What are the responsibilities and job description for the Substitute Instructional Associate (IA) position at San José Unified School District?
The impact you will have: As a Substitute Instructional Associate, you will provide essential classroom support that helps students remain engaged, included, and successful when regular staff are unavailable. Whether assisting in general education, special education, or specialized instructional settings, your flexibility, patience, and commitment to student success will help maintain a positive, supportive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. By ensuring continuity of support, you play a vital role in helping today's students become the thinkers, leaders, and creators of tomorrow.
Who you are: You are a compassionate, dependable, and adaptable professional who is passionate about supporting student success. You build positive relationships with students and staff, communicate effectively, and thrive in a collaborative learning environment. Whether serving in a general education, special education, or specialized classroom, you quickly adapt to new settings, provide meaningful instructional and behavioral support, and help create safe, inclusive learning environments where every student has the opportunity to succeed.
As a substitute Instructional Associate – Specialized (Special Education K–12), you will be responsible for (but not limited to):
- Supporting certificated staff in delivering instructional content and individualized student support
- Assisting students with academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and life skill development
- Implementing instructional and behavior support strategies aligned with student IEPs and support plans
- Supervising students in classrooms, on campus, and during school activities in a caring and respectful manner
- Supporting inclusive and structured learning environments that promote student success and safety
- Collaborating with teachers, specialists, and families to support student needs and goals
- Assisting students with toileting and mobility
- Maintaining a clean, safe, and organized learning environment
- Applying crisis intervention and de-escalation strategies as appropriate to support student safety and well-being
What you bring:
- Completion of 12th grade or equivalent
- Prior experience working with students with special needs is preferred
SB 848 Child Safety & Employment Disclosure Requirement
Effective January 1, 2026, in accordance with California Senate Bill 848 (School Employee Misconduct/Child Abuse Prevention Act), applicants for employment with San José Unified are subject to enhanced child safety, training, and employment disclosure requirements.
Under SB 848, schools are required to strengthen background vetting procedures and obtain employment history information related to allegations of egregious misconduct involving students. Former employers may be contacted to release records regarding substantiated findings of misconduct as permitted by law. Failure to provide complete and accurate information regarding prior educational employment or relevant misconduct findings may result in disqualification from the hiring process or withdrawal of an offer of employment.
SB 848 also expands mandated reporter requirements and requires annual child abuse prevention training for employees and certain volunteers by July 1, 2026. All employees must comply with district-adopted child safety policies, including procedures for supervising and protecting students.
San José Unified is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students and will review all disclosures and employment records in accordance with state law.
When will you hear back from us: Within seven days of applying, we will inform you if you will be moving forward in our hiring process and share next steps. If there is a delayed response, feel free to reach out to us at subsupport@sjusd.org.