Job Description

Special Education Assistant (SEA) - IIP Services/Holtzman - .875 FTE - 26-27 SY

Student Services

Holtzman Building

Starting Compensation: $25.47 Hourly Wage (26 -27 Salary Schedule)

Employment Type: Non-Exempt

MMSD is seeking highly motivated and energetic applicants! Applicants should have a good attitude, willingness to learn, and passion for impactful work and learning.

Why You Should Work with MMSD!

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin. We have a simple but bold vision — to ensure that every school is a thriving school, that prepares every student to graduate from high school ready for college, career, and community. We welcome applicants who will actively contribute to our ongoing commitment to making MMSD a thriving, welcoming environment for all students, families, and staff.

In addition, we have a great compensation package. Visit our benefits page and compensation page for more information.

Becoming a Model School District

The Madison Metropolitan School District is committed to being anti-racist, culturally responsive, and inclusive. We have a simple but bold vision — to ensure that every school is a thriving school, fostering the growth of every student so they graduate from high school ready for college, career and community.

Our strategy is captured in our strategic framework, and centers on three major goals: that all children achieve academically, that our schools are places where children and adults thrive, and that our Black youth excel at school. To achieve this vision, we seek to retain staff in all positions, who are committed to being anti-racist, culturally responsive, and inclusive. Staff who will actively contribute to our ongoing commitment to making MMSD a thriving, welcoming environment for all students, families and staff.

We firmly believe in and are here to create a work environment that is challenging and rewarding, while supporting employees in their career path. We strive to provide, encourage, grow, and develop a talented workforce that better supports and represents the diversity of our student population. We know this vision doesn't come to life without dynamic leaders and support staff in every school.

About Our District

The Madison Metropolitan School District is the second largest school district in Wisconsin. The district serves a beautifully diverse population of more than 25,000 students. More than half are students of color. Almost half come from low income households. Nearly one third are English Language Learners, and more than 100 languages are represented in our schools. Madison schools are committed to making this district a place where every child thrives.

Summary: Supervised by an Assistant Director of Student Services and collaboratively guided by a special education teacher/related services staff, a special education assistant will perform highly specialized work with students who receive special education services through Intensive Intervention Programming. The location of this specialized work is fluid based on student needs and can vary daily between school-based sites, community-based sites, and the Holtzman Learning Center. Special education assistants may be assigned to support students in elementary, middle and high school. The goal of Intensive Intervention Programming is to support and empower our students to identify strengths and achieve personal goals while developing the behavioral and social-emotional skills necessary to successfully access academic and enrichment learning opportunities alongside their peers.

Intensive Intervention Programming Beliefs and Values: All students have the ability and right to access and develop academic, social, emotional, and behavioral skills for emotional management, relationship building, and decision-making.

Identifying and building on each student’s strengths will result in students developing the confidence and skills to grow as a unique individual and learner to achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams.

Our programs support students in developing and implementing self-advocacy skills to promote the autonomy to create goals for themselves and to engage in self-discovery to build a strengthened identity across various environments.

Collaboration among all significant individuals in a student’s life is essential to each student’s success.

The environment we create provides fun, safe, supportive, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed programs.

Essential Functions

• Provide instructional support and reinforcement to students in academic, behavioral and functional areas across school, community and vocational settings.
• Implement curriculum and behavioral intervention strategies across environments, under the direction and guidance of a teacher and/or related services staff.
• Maintain student confidentiality, including written records.
• Assist with coordination and communication activities with other staff to provide feedback regarding student performance.
• Assist with data collection activities (reviewing and documenting student progress both academic and behavior, etc.)
• Monitor and implement positive behavior strategies in supporting students: behavior support plans, safety plans, and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention policies/procedures.
• Provide supervision during lunch, recess, playground, hallways and field trips.
• Participate in Intensive Intervention Programming (IIP) and district level training opportunities.

Qualifications: Licensing and KSA requirements, Competencies

• Ability to provide individual and small group instructional reinforcement.
• Ability to work independently with students in school, community, vocational, and domestic situations under the direction of a teacher.
• Ability to keep accurate student data.
• Ability to work with physically aggressive students.
• Ability to work with students who are nonverbal or who do not have intelligible speech.
• Ability to follow teacher direction, written plans, individual education programs, and behavior intervention plans.
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse students, staff and community, orally and in writing.
• Ability to maintain student confidentiality.
• Ability to walk, lift (up to 50 lbs.), climb, bend, reach, and kneel.
• Ability to learn and use basic computer skills (e-mail, internet, word processing).
• Must be mature, patient and compassionate when working with all students.
• Experience working cross-culturally and/or commitment to work toward improving one’s own cultural competence., i.e. valuing difference/diversity, recognizing personal limitations in one’s skills and expertise, and having the desire to learn in these areas.
• Department of Public Instruction Special Education Program Aide License
• Preferred:
• Candidates have an Associate’s Degree or 48 academic credits beyond high school.
• Fluency in Spanish and English
• Prior experience working in a public school setting.
• Prior experience working with children who have disabilities.
• Prior experience working with children who are non-ambulatory and/or nonverbal.
• CPR certification.
• First aid training
• Experience using email, internet, and word processing programs.

Required Qualifications

• Candidates must meet one of the following requirements:
• Have an Associate’s Degree
• Have completed 48 academic credits beyond high school
• Pass an onsite assessment offered by the District in lieu of meeting one of the requirements above.

License or Certification Requirements:

• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Special Education Program Aide License (1015). The incumbent must have a current license or obtain a license within a timeframe determined by the District.

Next Steps

• Upon submitting, your application will be reviewed by the hiring manager. Based on your application materials, a hiring manager may reach out to you to schedule an interview.
• Candidates who have indicated fluency in Spanish and/or Hmong are invited to apply for our bilingual positions as well. If interested in a bilingual position, candidates would be asked to complete reading, writing, and oral language proficiency assessments.

Physical Requirements

• Frequent lifting, pushing, and pulling (up to 50 lbs or more per district policy for student transfers).
• Ability to squat, kneel, reach, and stand for extended periods.
• Manual dexterity for operating office/medical equipment and handling small instructional tools.

Working Conditions:

1. Ability to work in varied environments: classrooms, "living labs," job sites, and outdoors in inclement weather.
2. Work may require travel to different locations within the district and to off-site meetings.
3. School-based positions are required to be in-person unless otherwise directed by the building principal.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the person(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the individual so classified.

Disclaimer: This position description is subject to change at any time. The above job description does not limit the duties and responsibilities listed above. Employees in this position may be required to perform additional job-related tasks as directed by the supervisor.

The Madison Metropolitan School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We continue to seek a diverse and talented workforce. We encourage veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities to apply. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the District will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.