---
title: 'Special Education Paraprofessional at Rocketship Public Schools'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/special-education-paraprofessional-rocketship-public-schools-milwaukee-c2a89nef5t40'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-27'
---

# Special Education Paraprofessional at Rocketship Public Schools

- **Company:** Rocketship Public Schools
- **Location:** Milwaukee, WI
- **Compensation:** $21–$26/hr
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-05-05
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-27
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/rocketship/13cbe2c9-f2ed-430d-8140-480193f2825f

## Job description

At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential. And it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.

Position Summary

The Paraprofessional / Individualized Learning Specialist provides direct support to students with individualized learning, behavioral, social-emotional, functional, and personal care needs in the school environment. This role supports students in general education and special education settings, including classrooms, small-group settings, recess, lunch, transitions, and other school-based activities.

The Paraprofessional works under the supervision and direction of a certificated Education Specialist, who provides training, oversight, and guidance. This role is responsible for helping implement accommodations, modifications, instructional supports, behavior plans, and individualized student supports aligned to students’ Individualized Education Programs.

The ideal candidate is patient, flexible, student-centered, and committed to helping all students access instruction, participate meaningfully in school, and make progress toward their academic, behavioral, and functional goals.

Essential Functions

Student Support and Instruction

- Provide individual and small-group support to students under the direction of the Education Specialist or special education case manager.
- Support students with academic, behavioral, social-emotional, functional, and personal care needs throughout the school day.
- Assist students in accessing grade-level instruction through accommodations, modifications, and individualized supports as outlined in their IEPs.
- Support students in general education and special education settings, including classrooms, recess, lunch, transitions, and other school activities.
- Help students work toward academic and functional goals outlined in their IEPs.
- Implement instructional strategies, accommodations, and modifications as directed by the Education Specialist, general education teacher, or IEP team.
- Record student data related to instructional programs, IEP goals, behavior plans, and student progress.
- Share student progress and observations with the Education Specialist, case manager, and appropriate school staff.

Behavior Support

- Implement positive behavior support strategies to promote student engagement, safety, and success.
- Support student behavior in a way that helps maintain a safe, structured, and supportive learning environment.
- Assist with the implementation of Behavior Support Plans and Behavior Intervention Plans, as appropriate.
- Collect and share behavior-related data and observations to support the development or adjustment of student behavior plans.
- Use proactive strategies to anticipate and respond to student needs.
- Provide support during behavioral escalation using approved school procedures, training, and the least restrictive approach possible.

Personal Care and Functional Support

- Support students with life skills and daily living needs, which may include toileting, diapering, hygiene, feeding, mobility, transitions, and other personal care needs.
- Assist students with adaptive and functional skills in a respectful, safe, and dignified manner.
- Follow student-specific plans, school procedures, and staff guidance when providing personal care or functional support.
- Maintain student confidentiality and professionalism when supporting personal or sensitive student needs.

Collaboration and Communication

- Collaborate with Education Specialists, general education teachers, paraprofessionals, school leaders, related service providers, and other staff members to ensure students receive consistent support.
- Communicate effectively and professionally with colleagues regarding student needs, progress, concerns, and supports.
- Partner with families, under the guidance of the Education Specialist or school team, to support student academic, behavioral, and social growth.
- Contribute to a positive, collaborative, and student-centered staff culture.
- Participate in training, coaching, feedback, and professional development as assigned.

Our Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is:

- Student-centered, with a strong belief that all students can learn, grow, and succeed.
- Patient and compassionate, especially when supporting students with significant academic, behavioral, functional, or personal care needs.
- Reliable and professional, with strong follow-through and attention to detail.
- Collaborative, with the ability to work closely with teachers, Education Specialists, paraprofessionals, school leaders, families, and related service providers.
- Flexible and adaptable, with comfort working in a fast-paced school environment.
- Calm under pressure, with the ability to support students during challenging moments.
- Respectful and discreet, especially when supporting personal care needs and confidential student information.
- Passionate about working with children and committed to Rocketship’s mission.

Salary Hourly pay for this role ranges from $21.00 to $26.00 per hour. Final hourly rate will be determined in accordance with the applicable salary schedule.

Required Qualifications

- High school diploma or equivalent.
- At least two years of college coursework, associate degree, or passing score on Rocketship’s Paraprofessional Assessment.
- Ability to work under the direction of a certificated Education Specialist, teacher, or school leader.
- Ability to support students with academic, behavioral, social-emotional, functional, and personal care needs.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including tact, patience, professionalism, and courtesy.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion when working with students and families.
- Ability to communicate effectively with students, families, and school staff.
- Commitment to Rocketship Public Schools’ mission, vision, and goals.

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience working with children in a school, childcare, youth development, special education, behavioral support, or related setting.
- Experience supporting students with disabilities.
- Experience implementing accommodations, modifications, behavior supports, or individualized student plans.
- Experience collecting student data or supporting progress monitoring.
- Experience supporting students with personal care, functional skills, or adaptive needs.
- Bilingual skills preferred, based on school community needs.

Physical Demands

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.

Compensation:

Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off.

Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools’ employees to perform their expected job duties is abs

## About Rocketship Public Schools

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Rocketship Public Schools is a national nonprofit network of high-performing public charter elementary schools serving underserved communities, focused on closing the achievement gap through personalized learning, talent development, and community partnerships.
- **Entity Type**: Private (nonprofit charter school network; not publicly traded)
- **Headquarters**: Redwood City, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2006
- **Founders**: John Danner and Preston Smith

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: K-12 public education (charter schools)
- **Target customers**: Students and families in low-income communities (pre-K through 5th grade), B2C (publicly funded, tuition-free)
- **Mission or purpose**: "To catalyze transformative change in underserved communities through a scalable and sustainable public school model that propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community."

## Products & Services
- **Public Charter Elementary Schools**: A network of high-performing, tuition-free public elementary schools (pre-K to grade 5) operating in California, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Washington D.C. The model includes personalized learning, content-specialized teachers (STEM/Humanities), Learning Lab (adaptive technology), enrichment classes, and family engagement. [rocketshipschools.org](https://www.rocketshipschools.org/en/about/our-mission-and-model/)
- **Teacher Residency & PD Launchpad**: Professional development programs offering real-time coaching, instructional frameworks, and dedicated weekly PD for teachers. [rocketshipschools.org](https://www.rocketshipschools.org/en/join-our-team/)
- **Career Pathways**: Clear advancement opportunities from teacher to school leader, with roles in integrated special education, school support, leadership, and network support (HR, IT, finance, strategy, etc.). [rocketshipschools.org](https://www.rocketshipschools.org/en/join-our-team/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not applicable (nonprofit organization)
- **Key Metric**: 33,567 total lifetime students served (as of 2023-2024); network of 23+ schools across four regions
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not publicly listed as a funded startup; funding comes from public per-pupil revenue, grants, and philanthropic donations. The network is recognized as a "gap busting" charter network by the Stanford CREDO study (2023).
- **Growth Signals**: The 2023 Stanford CREDO study found Rocketship students gained the equivalent of 5–7 months of additional learning in a single school year; expansion beyond California into Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Washington D.C.; ongoing hiring for 2026-2027 school year with signing bonuses (e.g., $5,000 for 5th Grade Math Teacher). [rocketshipschools.org](https://www.rocketshipschools.org/en/) and [jobs.lever.co](https://jobs.lever.co/rocketship)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proven academic impact**: Data from Stanford CREDO shows outsized learning gains for low-income students, positioning Rocketship as one of the charter sector's most effective networks.
- **Specialized teacher model**: Teachers focus on either STEM or Humanities, enabling deeper expertise and collaboration, unlike traditional elementary generalist model.
- **Strong family engagement**: Home visits before each school year, parent input on school naming and enrichment, and a culture of partnership that increases accountability and support.
- **Personalized learning at scale**: Combination of whole-group instruction, small-group tutoring, and adaptive online learning, driven by real-time data on student mastery.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling model**: Expanding to serve more students across current regions and potentially new markets, while maintaining high fidelity to the Rocketship model.
- **Talent development**: Investing heavily in teacher coaching, residency programs, and clear career ladders to retain and grow educators.
- **Community power**: Deepening parent and community organizing to advocate for high-quality public school options and policy change.
- **Whole-child education**: Integrating social-emotional learning, character values (persistence, empathy, responsibility, respect), and enrichment classes alongside core academics.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: Join a team committed to educational equity in low-income communities, with a strong sense of purpose and partnership among teachers, parents, and leaders.
- **Career growth**: Clear pathways from teacher to school leader, with internal promotion and support for leadership roles; network support roles offer diverse functions (HR, IT, finance, strategy).
- **Professional development**: Weekly coaching, real-time feedback, instructional frameworks, and dedicated PD time through programs like Teacher Residency and PD Launchpad.
- **Exceptional benefits**: Competitive health, dental, and vision coverage; retirement plans; signing bonuses for certain roles (e.g., $5,000 for 5th Grade Math Teacher in Tennessee).
- **Work environment**: Hybrid/onsite roles depending on position (e.g., school-based roles are onsite; some network support roles may be hybrid). Emphasis on collaboration, data-driven instruction, and a supportive school community.
- **Locations**: Schools in California (Bay Area, Sacramento), Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Tennessee (Nashville area), and Washington D.C.

## Sources
1. [rocketshipschools.org - Join Our Team](https://www.rocketshipschools.org/en/join-our-team/)
2. [rocketshipschools.org - Homepage](https://www.rocketshipschools.org/en/)
3. [rocketshipschools.org - Mission & Model](https://www.rocketshipschools.org/en/about/our-mission-and-model/)
4. [jobs.lever.co - Rocketship Careers](https://jobs.lever.co/rocketship)

## Other roles at Rocketship Public Schools

- [Assistant Principal](https://feeny.ai/job/assistant-principal-rocketship-public-schools-antioch-f4ah7t6yx6tj) — Antioch, TN
- [Special Education Teacher](https://feeny.ai/job/special-education-teacher-rocketship-public-schools-smyrna-50bty3cmtp0b) — Smyrna, TN
- [English as a Second Language Teacher](https://feeny.ai/job/english-as-a-second-language-teacher-rocketship-public-schools-smyrna-5swdfevg95jg) — Smyrna, TN
- [Elementary Teacher](https://feeny.ai/job/elementary-teacher-rocketship-public-schools-smyrna-r93gfxbtfqr3) — Smyrna, TN
- [Special Education Teacher: Mod/Severe](https://feeny.ai/job/special-education-teacher-mod-severe-rocketship-public-schools-nashville-4zrqb7yjtave) — Nashville, TN
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- [Elementary Teacher](https://feeny.ai/job/elementary-teacher-rocketship-public-schools-nashville-3ds6vs55evf0) — Nashville, TN
- [Assistant Principal](https://feeny.ai/job/assistant-principal-rocketship-public-schools-nashville-80thwdhgr7w4) — Nashville, TN
- [English as a Second Language Teacher](https://feeny.ai/job/english-as-a-second-language-teacher-rocketship-public-schools-antioch-54ktgme51ajt) — Antioch, TN