Special Education Teaching Assistant - YES Prep Fifth Ward Secondary (Immediate Opening)

YES Prep; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Paid leave programming

Professional development

Award-winning culture

Job summary

YES Prep in Houston seeks a Special Education Teaching Assistant to support teachers and students across instructional settings. This 10-month role includes supervising students, modeling positive behaviors, and tailoring lessons to individual needs.

You will maintain data, assist with lesson plans, and provide one-to-one support for students with significant needs, including medical ones, while ensuring safety and progress.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED is required.
• At least 30 semester hours of college or post-secondary education credit.
• Current Educational Aide certification, or willingness to obtain it from TEA.
• Interest in one-on-one work with a student with significant needs, including medical needs.
• Ability to physically assist students with self-help, mobility, academic, and behavioral skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist Special Education and General Education teachers with supervising students in all instructional settings.
• Support behavior management by modeling and reinforcing positive behaviors.
• Maintain data as identified by teachers, IEP goals, and Behavior Intervention Plans.
• Tailor lessons to meet individual student needs and support lesson planning.
• Provide one-to-one support and assist with self-help and academic skills.
• Administer and score tests and assignments as needed.
• Implement accommodations and/or modifications in classroom activities.
• Monitor students during transitions and provide personal care services as needed.

Skills

Student supervision

Behavior management

One-on-one support

Data maintenance

Team collaboration

Education

High School Diploma or GED

30 semester hours college credits

Educational Aide certification

Willingness to acquire TEA Educational Aide Certification

Job description

Description

At YES Prep, work for a mission that impacts the life trajectory of students and their families. YES Prep creates pathways to extraordinary opportunity through best-in-class development, competitive compensation and benefits, and recognition for your impact. Grow as an authentic leader and be part of a high-performing, team-oriented culture.

• 21,650 Students
• 2,600 Team Members
• 16 Secondary Campuses
• 12 Elementary Campuses
• 91% Students Who Qualify for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
• 96% Hispanic & African-American Students
• 99% Students Who Are Accepted to a 4-Year University
• 85% First-Generation College Students
• Ranked in the Top 100 High Schools in the Nation, U.S. News & World Report

We serve the students of Houston, Texas, the 4th largest city across the United States. There are over 20 public-school districts and other great public charter school optionswithin Houston’s city limits serving our increasing population.

Job Description

Position: Special EducationTeaching Assistant

Reports To: Special Education Manager

Position Type: 10-month

Start Date: 26-27 School Year

Compensation: $15.63-$19.43 per hour

THE ROLE

• Assisting Special Education and General Education Teacher(s) with the supervision of students in all instructional settings;
• Assisting Special Education and General Education Teacher(s) with behavior management techniques by demonstrating, modeling, and positively reinforcing desired behaviors;
• Maintaining data as identified by teacher(s), students’ IEP goals, and/or Behavior Intervention Plans;
• Assisting in tailoring lessons to meet an individual student’s needs;
• Supporting Special Education and General Education teacher(s) with lesson plans by practicing and reinforcing learning concepts;
• Assisting students in performing self-help and academic skills;
• Serving as a one-to-one full time support for a student with significant cognitive, behavioral or medical needs;
• Assisting with administration and scoring of tests and work assignments;
• Assisting Special Education and General Education Teacher(s) with implementation of accommodations and/or modifications;
• Adapting classroom activities, assignments, and/or materials to support and reinforce classroom objectives;
• Monitoring students during transition times throughout the school day, inside and outside of the classroom;
• Providing personal care services for students as needed; and
• Additional duties as assigned.

THE PERSON

We seek staff with a multitude of backgrounds, talents, interests, and ideas. Certain traits consistently shine through for our most successful employees: passion for the mission, drive for results, care for students, resilience, and humility. Other traits needed and desired for this role are:

MUST HAVES

• High School Diploma or GED
• A minimum of 30 semester hours college or post-secondary education credit
• Current Educational Aide certification, OR willingness to acquire the Educational Aide Certification from the TEA
• Interest in working one-on-one with a student with significant needs, including medical needs
• Ability to physically assist students with self-help, mobility, academic, and behavioral skills
• Belief in and commitment to the mission and core value of YES Prep Public Schools
• Openness to giving and receiving frequent feedback
• Ability to maintain emotional control under stress
• Ability to work urgently in a fast-paced and results-oriented environment
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and initiatives at once
• Demonstrated ability to work on a team
• A dedication to learn, grow, and develop as a professional

THE MUST HAVE BELIEFS

• Belief in and commitment to the mission and core value of YES Prep Public Schools
• Desire to disrupt systemic status quos in education
• Willingness to go above and beyond to disrupt said status quos
• Passion to develop resiliency through a relentless pursuit of jaw-dropping results

conviction that high expectations + high accountability = high performance and high growth

EVERY OPPORTUNITY STARTS WITH A YES

Great schools begin with great people who believe every day is an opportunity to make a difference. At YES Prep, you have an opportunity to join a family of educators who are leveling the playing field by providing opportunities for a high-quality, college-forward curriculum while also ensuring our students feel supported through their academic journey and empowered to lead choice-filled lives. YES Prep is more than a family of public charter schools, it’s the future of public education—it’s an opportunity to say, “Yes, you can!”

THE PERKS

• Compensation - This position is a non-exempt, hourly position; offers commensurate with experience.

• Health and Supplemental Insurance - A $0 monthly medical option and a plan that includes $600 towards a Health Savings Account, in addition to a variety of supplemental benefits including Dental, Vision, Disability, Life, etc. Employees must work 20+ hours a week to be eligible for a full spectrum of benefits, and 10 hours a week minimum for medical benefits.

• Retirement Plans - Participation in Teacher Retirement System of Texas and a 457b Retirement Plan.

• Paid Time Off - Employees working 20+ hours a week receive 10 days of Paid Time Off in addition to the system closures during the Academic Calendar.

• Paid Leave Programming - In the event you need to be out due to medical needs (including maternity and paternity leave), YES Prep offers paid leave, paid at 100%, based on eligibility and tenure.

• Professional Development - YES Prep values longevity and performance over time. We invest in developing leaders through high-quality programs, effective coaching, and ongoing professional development.

• Award Winning Culture - The strong cultures of our campuses and Home Office are just one of many reasons we were named Houston’s Best Place To Work in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2025. We won the 2012 Broad Prize for Excellence in Urban Education and were a 2016 finalist as well.

YES Prep is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.