. Additional education or training may substitute for experience, at the discretion of Human Resources. Related experience may also be considered, at the discretion of Human Resources.
• Ability to secure personal transportation for travel.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate's degree or higher in Child Development or a related field.
• Experience in working with individuals with disabilities.
• Bilingual in Somali, Spanish, or Hmong.

ADDITIONAL LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

First Aid/CPR/AED, Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) training, and Special Education Orientation is required within one year.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

A job in this category may require walking or standing to a significant degree, and working with special needs children. Must be able to frequently lift up to 50 pounds.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY:

Diversity is one of Minneapolis Public Schools core values and is essential to our goal of putting children first and making them college-ready. Diversity of our workforce provides us with a competitive advantage and allows us to better understand, communicate with and educate our diverse student body. Minneapolis Public Schools will not deny anyone the opportunity for training or employment because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender or gender identity, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, sexual orientation, age, family care leave status, or veteran status.

Minneapolis Public Schools strongly encourages diverse candidates to apply.