Instructional Aide
Washington, District of Columbia
Full-Time |

What You Will Do

The Para-Educator (Instructional Aide or Dedicated Aide) serves a critical role in supporting both a

positive school culture and rigorous, student-centered academic instruction. This position is responsible

for providing targeted academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support to students while

collaborating closely with teachers, families, and support staff to ensure student success. The role is

centered around three primary areas of responsibility: Relationship Building, Intervention Support, and

Communication.

Relationship Building:

• Build and maintain strong, positive relationships with students to foster trust, engagement,

and academic growth.

• Support the development of a safe, structured, and inclusive learning environment that

promotes student achievement and positive behavior.

• Leverage relationship-based strategies to increase student participation and engagement

in high-quality instruction, particularly among young male scholars.

Intervention Support:

• Assist with the implementation of individualized academic, behavioral, and social-emotional

intervention strategies aligned to student needs.

• Support the delivery of services and accommodations outlined in student support plans,

including IEPs, behavior intervention plans, and other targeted interventions.

• Monitor student progress and provide feedback to instructional and support staff regarding

student performance and behavioral growth.

Communication:

• Collaborate with teachers, school leadership, and support staff to ensure continuity and

effectiveness of student support services.

• Maintain ongoing communication with parents/guardians regarding student progress,

behavioral goals, and program updates.

• Assist in documenting student progress and communicating recommendations for

programmatic or instructional adjustments as needed.

Who Must You Be

Required

• High school diploma or GED required.

• Ability to build positive and productive relationships with students, staff, and families.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to support students in both academic and behavioral settings.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism in a school

environment.

• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team while following instructional and behavioral

guidance from supervisors.

• Basic organizational, documentation, and data collection skills.

• Ability to remain patient, flexible, and solution-oriented when supporting student needs.

Preferred

• Previous experience working with children or adolescents in a school, youth development,

childcare, or behavioral support setting preferred.

• Experience supporting students with diverse learning, behavioral, or social-emotional needs

preferred.

• Familiarity with classroom management strategies and positive behavior interventions

preferred.

• Experience providing one-on-one or small group instructional support preferred.

• Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

• Experience working in urban education settings or with culturally diverse student populations

preferred.