Special Education Para Professional in Long Beach, CA

Job Description

Job Description

Make an immediate impact supporting elementary students by serving as an Instructional Assistant in a specialized Emotional Disability (ED) program. In this contracted role, you’ll work exclusively at one site near Long Beach, CA, helping a dedicated team implement social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, behavior interventions, and embedded mental health supports. This isn’t a position for beginners—strong prior experience as a paraprofessional or instructional assistant is essential.

You'll assist students with a range of disabilities impacting their emotional, social, behavioral, and academic functioning. You’ll collaborate with teachers, behavior specialists, and mental health professionals to create a safe, inclusive environment and help students grow their self-awareness, self-management, and social skills, while supporting their participation in general education settings.

Key Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience working as a paraprofessional in schools—this role requires seasoned support staff.
• Skilled in implementing behavior interventions and utilizing SEL tools in educational settings.
• Experience supporting students with emotional disabilities and managing challenging behaviors.
• Ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (teachers, mental health staff, behaviorists).
• Calm, compassionate, and resilient in response to student needs.
• Must be available ASAP through June 10, 2027, for 30 hours per week.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide direct academic and behavioral support to students in both specialized and mainstream classrooms.
• Reinforce SEL lessons, de-escalate situations, and model positive decision-making.
• Support data collection, documentation, and progress reporting for each student.
• Deliver consistent, proactive interventions tailored to individual education plans (IEPs).
• Foster positive, trusting relationships that encourage growth and participation.

This opportunity offers a pay rate of $20 an hour and gives you the chance to support remarkable students and staff in a focused, nurturing environment. If you have a passion for guiding students with social and emotional needs and bring the right background, apply now to make a meaningful difference.

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