PCA

Personal Care Assistant

The Personal Care Assistant (PCA) provides one-on-one or small-group support to students, assisting them with their academic, social, behavioral, and personal care needs throughout the school day. Under the direction of teachers and other school staff, the PCA helps students access the curriculum, participate in classroom and school activities, and develop independence in daily routines, while promoting a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct support to assigned student(s) during classroom instruction, transitions, and school activities.
• Assist students with activities of daily living (e.g., eating, toileting, hygiene, mobility) as needed.
• Implement behavior support strategies as directed by teachers or behavior support staff.
• Support students in following classroom rules, schedules, and routines.
• Escort students to and from classes, lunch, recess, therapy sessions, and other school activities.
• Facilitate participation in academic tasks, reinforcing lessons and modifying materials as directed.
• Encourage and model positive social interactions with peers and staff.
• Monitor student safety at all times, including during bus arrival/dismissal, field trips, and special events.
• Maintain confidentiality of student information in accordance with district policies.
• Document student progress, challenges, and any incidents, sharing updates with the supervising teacher.
• Participate in relevant training, in-service workshops, and professional development opportunities.
• Collaborate with teachers, therapists, and other school staff to support student success.
• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to assist with additional duties as assigned by school administration.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Pennsylvania State Police Clearance for employment
• Child Abuse Clearance for employment
• FBI Fingerprinting
• School Health Form: Physical and Tuberculosis Test
• Pennsylvania Department of Education Form 6004: Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification
• Act 126/Mandated Reporter training
• CPR, CPI, and First Aid Certified preferred

Privacy Information

When you apply for a position with ESS, we collect personal information such as:

• Contact details (name, email, phone, address)
• Application materials (resume, work history, education, references)
• Information you choose to provide during the hiring process (interviews, assessments, background checks, as permitted by law)

We use this information to:

• Evaluate your candidacy and qualifications
• Conduct interviews and background checks
• Manage our recruitment and hiring processes
• Comply with applicable legal obligations

We do not sell or share applicant personal information. We retain it as long as necessary for recruitment, compliance, and potential future opportunities.

You may have rights under U.S. state privacy laws, including to request access, correction, deletion, or limitation of your personal information.

For details about our practices and your rights, please review our full Privacy Notices below.

About ESS

As leaders in the education staffing space since 2000, ESS specializes in placing qualified staff in daily, long-term, and permanent K-12 school district positions including substitute teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school support staff. Over the last 23 years, we have innovated education staffing to provide dynamic solutions to school districts and professional opportunities to passionate educators. Our team serves over 5 million students with a pool of 92,000 substitute and permanent employees throughout 34 states. Internally, the ESS team is comprised of 650 individuals with a passion for education working together to ensure our 900 partner districts experience valuable education every day.

We provide our employees with the ability to work in school districts across the country in addition to benefits, comprehensive training, flexible work schedules, and professional development.

ESS Diversity Statement

ESS continuously works to create an environment where all its employees - regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, age or abilities - can work to the fullest of their potential in a fair and welcoming space. Believing that a diverse company is more innovative and successful, we have embraced diversity to ensure that we are empowered to make sure that "Every day counts" for our employees, the students, and the schools we serve nationwide.

ESS is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.