Competitive Pay W-2 Employee Free Health Insurance Weekly Pay Thursdays Paid Training Provided School-Day Hours 3-Year Contract + Renewal

Paraprofessionals — also called instructional assistants, teacher aides, or IEP aides depending on the district — are the direct-support backbone of special education programs. At Frederick County Public Schools, Eaglewings paraprofessionals work under the supervision of certified special education teachers to help students with disabilities access instruction, build daily-living skills, and participate in the general school environment.

Assignments range from one-to-one support for a specific student named in their IEP, to classroom-embedded support in resource or self-contained special education classrooms, to program-wide support in specialized programs. We'll match you to a setting that fits your background and preferences.

Paraprofessional rates at FCPS are set by classification and student assignment. Because rates can change year over year with district contract updates, we share the current SY 2026–2027 rates when we speak with you. What we can promise: it's W-2 employment with free health benefits, weekly pay, and the same 3-year contract stability (plus 2-year renewal option) that runs across the whole FCPS partnership.

What FCPS Paraprofessionals Do

The specifics depend on the student and the classroom, but a typical paraprofessional day at FCPS includes:

Direct student support — reinforcing lessons the teacher presents, providing 1:1 or small-group re-teaching, and adapting materials so students can participate.
Behavior support — implementing behavior plans written by the IEP team, using positive reinforcement, redirecting off-task behavior, and communicating with the teacher about patterns you observe.
Daily living support — helping with feeding, toileting, mobility, and transitions between classes and activities as outlined in the student's IEP.
Data collection — recording student progress on IEP goals, tracking behavior, and helping the team measure what's working.
Communication support — assisting students who use AAC devices, sign language, or other alternative communication systems.
Community-based instruction (for older students) — supporting job-training placements, community outings, and life-skills instruction outside the school building.

You're part of the team: Paraprofessionals never work in isolation. You'll partner closely with the classroom teacher, special education case manager, related-service providers (speech, OT, PT), and the student's family — all coordinated through the IEP.

Paraprofessional Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent minimum. Some paraprofessional assignments require additional credentialing — an associate's degree, 48+ college credits, or passing a district-approved paraprofessional assessment such as ParaPro.
Previous experience working with children — especially children with disabilities — is strongly preferred. Common backgrounds include prior teacher aide work, ABA/behavioral experience, childcare, camp counseling, or personal/family experience.
Willingness to complete Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) forms if you've worked in an MD school system before.
Ability to pass FBI + Maryland state background checks and pre-employment health clearance.
Physical ability to safely support students — including standing, walking, kneeling, lifting up to district-set limits, and (rarely, per BIP) safely implementing crisis prevention techniques.
Comfortable committing to a Monday–Friday school-day schedule following the FCPS academic calendar.
Eaglewings provides paid training during onboarding covering student privacy (FERPA), mandated reporting, safe physical support, and school procedures.

Why Eaglewings

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Weekly Pay Every Thursday

Direct deposit via Gusto. Next-day Cash Out available.

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Free Medical, Dental & Vision

SBMA/PHCS medical, Aflac dental & vision — free to employees.

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W-2 Employee, Never 1099

Full payroll tax withholding and employment protections.

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Joint Commission Accredited

Gold Seal Cert #688992 — industry's highest quality standard.

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School-Day Schedule

Monday–Friday. Summers, weekends, and holidays off.

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Multi-Year Contract

3-year base + 2-year renewal — stability through 2031.

Common Questions

A paraprofessional supports a student's overall educational access — academic reinforcement, daily living skills, behavior management, mobility, and inclusion. A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) is a specialized role that specifically delivers Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) intervention under BCBA supervision, and requires an active BACB credential. Some students have both a para and an RBT on their team; others have just one or the other, depending on what their IEP specifies.

The minimum is a high school diploma or GED. For assignments in Title I schools or as an instructional paraprofessional, federal law requires ONE of: an associate's degree, 48+ college credits, or passing a state-approved paraprofessional assessment (like ParaPro). We'll confirm which credentialing path fits the specific assignment.

The work is similar — both involve supporting students with IEPs in public school settings. Key differences: BCPS uses specific TBA (Therapeutic Behavior Aide) and TAS (non-Therapeutic Aide Support) designations tied to student behavior needs, with published rates ($24 and $21). FCPS classifications and rates are set through the district contract and can vary based on assignment. Both districts run through the same Eaglewings HR team, so if BCPS doesn't have the right match, we may have an FCPS opening that does.

No — Eaglewings paraprofessionals are direct W-2 employees of Eaglewings Educational Service LLC. You're not an FCPS employee and you're not part of the FCPS teachers' or classified staff bargaining units. Your pay, benefits, and employment terms come from Eaglewings.

That's fine. What matters is patience, follow-through, and a genuine interest in supporting students. Eaglewings provides paid training during onboarding covering everything you need for day one — student privacy, mandated reporting, classroom procedures, and safe physical support techniques.

Absolutely. If you're interested in the RBT pathway, we can talk about how the 40-hour RBT training and BACB credentialing process works. Some Eaglewings paras pursue their RBT while continuing their para role, then transition once credentialed. It's a natural career progression for people who enjoy the behavior-support side of the work.

FCPS paraprofessional assignments follow the school-day schedule — typically 6.5 to 7.5 hours per day, Monday through Friday, matching the FCPS academic calendar. Summers, weekends, holidays, and snow days are unpaid. Some paras work Extended School Year (ESY) in July if their assigned student's IEP includes ESY services.

See our complete FAQ for 40+ answers about pay, timekeeping, benefits, and daily expectations.