Instructional Support Specialist, Intensive Behavior Intervention

Salary: $22.28 - $27.08 Hourly
Location : School Sites, Simi Valley, CA
Job Type: Part-Time: Perm and Substitute
Job Number: -5
Department: Student Support Services
Opening Date: 02/17/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
PURPOSE
To create a list of eligible candidates for filling current permanent and temporary (part-time) assignments for the duration of the list, up to six months. Permanent positions are typically 10-month, part-time roles (6.25 hours per day) based at school sites in Simi Valley, California.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Completed applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on TBD. Late applications and/or certificates will not be accepted.
TESTING PROCESS:
A) Evaluation of Training and Experience (T&E) = Qualifying (pass/fail).
B) Structured Interview = 100% weighting on final score. Tentatively scheduled for as early as the week of August 3, 2026
Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job posting by the application deadline in order to move forward in the testing process. Those applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will have their application materials reviewed by a screening committee that will evaluate the training and experience of each applicant as it relates to the areas assessed in the supplemental questions. Those with the highest scores on the T&E will be invited to the structured interview. The testing process is subject to change as needs dictate. All communication regarding this process will be delivered via email.
The information included in the Work Experience section of the application will determine whether applicants meet minimum qualifications. Please make sure you include ALL current and previous employment in the Work Experience section of the application and complete ALL fields.
Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.
Summary
Assists teachers, therapists, and counselors with administration of Intensive Behavior Intervention services and tutoring to students in a school, home, or other setting. Trains and serves as a mentor to Special Education and IBI Instructional Assistants. Performs role of team leader, and provides modeling, coaching and shadowing to IBI Instructional Assistants.
Distinguishing Career Features
The Instructional Support Specialist, Intensive Behavioral Intervention, is the second and senior paraprofessional level, requiring advanced specialization in behavioral intervention and the demonstrated ability to train others and coordinate IBI therapy programs. Specialists will demonstrate sufficient competency to train and mentor others, and implement and supervise applied behavior analysis, discrete trial teaching, pivotal response training, social stories, PECS, and TEACCH.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Under the direct supervision of a behavior specialist, certificated teacher and/or other certificated personnel, works on an in-depth basis with individual students with exceptional needs to implement intensive behavioral intervention to selected students one-on-one or in small groups for core academic skills.
• Provides support to therapists and specialists by implementing visual, behavioral, social, and/or communications strategies that enhance student performance and behavior. Administers special drills to reinforce learning. Facilitates social skills training programs.
• Trains, coaches, and shadows less experienced instructional assistants. Assesses intervention workload, and coordinates or sets up schedules for IBI Instructional Assistants. May cover absence of IBI Instructional Assistant when substitutes cannot be placed.
• Keeps appropriate records for teachers, including those on computerized student information and grading systems. Builds, organizes and maintains individual student program notebooks. Assures privacy of student information.
• Intervenes with individual students in core academic and vocational skills. Prepares and may develop age-grade appropriate instructional aids and exercises to support the behavior intervention and subject matter being taught.
• Participates in consultations with parents and staff on IBI therapy interventions for students on site and in home programs. Attends Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) meetings as necessary to observe the connection between therapy and educational goals.
• Provides input to therapists, specialists, and teachers on student performance, progress, and behavior. Alerts teacher and resource staff to any special problems or information concerning students. Assists to develop and evaluate individual and group educational goals and objectives; participates in meetings as assigned.
• Exercises constant supervision of children; observes, monitors, controls and redirects behavior of students within approved procedures. Uses appropriate discipline in accordance with grade level, student's ability to understand discipline and approved procedures. Uses approved techniques for responding to students whose behavior may escalate to self-injurious or physically aggressive acts, including spitting, pinching, biting, hair-pulling, kicking and hitting. Develops and uses incentives as positive reinforcement. Reinforces behavior modification techniques determined by the teacher or other allied professionals.
• Documents student progress and performance using the individualized education plan as a guide. Records information in formats that support further evaluations.
• Assists special program administrative staff with the preparation and presentation of in service training sessions. Assists in organizing meetings and participates in meetings to share information about the IBI programs.
• Prepares and maintains a variety of files and records, including data collection, for classroom or assigned program.
• Assists in maintaining order among students in the classroom and school grounds. Assures safety of students following health and safety rules. Assists and supervises individual and groups of students in moving from place-to-place in an orderly manner, (i.e. school bus to classroom, classroom to restroom, lunch room, on playgrounds, on field trips and co-curricular activities).
• When working with severely disabled students, may be required to assist students with certain medical and hygiene functions.
• Must observe confidentiality. Must be discrete in responding to student behaviors whenever possible.
• Remains up-to-date in the knowledge of IBI approaches through attendance at on-going in-service trainings, workshops and seminars sponsored by the District, Ventura County SELPA or other acceptable, approved agencies.
• Assists in maintaining a neat and orderly environment that supports learning. Performs a variety of classroom and program related clerical services such as maintaining charts and records, preparing and storing instructional materials and equipment, copying materials, operating office machines, including computer, copier and other audio-visual equipment.
• Performs other duties as assigned that support the overall objective of the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Education and Experience

Requires an Associate's degree in early childhood development, psychology, speech pathology or equivalent discipline and one year experience working with special education students which involved IBI/ABA techniques or implementing IBI/ABA programs. Additional related experience may substitute for some higher education based on two years of experience for one year of college.
*A Bachelor's degree in early childhood development, psychology, speech pathology or equivalent discipline is highly desirable. Incumbents hired into this classification, and who have completed (and provided proof) of this level of education will be assigned as an Instructional Support Specialist, IBI at salary range 80.

• Licenses and Certificates

Requires:

• A valid California driver's license.
• Completion of the SVUSD Intensive Behavior Intervention (IBI) certification training (including successful completion of extended mentoring program), or equivalent training/certification.

Employees must fulfill the following certification requirements within six months of employment in a regular position (and maintain valid certification):

• Completion of Non-Violent Crisis Prevention and Intervention (NCPI) training or equivalent.
• Valid first aid and CPR certification.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

• Knowledge and Skills

The position requires: Working knowledge of the principles and practices of age appropriate child development and guidance applicable for an educational setting. Working knowledge of autism and other developmental disabilities. Working knowledge of the principles of applied behavior analysis and specific instruction methodologies such as, but not limited to, discrete trial teaching, social stories, and pivotal response training. Working knowledge of the subjects taught in the District schools, including arithmetic, grammar, spelling, language and reading, with sufficient competency to assist students with individual or group studies. Basic knowledge of teaching and instruction methods. Knowledge of document requirements for special education students and programs. Knowledge of and skill at using personal computers, audiovisual, and other equipment to support learning, record information, and send communications. Well-developed human relation skills to work productively and cooperatively with teachers, students, and parents in formal and informal settings, conduct in-service training, to exercise extreme levels of patience when conveying information to students having difficulty with verbal and written communications, and demonstrate sensitivity to the special needs of students. May require competency in a second language.

• Abilities

Requires the ability to: Assist teaching staff with the implementation of instructional goals and activities, assessing the needs of individual students and developing instructional support techniques and materials to meet those needs. Work with students who have severe developmental delays and behavior problems. Apply principles of positive reinforcement, applied behavior analysis, and discrete trial teaching. Manage students who act out verbally and physically. Interact with teachers, parents, and specialists in order to carry out assigned duties. Oversee students, administer assignments and tests, and perform general clerical tasks. Work with and demonstrate sensitivity to a diverse population of students and parents. Relate positively to students in a teaching/learning environment in a way that builds confidence, recognizes and works on learning disabilities and barriers. May require competency in a second language or basic competency in sign language.

• Physical Abilities

Requires the ability to perform in an office, and indoor and/or outdoor learning environment engaged in work of primarily a sedentary to a moderately active nature. Requires near visual acuity to read and write printed materials and computer screens. Requires hearing and speech ability for ordinary and telephonic conversation, to speak to individuals and groups, and to hear sound prompts from equipment. Requires ambulatory ability to: move about office, classroom/laboratory, school grounds or other learning environment, to tutor, assist with presentations, and reach work materials. Requires sufficient manual and finger dexterity to demonstrate teaching aids, to point out important words/figures to students, and to operate personal computers. Requires the ability to lift, carry, push, and move supplies, equipment, wheelchairs, etc., of light to medium weight on a regular basis, and heavy weight with assistance or labor saving equipment.

• Working Conditions

Work is performed indoors and outdoors with some exposure to health and safety considerations from physical labor and exposure to body fluids.
Individuals protected by the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) may request accommodation if needed. In order for appropriate arrangements to be made for testing, your request must be received at the time your application is submitted. If special arrangements are not requested at the time the application is submitted, it is understood that no special accommodations are required. Documentation on the need for accommodation must accompany your request.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Simi Valley Unified School District is committed to providing equal opportunity for all applicants for employment. The application, examination, and selection process shall be free from unlawful discrimination, including discrimination against an individual or group based on race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital, pregnancy, or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or genetic information; a perception of one or more of such characteristics; or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics
Salary : Five step salary range that provides annual increases of approximately five percent until the fifth step is reached. New hire initial step placement (normally up to Step 3) based on qualifying education and experience as outlined in Merit System Rule 7.20.1. An employee who is promoted to a higher class shall be placed on the step of the new salary range that is at least five percent above the current rate, excluding any differential pay.
Vacation : Earned based on assigned hours. Increased vacation allowance based on years of service with the district. Confidential employees receive an additional 3 days vacation allotment, up to a maximum of 22 days. Management employees receive 22 days of vacation (based on 12-month assignment).
Sick Leave : Earned at the rate of one day (based on the number of assigned hours) per month, and is accumulative from year to year.
Holidays: Fourteen paid holidays per year (based on 12-month assignment).
Insurance and Credit Union : The District offers a competitive Health and Welfare plan for employees and dependents, based upon the number of hours worked; employees who are placed in a regular assignment of 20 hours or more per week are eligible for benefits. The Ventura Schools Federal Credit Union offers a variety of services.
Retirement: Employees are covered by Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) Social Security and Medicare. Contributions are made by both the employee and employer. Click to visit website.
01
This supplemental application form will be used by a Training and Experience Rating Committee to evaluate your qualifications for this position. Based on the evaluation, the candidates with the highest scores will be invited to a technical/personal fitness interview. Therefore, it is imperative that you answer the questions as completely and accurately as possible.Describe YOUR EXPERIENCE and YOUR QUALIFICATIONS carefully as this information will help us determine how well you meet the (minimum and relative) employment qualification standards for this classification. All information should be clearly stated - incomplete or vague responses may disqualify your application or reduce the credit given for your qualifications and cause you to be screened out of the process. Respond honestly and truthfully to all questions. Over-evaluating your skill level is considered false and/or misleading information. Applicants found to have provided false or misleading information or over-evaluation of their skills will be disqualified from further employment processing.All information requested in the questions must be indicated on this supplemental application. References to other documents, statements such as "please see resume," biographical sketches, etc. will not be accepted in-lieu of this supplemental application. You may attach your resume in addition to the supplemental application. The general application form must also be completed. Please respond below indicating that you have read and understood these instructions and agree to answer the following questions as completely, accurately, and honestly as possible.

• Yes, I agree to answer
• No, I do not agree

02
Please list any training, certifications, and college-level coursework you have completed relevant to the position of Instructional Support Specialist, Intensive Behavior Intervention (ISS, IBI). In your response, include (A) the name of the institution where the training, certification, or courses were completed, (B) the title of the training, certification or courses, (C) the year training was completed and expiration date, if any. If you have not completed any applicable training, certifications, or coursework, please indicate "N/A."
03
Describe the populations you have worked with, including ages/grades, disabilities, and service locations.
04
Describe how you have implemented behavior intervention plans. In your response, please include (A) the name of the organization where you gained this experience, (B) your role and responsibilities, (C) the duration of your experience. If you do not have any experience in this area, please indicate "N/A
05
What effect do antecedent and consequential events have on our behavior?
06
What are the four functions of behavior? Why is it important to identify the function of an inappropriate behavior?
Required Question