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Reports to: Varies by assignment 

Division: Varies by assignment 

Our ideal candidate 

You are a committed professional with a nurturing and patient demeanor who enjoys working with children and young adults in need of specialized assistance. You are a team player who listens well and contributes to a positive and efficient work environment on behalf of colleagues, students, families, and the community. You represent the Santa Barbara County Education Office with integrity and professionalism. 

General description 

Assists teachers and staff in providing cognitive, instructional, therapeutic, and/or medical support to students with varying levels of physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, multiple disabilities, emotional disturbance, and/or severe orthopedic, visual, or hearing impairments. 

Specific duties and responsibilities 

• Provides cognitive, instructional, therapeutic, medical, and/or social instructional assistance to individuals or small groups of students with disabilities. 
• Works directly with individuals or small groups of students to execute individual lesson plans and alternative strategies for maximizing learning experiences. 
• Interprets individualized education plans and teacher instructions. 
• Assists students during classroom activities, lunch, physical education, while being transported to and from school activities, and all other school activities. 
• Feeds students, dispenses medicines, and assists with personal hygiene. 
• May perform suctioning, oral stimulation, and replenishment of catheterized devices. 
• Assists students with development and reinforcement of life skills such as, but not limited to, purchasing and preparing food, negotiating transportation between school and home, work, and community-based services. 
• Assists teachers by setting up work areas, and preparing motivational, decorative, and instructional materials. 
• Prepares and may develop age-, grade-, and developmentally-appropriate instructional aids and activities to support the curriculum being taught. 
• Confers with teachers, specialists and parents to develop and evaluate individual and group educational goals and objectives. 
• Assists with implementation of special programs. 
• Administers assessment instruments, scores objective tests and written papers, and keeps appropriate records for teachers, including those on computerized student information and grading systems. 
• Monitors classroom activities when a teacher is absent from the classroom. 
• Accompanies students going from one location to another. 
• Observes, monitors, and controls behavior of students within approved procedures. 
• Develops and uses incentives as positive reinforcement. 
• Maintains constant supervision of children.
• Assesses the need for, and uses appropriate discipline in accordance with grade level and student’s ability to understand and learn from discipline. 
• Reports student academic, life skill, and behavior progress and performance to teachers. 
• Documents student progress by correcting assignments, administering and scoring criterion referenced tests, recording and charting test scores and curriculum-based measurements. 
• Confers as needed with teachers, resource staff, and other school staff concerning programs and materials to meet student needs. 
• Alerts teacher to any special problems or information concerning students in assigned program. 
• Assists program administrative staff with the preparation and presentation of in service training sessions. 
• Assists in organizing and participates in meetings to share information about programs available to students. 
• Assists students with developing independent travel and mobility skills, community-based vocational training, and preparation for ongoing employment. 
• May coordinate services with job coaching or vocational advisors. 
• Assures student safety. 
• Places students in wheelchairs, standers, wedges and other equipment or devices that enhance mobility. 
• Helps or places students onto buses, therapeutic tables, and toilets. 
• Assists students by offering proper examples, emotional support, patience, and friendly attitude, without becoming emotionally attached. 
• Prepares and maintains a variety of files and records for classroom or assigned program. 
• Performs other duties as assigned that support the overall objective of the position. 

Requirements 

Education: Possession of a high school diploma and passing score on a rigorous assessment examination demonstrating knowledge and ability to assist with instructing children/students in reading, writing, and mathematics; 48 or more semester units of higher education will substitute for the competency assessment exam. 

Experience: Six months of work, volunteer, or personal experience providing care or instruction to infants or children, or to children or adults with disabilities, is preferred. 

Knowledge of: 

• the principles and practices of age-appropriate child development and guidance applicable to special education setting dealing with severe emotional, physical, and learning challenges. 
• the subjects taught in the County’s school districts, including arithmetic, grammar, spelling, language and reading, with sufficient competency to assist students with individual or group studies. 
• teaching and instruction methods. 
• basic clerical and record-keeping processes. 
• Special programs available to students. 

Skill in: 

• using personal computers, audiovisual, and other equipment to support learning, record information, and send communications. 
• working productively and cooperatively with teachers, students, and parents in formal and informal settings. 

Ability to: 

• assist teaching staff with implementation of instructional goals and activities, and special needs of students with severe handicaps. 
• assess the needs of individual students and develop instructional support techniques and materials to meet those needs. 
• interact with teachers, parents, and specialists in order to carry out assigned duties. 
• oversee students, administer assignments and tests, and perform general clerical tasks. 
• assist students with developing independence and self-help skills. 
• make formal presentations to classes, individuals, and small groups of students and assist with demonstrations of assigned subject matter to classroom-sized groups. 
• relate positively to students in a teaching/learning environment in a way that builds confidence, recognizes and works on learning disabilities and barriers. 
• exercise patience when conveying information to students having difficulty with verbal and written communications 
• demonstrate sensitivity to the special needs of students. 

• Some positions in this classification may require proficiency in a language other than English or basic competency in sign language. 

  Licenses and certificates 

• May require a valid First Aid card and/or certification in Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI). 

• Some positions in this classification may require: 

• Valid California Class C Driver’s License and insurance coverage as required by law. 
• Enrollment in the California Department of Motor Vehicles Government Employer Pull Notice Program as a condition of employment. 

 

Working conditions 

• Work is performed indoors and outdoors with some exposure to health and safety considerations from physical labor and exposure to body fluids. 

Physical abilities 

Requires the ability to perform indoors in a classroom/laboratory environment engaged in work of a moderately active nature. Requires near visual acuity to read and write printed materials and computer screens. Requires hearing and speech ability for ordinary and telephonic conversation, to speak to groups, and to hear sound prompts from equipment. Requires ambulatory ability to move about office, classroom/laboratory, and school grounds, to tutor, assist with presentations, and reach work materials. Requires sufficient manual and finger dexterity to demonstrate teaching aids, to point out important words/figures to students, and to operate personal computers. Requires the ability to lift, carry, push, and move supplies, fixtures, wheelchairs, etc., of light-to-medium weight (under 50 pounds) on a regular basis, and heavy weight (under 75 pounds) without labor saving equipment on an intermittent basis. 

Series 

Instructional 

Salary range 64

 

Approved by the Personnel Commission:	September 27, 2007
Revised:  Revised:  Revised:  Revised:	May 28, 2020  April 28, 2022  June 30, 2022  May 1, 2024 (salary reallocation only)