Paraprofessional

Job Description

Job Description

Company Description

At KIPP Chicago, we are guided by a simple, yet powerful mission: Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. Our campuses are located in the Austin, Englewood, North Lawndale, and West Humboldt Park neighborhoods. KIPP Chicago also advises over 2000 KIPP alumni currently in high school or college through our KIPP Forward program.   For more data and information about our successes and vision for the future, visit

About KIPP Chicago

KIPP Chicago partners with the KIPP Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports schools across the country. KIPP Public Schools is a national network of public charter schools that prepares students with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are currently a network of 278 schools, nearly 15,000 educators, and 175,000 students and alumni. When you work at KIPP, you’re part of a national network that partners with families and communities to create nurturing, rigorous, and joyful schools in pursuit of a more just world.

Roles and Responsibilities: 

The core responsibility of the Paraprofessional is to foster student independence, achievement of learning goals, social-emotional skills, and self-esteem by attending to the personal, academic, and emotional needs of students. The Paraprofessional role is defined by the diverse learning needs of a student or group of students, as defined by their Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan, and in accordance with ISBE's student to teacher class size expectations. Paraprofessional positions are allocated and assigned annually based on student needs and may be subject to change. Expectations specific to the Paraprofessional role include but are not limited to:

Direct Student Support and IEP Documentation 

• Actively engage students within daily instructional time to meet learning goals, during both whole-group, small group, and 1:1 instruction with materials and guidance from teachers

• Implement all interventions and behavior strategies as outlined in the student’s IEP or 504 plan

• Support with necessary student personal needs (hygiene, medical) and/or assisted technology and augmentative devices if noted in the IEP or 504 plan

• Support with assignment completion and reiteration of classroom instruction to improve academic outcomes

• Support with implementation of accommodations during class, district and state assessments 

• Implement accommodations, scaffolds, and modifications to core curriculum as directed by the teacher to ensure access to grade-level content

• Provide behavioral management, effectively implementing de-escalation strategies as needed

• Maintain consistent weekly data tracking to monitor student growth, leveraging these insights during collaborative reflections with providers to drive data-informed adjustments to student interventions

• Maintain logs in SSM and contribute to Para Justification completion in readiness for the student’s IEP + 504 plan

• Actively participate in IEP + 504 meetings, providing meaningful input regarding the students performance

School-wide Culture & Instruction Responsibilities 

• Collaborate with Gen Ed teachers, Diverse Learners teachers, and Case Managers to ensure the requirements of students’ IEPs are met and lessons are effectively reinforced

• Be responsive to direction and incorporate feedback from General Education Teacher, Diverse Learning Teacher, Case Manager and Principal

• Utilize school-wide systems and expectations for student culture effectively 

• Adhere to individual schedule and support assigned students and classes as determined by Case Manager 

• Model professional and ethical standards when interacting with students, staff, and parent/guardians

• Actively participate in school professional development and regional Paraprofessional professional development

• Participates in Safety Care training and other school-based and CPS trainings to ensure student safety

• Maintain prompt and consistent attendance to work and assigned responsibilities during daily school hours

• Maintain and model professional communication, work habits, and interpersonal interactions at all times  

School-wide Duties 

• Actively monitor daily arrival and dismissal post, aligned with school-wide schedule and expectations 

• Actively monitor assigned late-pick up when assigned, aligned with school-wide schedule and expectations

• Support school day transitions and routines (lunch, restrooms, recess, etc.) within assigned student(s) schedule

REQUIREMENTS

• Active Paraprofessional (PARA) or Substitute (SUB) license with Illinois Board of Education (ISBE) 

• Ability to work assigned schedule with prompt daily attendance, in accordance with regional time off policy 

  • Monday - Thursday: 7:30 AM - 4:05 PM 

    • Attend 1 after school meeting 4:00 - 4:45 PM on a day Mon. - Thurs established by school for professional learning community (Grade Level Team or Department)

  • Friday: 7:30 AM  - 4:00 PM (school-based professionals development after early dismissal) 

  • Total hours: 43.5 (40 + 3.5 overtime)

• Frequently standing or walking, using stairs to move throughout the school building; ability to lift   / carry up to 10 lbs when necessary and/or support any required physical support needs in student IEP / 504 plan

• Cleared CPS background check & Faith’s Law attestation 

Preferred experience and/or willingness to learn: 

• Previous successful experience serving students with diverse learning needs to meet/exceed their IEP/504 goals 

• Previous successful experience of accurate data collection for IEP goals and documentation

• Previous successful experience utilizing effective SEL and behavioral management strategies with students

• Previous successful experience utilizing Google Suite (Gmail, Sheets, Docs)

COMPENSATION

KIPP Chicago Schools offers a competitive compensation and benefits package:

• Hourly rate based on experience related to role and responsibilities

• Contribution to Chicago Teachers Pension Fund

• Competitive rates for medical insurance and short-term disability insurance. Dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance are offered at no cost.

• For more detail about our Salaries and Benefits at KIPP Chicago, visit our website: Join Our Team - KIPP Chicago Public Schools

STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

KIPP Chicago is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying for employment. KIPP Chicago does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic background. All of your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.