Instructional Associates Specialized (Transitional Kindergarten - TK) - ParaEducator/ParaProfessional - Special Education (7 hour day) at San Jose Unified School District
Job Summary
Job Summary
As an Instructional Associate – Transitional Kindergarten in San José Unified, you will play an important role in supporting our youngest learners as they begin their educational journey. You will help create a safe, nurturing, and engaging classroom environment where students build foundational academic, social-emotional, and developmental skills through play-based and hands-on learning experiences. Through patience, encouragement, and collaboration with teachers and families, you will help students develop confidence, independence, positive relationships, and a love of learning that supports long-term success.
Requirements / Qualifications
The impact you will have: As an Instructional Associate – Transitional Kindergarten in San José Unified, you will play an important role in supporting our youngest learners as they begin their educational journey. You will help create a safe, nurturing, and engaging classroom environment where students build foundational academic, social-emotional, and developmental skills through play-based and hands-on learning experiences. Through patience, encouragement, and collaboration with teachers and families, you will help students develop confidence, independence, positive relationships, and a love of learning that supports long-term success. A more detailed job description is available at https://sjusd.box.com/v/IA-Specialized. Who you are: You are a caring and patient professional who enjoys supporting young children during their earliest school experiences. You create warm, engaging, and supportive interactions that help students feel safe, confident, and excited to learn. You are collaborative, flexible, and committed to helping students build foundational academic, social-emotional, and independence skills in a nurturing classroom environment.
As an Instructional Associate – Transitional Kindergarten, you will be responsible for (but not limited to): -Supporting the teacher in creating a safe, nurturing, and engaging learning environment for young children -Assisting with classroom activities that promote early literacy, math, language, social-emotional, and developmental skills -Providing individualized and small group support to students during instructional and play-based learning activities -Supervising students in the classroom, on the playground, during transitions, and throughout the school day in a caring and respectful manner -Supporting positive behavior, routines, and independence skills appropriate for Transitional Kindergarten students -Assisting students with toileting an other personal care needs -Helping maintain a clean, organized, and developmentally appropriate classroom environment -Collaborating with teachers, staff, and families to support student growth and well-being -Observing and documenting student progress or behaviors as directed -Maintaining professionalism, confidentiality, and positive relationships with students, families, and staff What you bring: One of the following: -Passage of the San José Unified Instructional Associate Assessment (view tutorial here). This will be completed after your application and interview, or an Associates Degree or higher, or -two years of college (48 units) -Prior experience working with students with special needs is preferred -Completion of San José Unified’s Crisis Intervention training within 60 days of start date.
Requirements / Qualifications
The impact you will have: As an Instructional Associate – Transitional Kindergarten in San José Unified, you will play an important role in supporting our youngest learners as they begin their educational journey. You will help create a safe, nurturing, and engaging classroom environment where students build foundational academic, social-emotional, and developmental skills through play-based and hands-on learning experiences. Through patience, encouragement, and collaboration with teachers and families, you will help students develop confidence, independence, positive relationships, and a love of learning that supports long-term success. A more detailed job description is available at https://sjusd.box.com/v/IA-Specialized. Who you are: You are a caring and patient professional who enjoys supporting young children during their earliest school experiences. You create warm, engaging, and supportive interactions that help students feel safe, confident, and excited to learn. You are collaborative, flexible, and committed to helping students build foundational academic, social-emotional, and independence skills in a nurturing classroom environment.
As an Instructional Associate – Transitional Kindergarten, you will be responsible for (but not limited to): -Supporting the teacher in creating a safe, nurturing, and engaging learning environment for young children -Assisting with classroom activities that promote early literacy, math, language, social-emotional, and developmental skills -Providing individualized and small group support to students during instructional and play-based learning activities -Supervising students in the classroom, on the playground, during transitions, and throughout the school day in a caring and respectful manner -Supporting positive behavior, routines, and independence skills appropriate for Transitional Kindergarten students -Assisting students with toileting an other personal care needs -Helping maintain a clean, organized, and developmentally appropriate classroom environment -Collaborating with teachers, staff, and families to support student growth and well-being -Observing and documenting student progress or behaviors as directed -Maintaining professionalism, confidentiality, and positive relationships with students, families, and staff What you bring: One of the following: -Passage of the San José Unified Instructional Associate Assessment (view tutorial here). This will be completed after your application and interview, or an Associates Degree or higher, or -two years of college (48 units) -Prior experience working with students with special needs is preferred -Completion of San José Unified’s Crisis Intervention training within 60 days of start date.
Comments and Other Information
SB 848 Child Safety & Employment Disclosure Requirement
Effective January 1, 2026, in accordance with California Senate Bill 848 (School Employee Misconduct/Child Abuse Prevention Act), applicants for employment with San José Unified are subject to enhanced child safety, training, and employment disclosure requirements.
Under SB 848, schools are required to strengthen background vetting procedures and obtain employment history information related to allegations of egregious misconduct involving students. Former employers may be contacted to release records regarding substantiated findings of misconduct as permitted by law. Failure to provide complete and accurate information regarding prior educational employment or relevant misconduct findings may result in disqualification from the hiring process or withdrawal of an offer of employment.
SB 848 also expands mandated reporter requirements and requires annual child abuse prevention training for employees and certain volunteers by July 1, 2026. All employees must comply with district-adopted child safety policies, including procedures for supervising and protecting students.
San José Unified is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students and will review all disclosures and employment records in accordance with state law.
When will you hear back from us: Within seven days of applying, we will inform you if you will be moving forward in our hiring process and share next steps. If there is a delayed response, feel free to reach out to us at classified@sjusd.org.
Note to internal applicants:
Even though we may have some information on file for you, we encourage you to submit a letter of introduction highlighting your qualifications and interest in this role, as well as any other information you would like to share. Where applicable, please also note which available location you are applying to.
To be eligible to interview, you will need to be in good evaluation standing.
What we offer: San José Unified offers a fantastic team and system of supports. We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package which includes free medical and dental coverage for our employees who work at least a 0.75 FTE (30 hours per week), as well as 21-vacation days, and 11-paid holidays for 10-month employees! For 11-month employees, you earn 21-vacation days and 12-paid holidays. For 12-month employees, you earn 27-vacation days and 13-paid holidays.
Who we are: San José Unified is an innovative urban school district that prepares today’s students to be the thinkers, leaders, and creators of tomorrow. We are reinventing the education system by bringing together teachers and staff with parents and students, inspiring each to discover their own greatness. Serving over 25,000 students from transitional kindergarten through post secondary in 41 schools from Downtown San José to the Almaden Valley, San José Unified is Silicon Valley’s largest and most diverse school system. We welcome instructional and support staff who are interested in making a difference in the lives of San José children.
San José Unified School District prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnic group identification, race, ancestry, national origin, religion, marital, parental or family status, color, mental or physical disability, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics in its educational programs and activities or employment practices as required by Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Section 504 or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Vocational Education Act of 1976. The lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the District’s programs. Students, parents, employees, or others who wish further information about these regulations, or who wish to file a complaint, should contact the following persons:
For Title IX, discrimination, equity or Section 504 Compliance complaints involving students:
Director of Student Services, Michelle Reghitto at 408-535-6080 (mreghitto@sjusd.org), 855 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126
For Title IX, discrimination or equity complaints involving staff:
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Dominic Bejarano at 408-535-6139 (jbejarano@sjusd.org), 855 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126
For facilities or other ADA complaints:
Director of Maintenance, Grounds and Operations, Denny Pini at 408-535-6200 (dpini@sjusd.org), 855 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126
Comments and Other Information
SB 848 Child Safety & Employment Disclosure Requirement
Effective January 1, 2026, in accordance with California Senate Bill 848 (School Employee Misconduct/Child Abuse Prevention Act), applicants for employment with San José Unified are subject to enhanced child safety, training, and employment disclosure requirements.
Under SB 848, schools are required to strengthen background vetting procedures and obtain employment history information related to allegations of egregious misconduct involving students. Former employers may be contacted to release records regarding substantiated findings of misconduct as permitted by law. Failure to provide complete and accurate information regarding prior educational employment or relevant misconduct findings may result in disqualification from the hiring process or withdrawal of an offer of employment.
SB 848 also expands mandated reporter requirements and requires annual child abuse prevention training for employees and certain volunteers by July 1, 2026. All employees must comply with district-adopted child safety policies, including procedures for supervising and protecting students.
San José Unified is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students and will review all disclosures and employment records in accordance with state law.
When will you hear back from us: Within seven days of applying, we will inform you if you will be moving forward in our hiring process and share next steps. If there is a delayed response, feel free to reach out to us at classified@sjusd.org.
Note to internal applicants:
Even though we may have some information on file for you, we encourage you to submit a letter of introduction highlighting your qualifications and interest in this role, as well as any other information you would like to share. Where applicable, please also note which available location you are applying to.
To be eligible to interview, you will need to be in good evaluation standing.
What we offer: San José Unified offers a fantastic team and system of supports. We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package which includes free medical and dental coverage for our employees who work at least a 0.75 FTE (30 hours per week), as well as 21-vacation days, and 11-paid holidays for 10-month employees! For 11-month employees, you earn 21-vacation days and 12-paid holidays. For 12-month employees, you earn 27-vacation days and 13-paid holidays.
Who we are: San José Unified is an innovative urban school district that prepares today’s students to be the thinkers, leaders, and creators of tomorrow. We are reinventing the education system by bringing together teachers and staff with parents and students, inspiring each to discover their own greatness. Serving over 25,000 students from transitional kindergarten through post secondary in 41 schools from Downtown San José to the Almaden Valley, San José Unified is Silicon Valley’s largest and most diverse school system. We welcome instructional and support staff who are interested in making a difference in the lives of San José children.
San José Unified School District prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnic group identification, race, ancestry, national origin, religion, marital, parental or family status, color, mental or physical disability, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics in its educational programs and activities or employment practices as required by Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Section 504 or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Vocational Education Act of 1976. The lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the District’s programs. Students, parents, employees, or others who wish further information about these regulations, or who wish to file a complaint, should contact the following persons:
For Title IX, discrimination, equity or Section 504 Compliance complaints involving students:
Director of Student Services, Michelle Reghitto at 408-535-6080 (mreghitto@sjusd.org), 855 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126
For Title IX, discrimination or equity complaints involving staff:
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Dominic Bejarano at 408-535-6139 (jbejarano@sjusd.org), 855 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126
For facilities or other ADA complaints:
Director of Maintenance, Grounds and Operations, Denny Pini at 408-535-6200 (dpini@sjusd.org), 855 Lenzen Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126
Application Deadline
Until Filled
Date Posted
5/13/2026
Contact
Number of Openings
10
Salary
Single Rate
$24.22 Per Hour
$24.22 Per Hour
Length of Work Year
10 months - 183 days
Employment Type
Full Time