Pre-K Teacher Assistant

STATUS: Permanent, 10 months, Classified

Salary Range:  $2,600-$3,801.83

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assists teacher with executing instruction and evaluating its effectiveness.
• Participates in daily and long-range lessons and activity planning.
• Constantly monitors the safety and well-being of students; monitors student attitudes and encourages self-esteem; assists students with becoming increasingly independent.
• Monitors student behavior and helps maintain discipline in the classroom; records time-out and in-class suspension; assists with crisis prevention; restrains students as needed.
• Conducts learning exercises with small groups of children.
• Guides children in working and playing harmoniously with other children.
• Alerts the teacher to the special needs of individual children.
• Provides escort and assistance to children as necessary.
• Helps maintain individual records for each child.
• Fosters good eating habits and table manners in children.
• Assists teacher in maintaining neat work and study areas.
• Assists with the supervision of children during regular play periods.
• Collects and displays suitable material for educational displays.
• Remains knowledgeable of current Pre-K issues by attending staff development and reading current literature/publications.
• Assists with the screening process of students for possible Pre-K participation/enrollment.
• Accompanies and assists the teacher on home visits.
• Performs other related work as required.

Minimum Training and Experience

All NC Pre-K Teacher assistants shall: 

(1) have a high school diploma or its equivalent and shall either: 

(a) hold a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential; or 

(b) hold or be working toward an Associate Degree or higher in birth-through kindergarten, child development, early childhood education, or an early childhood education-related field. Teacher assistants working toward the Associate Degree shall make progress by completing a minimum of six semester hours per year. 

(2) complete a minimum of 15 hours of annual in-service professional development. A combination of college coursework, Continuing Education Units (CEUS), or clock hours may be used to complete the requirements of this Rule. 

(3) The site-level administrator shall document the progress of teacher assistants who are working toward the required education. This documentation must maintained in the individual’s staff record available for review by the Division. 

Applicants must meet one of the following criteria to be eligible for employment.

1. Hold an Associate of Arts/Associate of Science or higher degree in one of the following areas:

AA/AAS or higher degree in: 

• Birth-Kindergarten
• Child Care Administration
• Child Development 
• Child and Family Development
• Child and Family Studies
• Child Psychology 
• Early Childhood Education 
• ECE-Special Education 
• ECE-Teacher Associate 
• Elementary Education 
• Human Development and Family Studies 
• Human Growth and Development 
• Human Growth and Family Studies 
• Psychology
• School Age Children 
• Sociology 
• Special Education 

dcdee.9.24.6.13

Essential Job Functions

Must be able to use various equipment and classroom tools such as computers, copiers, typewriters, calculators, pencils, scissors, equipment for children with special needs, etc. Must be able to exert a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

Requires the ability to apply rational systems to solve practical problems

and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only

limited standardization exists; to interpret a variety of instructions

furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form.

Requires the ability to record and deliver information, explain

procedures, to follow oral and written instructions.

Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving

instructions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• General knowledge of activities performed by the teacher.
• General knowledge of daily routines of the classroom.
• Must have a desire to nurture and work with young children.
• Must understand the confidential nature of working in an educational

setting.

• General knowledge of student handbook.
• General knowledge of procedures to follow in the event of an emergency.
• General knowledge of the principles of organization and administration.
• Ability to constantly monitor the safety and well-being of students,

particularly when a student participates in an inclusive setting.

• Ability to motivate students.
• Ability to maintain a clean and orderly environment.
• Ability to perform general clerical duties.
• Ability to maintain order and discipline in a classroom.
• Ability to operate common office machines.
• Ability to maintain basic files and records.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

Reports to:  Pre-K Teacher, Principal, Pre-K Coordinator

Disclaimer:  The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work employees perform within this classification. It is not intended to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees in this job.

Updated: 11.4.24