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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Intervention Assistant

💰 $28,000 - $45,000

EducationBehavioral HealthSchool SupportSpecial Education

🎯 Role Definition

An Intervention Assistant provides direct, targeted support to students or clients who require academic, behavioral, or social-emotional interventions. Working under the supervision of classroom teachers, special education staff, school psychologists, or case managers, the Intervention Assistant implements evidence-based strategies, collects and reports progress-monitoring data, facilitates small-group instruction, and collaborates with families and multidisciplinary teams to ensure interventions are delivered with fidelity and adapted to individual needs. The role balances hands-on support, documentation, and communication to improve outcomes within RTI (Response to Intervention), PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports), and IEP-driven programs.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Paraprofessional / Teacher Aide in general education or special education settings
  • Community outreach worker or family support specialist
  • Recent graduates with degrees or certificates in education, psychology, or human services

Advancement To:

  • Special Education Teacher or Classroom Teacher (with certification)
  • Behavior Intervention Specialist or Behavior Analyst Technician (BCaBA/BCBA pathway)
  • School-based Case Manager or Student Support Coordinator
  • Program Coordinator for intervention services or RTI/PBIS lead

Lateral Moves:

  • School Counselor Assistant
  • Classroom Paraeducator with a specialized focus (autism, emotional/behavioral disorders)
  • Family Engagement Specialist or Community Resource Liaison

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Implement individualized intervention plans (academic, behavioral, or social-emotional) as written by teachers, special educators, or behavior specialists, ensuring consistent delivery and fidelity to evidence-based practices.
  • Deliver small-group and one-to-one instruction using scaffolding techniques, differentiated materials, and curriculum modifications aligned with IEP goals and RTI tiered supports.
  • Conduct systematic progress monitoring by administering curriculum-based measures and assessment probes, recording baseline data, and entering results into district data systems on scheduled intervals.
  • Observe and document student behavior, triggers, antecedents, and outcomes using behavior tracking forms, ABC logs, or digital behavior management platforms to inform ongoing intervention adjustments.
  • Assist in designing, preparing, and adapting instructional materials, visual supports, social stories, and manipulatives to promote skill acquisition and engagement for diverse learners.
  • Implement positive behavior supports and de-escalation strategies during classroom activities, transitions, and unstructured times to maintain safety and teach replacement behaviors.
  • Participate in multidisciplinary meetings (IEP meetings, RTI/MTSS problem-solving sessions, family conferences) to share progress data, contribute observations, and help plan next steps for intervention.
  • Communicate proactively and compassionately with families and caregivers to share strategies, explain progress-monitoring results, and provide coaching on home supports that reinforce school-based interventions.
  • Facilitate social skills groups and structured peer interactions that explicitly teach communication, self-regulation, conflict resolution, and cooperative play in developmentally appropriate ways.
  • Support formal and informal assessments by preparing students, administering standardized subtests as assigned, and ensuring testing conditions meet privacy and validity requirements.
  • Monitor and support students' transitions between classes, bus loading/unloading, cafeteria, and playground to prevent skill regression and reinforce classroom expectations.
  • Implement and document crisis intervention protocols when necessary, following district/school procedures and reporting any incidents to appropriate supervisory staff immediately.
  • Maintain accurate, confidential records of services provided, daily logs, behavior charts, and intervention notes to meet compliance standards and support audit readiness.
  • Use data to identify patterns and recommend tier adjustments or referrals for additional supports (e.g., speech, occupational therapy, counseling) to the supervising team.
  • Assist teachers with classroom management systems by reinforcing routines, cueing expected behaviors, and implementing incentive-based reinforcement plans.
  • Train and mentor new paraprofessionals or volunteers on intervention procedures, documentation standards, and classroom expectations to ensure continuity of services.
  • Support technology-based interventions by operating educational software, learning platforms, and behavior tracking apps; troubleshoot basic issues and coordinate with IT when needed.
  • Maintain supplies, prepare intervention kits, and ensure materials and visual supports are organized, labeled, and available for consistent implementation.
  • Advocate for student needs within the school environment by escalating concerns, recommending additional assessments, and ensuring interventions are culturally and linguistically responsive.
  • Ensure compliance with legal and ethical guidelines including FERPA/HIPAA where applicable, maintaining confidentiality of student records and sensitive family information.
  • Provide wraparound supports by coordinating referrals to community resources, scheduling family appointments, and participating in home visits when part of the intervention plan.
  • Monitor attendance and engagement indicators for students in targeted interventions and collaborate with attendance or truancy teams to address barriers to participation.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Assist with administrative tasks that support program delivery such as scheduling sessions, logging service minutes, and maintaining intervention calendars.
  • Participate in professional development and in-service training to stay current on best practices in behavior management, trauma-informed care, and culturally responsive pedagogy.
  • Help coordinate substitute coverage or reassignments during staff absences to minimize disruption to intervention schedules.
  • Contribute to program evaluation efforts by compiling outcome reports, summarizing trends, and participating in quality improvement initiatives.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Experience implementing RTI, PBIS, or IEP-based interventions with fidelity and documenting outcomes.
  • Proficiency in progress monitoring methods (curriculum-based measurement, DIBELS, CBM) and entering data into student information systems or behavior-tracking software.
  • Familiarity with behavior support planning, ABC data collection, and basic functional behavior assessment (FBA) documentation processes.
  • Ability to deliver differentiated instruction and scaffolded lessons aligned to individualized learning objectives.
  • Competence using educational technology and learning management systems (Google Classroom, Seesaw, ClassDojo, or district LMS).
  • Strong record-keeping practices with comfort using Excel or Google Sheets for tracking intervention frequency and student performance.
  • Knowledge of de-escalation techniques, crisis prevention, and safe physical intervention protocols consistent with school district policy.
  • Understanding of special education legal basics (IEP process, confidentiality/FERPA, mandated reporting) and compliance expectations.
  • Basic assessment administration skills (e.g., running probes, recording responses, timing fluency measures) under the supervision of licensed staff.
  • Ability to prepare instructional materials, visual supports, and differentiated resources using common tools (Microsoft Office, Canva, print-shop processes).

Soft Skills

  • Strong interpersonal and family-engagement skills; communicates clearly, respectfully, and empathetically with students, families, and staff.
  • Excellent observational and analytical skills to notice subtle behavior trends and reliably translate observations into actionable data.
  • Patience, resilience, and flexibility to respond positively to challenging behaviors and changing intervention needs.
  • Collaborative mindset able to work within multidisciplinary teams, accept feedback, and contribute constructively to solution planning.
  • Cultural competency and sensitivity to the needs of diverse families, languages, and learning styles.
  • Time management and organizational skills to balance multiple caseloads, documentation deadlines, and scheduling requirements.
  • Problem-solving orientation with the ability to propose practical modifications to intervention approaches based on data.
  • Ethical judgement and discretion in handling confidential student and family information.
  • Strong written communication for creating clear progress notes, email updates, and formal documentation.
  • Coaching and modeling skills to effectively teach strategies to parents, volunteers, and less experienced staff.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent required; completion of district/paraprofessional certification preferred.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's degree or Bachelor's degree in Education, Special Education, Psychology, Social Work, Human Services, or related field preferred.
  • Additional certificates or coursework in behavior intervention, applied behavior analysis (ABA), trauma-informed care, or paraeducator training are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Special Education
  • Psychology
  • Social Work
  • Child Development
  • Human Services

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0–3 years of experience in educational support, paraprofessional roles, or community youth services; entry-level candidates with strong practicum or volunteer experience are considered.

Preferred:

  • 1–3+ years of direct experience implementing interventions, working with special education students, or supporting behavior plans in a school, clinic, or community setting; experience with RTI/MTSS and progress-monitoring systems strongly preferred.
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