Teaching Assistant - Pathways 3-5th Grade
Job Description
Hourly rate: 2025-2026 $17.96-$20.42 per hour. Pay Transparency
Position: Teacher Assistant
Reports To: Classroom Teacher
Job Goal: Work within the school and community setting, under the direction of the classroom teacher, to maximize students’ learning; academic, behavioral, functional, and social/ emotional and to foster student participation in all school related activities.
Qualifications:
- Professional Educator License with Stipulations issued by ISBE endorsed as para professional. (Licensure requirements: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educator-License-with-Stipulations.aspx)
- At least 19 years of age
- One of the Following:
- Associate's degree or higher
- 60 semester hours of coursework
- High School Diploma and passing score on the ACT Workkeys
- Some sign language ability and interest in improving signing skill. (Signing Teaching Assistants only).
- Physical ability to be trained and perform physical management techniques with fidelity.
- Valid Driver’s License and ability to obtain Illinois Secretary of State Licensure to transport students within 3 months of hire. (Southeast Alternative teacher assistants).
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Monitor and assist students in their daily routines across all school and community settings.
- Provide individual or small group instruction under the teacher’s supervision.
- Provide academic support at the student’s academic level.
- Accompany students and provide academic and/or behavioral support in inclusion settings.
- Communicate with students at the student’s level and according to the needs of the student.
- Demonstrate a positive attitude toward students.
- Assist students with bathroom/hygiene needs according to teacher request or needs of student; use appropriate sanitation during these activities.
- Support individual student’s therapy program as directed by related services staff and/or classroom teacher including data collection.
- Provide active student supervision including but not limited to: bus duty, community outings, playground, lunchroom, and passing periods.
- Follow through on behavioral programs including individual behavior intervention plans and crisis plans, including but not limited to: reinforcement, non-violent crisis intervention, data collection, modeling, and physical management.
- Assist students onto and into transportation to and from school and during the school day, including buckling of seat belts and/or harnesses.
- Demonstrate care for, correct use of, and maintenance of equipment, materials and school property.
- Assist students with the use and care of adaptive equipment.
- Develop classroom materials including but not limited to cutting, typing, copying, laminating, utilizing propriety software.
- Assist in maintaining a clean, orderly learning environment.
- Demonstrate commitment to the safety of students by maintaining a safe environment and knowledge of emergency procedures.
- Work in a professional manner with all staff; SASED and district personnel.
- Participate in specialized training as requested by the program administrator.
- Participate as requested in team planning meetings or IEP meetings.
- Ability to travel during the day to another SASED site.
- Take appropriate initiative when no specific task is assigned.
- Follow through with classroom teacher routines and procedures.
- Transport students to and from school and during the school day with a SASED owned or leased vehicle (SE).
Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Terms of Employment: Minimum 174 day work year at a pay rate established by the Board of Control in accordance with its Agreement.
Position Type: Non-exempt
Evaluation: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance
with the Board of Control policy on evaluation of educational support personnel.
Physical Requirements:
- Dexterity to type, write, utilize scissors, and office machines.
- Physical ability to perform all physical management techniques with fidelity.
- Physical ability to lift and position students.
Frequency of time = (N = 0-24%, O = 25-49%, F= 50-74%, C=75-100%)
| Lifting/ Lifting/Carrying | N | O | F | C | Activity | N | O | F | C |
| 10 lbs. or less | x | Bend | x | ||||||
| 11 – 20 lbs. | x | Squat | x | ||||||
| 21 – 40 lbs. | x | Kneel | x | ||||||
| 41 – 60 lbs. | N | Twist/Turn | x | ||||||
| 61 – 100 lbs. | N | Climb | x | ||||||
| Pushing/Pulling | Crawl | x | |||||||
| 5 – 12 lbs. | x | Walk | x | ||||||
| 13 – 25 lbs | x | Reach above Shoulder | x | ||||||
| 26 – 40 lb. | x | Type/Keyboard | x | ||||||
| 41 – 60 lbs. | x | Driving | |||||||
| 61 – 100 lbs. | x | Automatic (Southeast Alternative School) | Y | ||||||
| 100+ lbs. | x | Standard | N | ||||||
| Comments: |