Occupation · SOC 25-9042
Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education
Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher with instructional duties. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.
Median wage
$36,690
$24,960–$69,330
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
1,866,060
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
1,502 mapped
Core skills
Social PerceptivenessActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionService OrientationCoordinationWritingMonitoringLearning StrategiesInstructingCritical ThinkingTime ManagementComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningPersuasionNegotiationJudgment and Decision MakingMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesManagement of Material ResourcesSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisOperations MonitoringTroubleshootingManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignQuality Control AnalysisProgrammingScienceOperations AnalysisOperation and ControlRepairingInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguagePsychologyMathematicsEducation and TrainingPublic Safety and SecurityAdministrativeSociology and AnthropologyGeographyTherapy and CounselingAdministration and ManagementComputers and ElectronicsForeign LanguageHistory and ArcheologyBiologyChemistryPersonnel and Human ResourcesCommunications and MediaSales and MarketingLaw and GovernmentFood ProductionFine ArtsBuilding and ConstructionPhilosophy and TheologyDesignProduction and ProcessingEngineering and TechnologyMedicine and DentistryTelecommunicationsEconomics and AccountingTransportationMechanicalPhysics
Technology & tools
AppletreeAutomate the Schools ATSBlackboard softwareChildren's educational softwareClassDojoEmail softwareFlipgridGoogle ClassroomGoogle MeetHand held spell checkersHigh School Scheduling and Transcript HSSTKahoot!LoomMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordPadletParentSquareQuizletSchoologyScreen magnification softwareScreen reader softwareSeesawStudent information systems SIS softwareTadpolesText to speech softwareWeb browser softwareWord processing software
Representative tasks
Assisting and Caring for OthersThinking CreativelyGetting InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeScheduling Work and ActivitiesOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsDocumenting/Recording InformationInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesProcessing InformationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicCoaching and Developing OthersWorking with ComputersTraining and Teaching OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationDeveloping and Building TeamsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersHandling and Moving ObjectsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesSelling or Influencing OthersOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentStaffing Organizational UnitsControlling Machines and ProcessesRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Student supervision in classrooms and hallways — carry out under direct teacher guidance using established school protocols.Individual tutoring sessions — assist students one-on-one with assigned tasks following lesson plans prepared by the classroom teacher.School administration policies — recognize and apply basic student conduct rules under close supervision in a K–12 classroom setting.Social skills instruction — reinforce teacher-led lessons on sharing, turn-taking, and respectful communication during structured classroom activities.Classroom equipment and materials — monitor student use and report unsafe conditions to the supervising teacher on a daily basis.Assigned instructional duties — discuss expectations with the classroom teacher at the start of each shift to coordinate support activities.Read-aloud and guided discussion sessions — present prepared content to small groups under direct teacher direction in an elementary or middle school classroom.Classroom maintenance tasks — clean and organize instructional spaces, including wiping surfaces and arranging materials, following school cleanliness standards.Electronic mail software — send and receive routine communications with supervising teachers and school staff using district-approved platforms.Active listening skills — attend carefully to student questions and teacher instructions in a busy classroom environment to ensure accurate task completion.
developing
Student supervision across multiple settings — manage conduct in cafeterias, gymnasiums, schoolyards, and on field trips with moderate teacher oversight.Small-group tutoring — facilitate concept reinforcement sessions for groups of two to five students, adapting pacing to individual learning needs in a K–12 setting.Policy enforcement — consistently apply and explain student conduct rules to learners and communicate infractions to appropriate staff with limited prompting.Social-emotional learning activities — lead structured lessons on conflict resolution and empathy using teacher-approved curricula in a classroom environment.Equipment care instruction — demonstrate and monitor proper use of classroom technology and lab materials, correcting unsafe behaviors before incidents occur.Instructional coordination meetings — participate in regular planning discussions with classroom teachers to align support strategies with current lesson objectives.Subject matter presentations — deliver short lectures and supervised role-play exercises to students on teacher-assigned topics across core subject areas.Classroom environment upkeep — maintain organized and sanitary instructional spaces independently, restocking supplies and reporting maintenance needs to administration.Computer-based training software — support students in navigating educational programs, troubleshooting basic access issues in a school computer lab or blended learning classroom.Time management practices — organize daily task schedules across multiple classrooms or student groups to meet instructional support commitments reliably.
proficient
Multi-setting student supervision — independently oversee student behavior and safety across classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, and off-campus field trip environments, exercising sound professional judgment.Differentiated tutoring support — design and implement individualized reinforcement strategies for struggling learners across diverse grade levels and subject areas within a K–12 school.Policy application and de-escalation — interpret and enforce school conduct policies while using social perceptiveness to de-escalate behavioral situations before teacher intervention is required.Social skills curriculum delivery — plan and teach targeted social skills lessons aligned to school-wide behavioral frameworks, adjusting content for developmental and cultural context.Safety-focused equipment instruction — proactively instruct students on equipment care protocols and conduct risk assessments to prevent injuries in laboratory, technology, and physical education settings.Cross-classroom instructional collaboration — coordinate independently with multiple teachers to integrate support strategies that reinforce consistent learning outcomes across subject areas.Multimedia-supported instruction — develop and deliver subject matter presentations using multimedia educational software and video creation tools, enhancing student engagement in secondary school contexts.Learning data monitoring — track individual and group progress using database and project management software, providing teachers with actionable observations to inform instructional adjustments.Video conferencing facilitation — lead virtual small-group tutoring or instructional sessions using conferencing platforms, managing student participation and technical troubleshooting independently.Complex problem-solving in student support — analyze persistent learning or behavioral challenges affecting individual students and recommend evidence-informed interventions to the classroom teacher and support team.
advanced
School-wide supervision systems — lead the design and continuous improvement of student supervision protocols across all campus environments, setting standards adopted by the full paraprofessional team.Peer coaching and mentorship — mentor and evaluate emerging and developing teaching assistants, modeling effective tutoring techniques and providing structured feedback to build team instructional capacity.Policy development advisory role — contribute expertise to the revision of student conduct policies and classroom management guidelines, representing paraprofessional perspectives to school leadership.Social-emotional learning program leadership — spearhead school-wide social skills initiatives, collaborating with counselors, teachers, and administrators to align program goals with student wellbeing outcomes.Safety culture stewardship — establish and champion school-wide standards for equipment use, classroom safety, and injury prevention, training staff and conducting regular compliance reviews.Instructional partnership framework — develop structured collaborative models between teaching assistants and classroom teachers, formalizing coordination practices that raise consistency of student support across grade levels.Professional development curriculum design — create and facilitate training workshops for paraprofessional staff on instructional methods, learning strategies, and technology tools used in K–12 educational environments.Data-driven program evaluation — lead the collection, analysis, and reporting of student support data using database and project management platforms, presenting findings to school leadership to guide resource allocation.Technology integration leadership — evaluate, pilot, and champion the adoption of emerging educational technologies — including adaptive learning and multimedia tools — across the school's instructional support program.Organizational advocacy and representation — represent the teaching assistant workforce in school improvement committees, communicating staffing needs, workload considerations, and professional development priorities to administrators and district leadership.
Also known as
52 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Bilingual Teacher AideBSIP Instructional Aide (Basic Skills Improvement Program Instructional Aide)Classroom AideClassroom AssistantEarly Childhood Teacher Assistant (EC Teacher Assistant)Education ParaprofessionalEducational AssistantEducational Assistant TeacherEducational Technician (Educational Tech)Elementary InstructorElementary ParaprofessionalElementary Teacher AssistantExam Grader (Examination Grader)Exam Proctor (Examination Proctor)Exam Scorer (Examination Scorer)Exceptional Student Education Aide (ESE Aide)Gifted and Talented Student Education AideGraderGrading ClerkHelper TeacherIn School Suspension Aide (ISS Aide)Instructional AideInstructional AssistantInstructional ParaprofessionalKindergarten AssistantKindergarten ParaprofessionalKindergartner HelperLearning Support AidePaper GraderParaeducatorParaprofessionalParaprofessional AideParaprofessional Aide TeacherParaprofessional EducatorPractice TeacherPre-K Assistant Teacher (Pre-Kindergarten Assistant Teacher)Pre-K Teacher Assistant (Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Assistant)Preschool AidePreschool Instructional Assistant (Preschool IA)Preschool Paraprofessional