---
title: 'Special Education Paraprofessional at Rocketship Public Schools'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/special-education-paraprofessional-rocketship-public-schools-nashville-wqp5z3gs21rf'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-22'
---

# Special Education Paraprofessional at Rocketship Public Schools

- **Company:** Rocketship Public Schools
- **Location:** Nashville, TN
- **Compensation:** $21–$26/hr
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-16
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-22
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/rocketship/51070608-bfc1-4458-9874-0647f43fa693

## 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: This position is ideal for individuals who are passionate about supporting students with disabilities and helping them thrive in an inclusive learning environment. Candidates should have a foundational understanding of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), differentiated instruction, and strategies for fostering student independence while providing appropriate academic support. The Paraprofessional supports both English Language Arts (ELA) and Math instruction, balancing direct intervention with opportunities for students to build confidence, engagement, and independence. Behavior support is a key component of this role. Candidates with experience implementing Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs), utilizing positive behavior support strategies, and collaborating with teachers to reinforce behavioral expectations throughout the school day will be especially successful. The ideal candidate is patient, flexible, and relationship-driven, with the ability to remain calm and consistent while supporting students through challenging behaviors. They create a structured, positive learning environment that promotes both academic growth and social-emotional development. Strong collaboration and communication skills are essential, as Paraprofessionals partner closely with teachers, specialists, and other school staff to reinforce student goals, redirect behavior when needed, maintain student engagement, and ensure students receive the academic, behavioral, and emotional support they need to succeed throughout the school day. Location: Rocketship Nashville Northeast Elementary - 2526 Dickerson Pike, Nashville, TN 37207

Essential Functions

- Implement individual and small group instruction for students special education needs under the direction of the special education case manager
- Collaborate with students' case managers to assess student progress towards goals on a consistent basis; communicate student progress with case managers and general education teachers
- Collaborate with all staff members to ensure that all students have consistent and well-coordinated support and communicate effectively with colleagues and contribute to positive staff culture
- Partner with families on the academic and social progress and needs of a student
- Provide accommodations and/or modifications to learners with disabilities to provide access to grade level content and demonstrate her or his true understanding on assessments as determined by the IEP team in collaboration with general educators
- Ensure that all students realize rigorous academic goals outlined in their IEP along with our core content. Our goal is that each Rocketeer grows at least 1.5 years
- Implement behavior management strategies during small group and individual instruction in order to support student engagement
- Manage student behavior for the purpose of providing a safe and optimal learning environment
- Collect and provide feedback for the development of Behavior Support Plans (BSPs) or Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) as needed
- Assist in the implementation of BIPs, which may involve positive reinforcement strategies, behavior modification, or other skills to maintain appropriate behaviors
- Record data for individualized instructional programs and positive behavior support plans
- Support a spectrum of needs for life skills, including but not limited to: toileting and diapering, assist with hygiene, feeding and other daily life skills
- Provide appropriate crisis intervention as necessary using the least restrictive method by anticipating and responding quickly and appropriately to escalating behaviors

## Qualifications

- A team player who is detail-oriented, resourceful and able to manage his/her responsibility with confidence and discretion
- Comfort in a start-up environment with flexibility Interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy
- Passion for working with young children
- At least 2 years of college or passing score on Rocketship's Paraprofessional Assessment required
- Experience working with students with disabilities preferred

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. 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 absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our Sexual Harassment Policy.  For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources.

## 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

- [Elementary Tutor](https://feeny.ai/job/elementary-tutor-rocketship-public-schools-nashville-3bh0ysn00yb4) — Nashville, TN
- [Operations Coordinator](https://feeny.ai/job/operations-coordinator-rocketship-public-schools-antioch-rj6a18yj8w38) — Antioch, TN
- [Operations Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/operations-specialist-rocketship-public-schools-antioch-1z3w4tn58se4) — Antioch, TN
- [Special Education Paraprofessional](https://feeny.ai/job/special-education-paraprofessional-rocketship-public-schools-concord-kxy5fppg1w3b) — Concord, CA
- [Senior Recruiter, Talent Acquisition – DC Region](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-recruiter-talent-acquisition-dc-region-rocketship-public-schools-20hzg2gq9yyx) — Washington, DC
- [Operations Specialist - Northeast Nashville](https://feeny.ai/job/operations-specialist-northeast-nashville-rocketship-public-schools-nashville-ede88qdv0ceb) — Nashville, TN
- [Director of Talent](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-talent-rocketship-public-schools-milwaukee-21nn6nqvyedq) — Milwaukee, WI
- [Associate Director, Community Organizing](https://feeny.ai/job/associate-director-community-organizing-rocketship-public-schools-milwaukee-ybpy7ht648v1) — Milwaukee, WI
- [Operations Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/operations-specialist-rocketship-public-schools-washington-zg7e1pmzmnf6) — Washington, DC
- [Founding Specialist, Family Recruitment](https://feeny.ai/job/founding-specialist-family-recruitment-rocketship-public-schools-lavergne-smyrna-hg81cjrdbvex) — Lavergne/smyrna, TN