Full-Time

Special Education Paraprofessional

Significant Support Needs

Updated on 9/3/2026

Academy District 20

Academy District 20

Public K-12 school district administration

Compensation Overview

$20.70 - $21.74/hr

Colorado Springs, CO, USA

In Person

The position may be reassigned to another school during the school year if student needs change.

Category
Education (1)
Required Skills
CPR
Infection Control
Medication Administration
First Aid
Requirements
  • A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
  • Current First Aid/CPR certification from the American Heart Association, Red Cross, or equivalent is required.
  • Non-Crisis Intervention training through the Crisis Prevention Institute is required.
  • Obtain and maintain certifications necessary to support students with special needs.
  • Complete required ongoing training, including occupational therapy/physical therapy training, student-specific training, and delegated nursing-practice training.
  • Communicate effectively verbally and in writing with students and adults in varied settings.
  • Use office productivity applications and various software systems to create, access, input, retrieve, and manipulate information.
  • Establish and maintain accurate record-keeping, document-management, and filing systems.
  • Maintain confidentiality and understand data privacy laws and their implications for the educational community.
  • Follow oral and written instructions and work independently without direct supervision.
  • Manage simultaneous demands, set clear priorities, and demonstrate organizational and time-management skills.
  • Work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of special education, educational programming, and associated legal requirements related to assigned students.
  • Meet the physical and self-help needs of students, including toileting, feeding, dressing, transfers, and physical escort or restraint when necessary.
  • Safely lift, push, pull, or carry up to 50 pounds and perform required physical activities, including climbing, reaching, grasping, and operating computer keyboards.
Responsibilities
  • Support the principal and classroom teachers in implementing Significant Support Needs programs and maintaining a positive and safe learning environment.
  • Assist licensed special education teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, nurses, and evaluative staff in implementing goals for severely or profoundly disabled students.
  • Prepare meals, feed students, clean up after lunch, and implement communication, oral-motor, sensory-integration, and physical Individualized Education Program goals.
  • Carry out instructional programs and lessons in various learning environments according to lesson plans.
  • Work under teacher supervision with small groups to reinforce material introduced by the teacher.
  • Assist students with medical tasks, including dispensing medication, tube feeding, catheterization, toileting, diapering, and suctioning.
  • Clean and disinfect regurgitation, blood, and urine, and sanitize equipment and materials.
  • Work with confidential special education student information.
  • Maneuver and secure wheelchairs and use physical-therapy support equipment.
  • Provide initial first aid and emergency care.
  • Assist students with physical tasks such as dressing, moving between rooms, and using the lavatory.
  • Monitor behavior contracts and reward systems and apply Nonviolent Crisis Intervention techniques when appropriate.
  • Assist with non-standardized testing and collect data for assessment and monitoring.
  • Develop and implement games and teaching aids and tutor students in various subject areas.
  • Assist students with preparing, producing, and maintaining materials and equipment.
  • Coordinate assignments and job tasks with classroom teachers and employers.
  • Work with students individually and in groups, including providing recitation and reading support.
  • Assist students in finding library materials and conduct story time.
  • Monitor students during recess, hall duty, passing periods, and bus loading.
  • Supervise students using computer programs, swimming pools, weight rooms, and therapy pools.
  • Accompany and assist students in classroom, community-based, and other assigned settings.
  • Attend pre-job training, ongoing training, and required meetings.
  • Serve as a resource to the student personnel evaluation team concerning assigned students.
  • Work with teachers to integrate assistive technology into classrooms.
  • Maintain and update student files and complete daily paperwork, including attendance reports, detention slips, referral slips, student passes, and physical therapy charts.
  • Maintain, order, and organize program materials and equipment inventory.
  • Perform clerical duties, assist staff members, laminate materials, and prepare bulletin boards for parents and programs.
  • Report consistently as scheduled, perform other assigned duties, and meet established performance standards.

Academy District 20 provides K-12 public education to students in northern Colorado Springs through a network of approximately 40 schools. The district operates using a site-based management model, which allows individual schools to design specialized curricula—such as International Baccalaureate or Career and Technical Education—to meet the specific needs of their local communities. This decentralized approach distinguishes the district from others by empowering school-level decision-making while maintaining the state's highest academic accreditation. The district's goal is to achieve academic excellence and community connectedness by optimizing resources and investing in diverse programs for students of all ability levels.

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • FY2026-27 adopted budget shows $289.5 million program funding and $33.4 million reserves.
  • District enrollment still totals about 26,471, supporting scale, per-pupil funding, and program breadth.
  • Federal financing covers 80% of Douglass Valley, reducing district capital burden through 2028.

What critics are saying

  • Board ousted Jinger Haberer in May 2026, signaling acute governance instability through 2027.
  • June 2026 board actions on transgender books and name changes invite lawsuits and staff churn.
  • If enrollment slips while facilities expand, budget strain hits by 2028 and squeezes hiring.

What makes Academy District 20 unique

  • District 20 runs 39 schools with IB, CTE, TAG, and site-based school autonomy.
  • Its new Douglass Valley pre-K-8 campus on Air Force Academy grounds deepens federal ties.
  • Strong community brand: accredited with distinction and long-running academic reputation in Colorado Springs.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Flexible Work Hours

Hybrid Work Options

Remote Work Options

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