They should "be prepared to do just about anything and everything," says Melinda K. Zarate, executive director of the North Carolina Association of Teacher Assistants. "Teacher assistants wear a lot of hats."

In her 20 years as a teacher assistant, Zarate spent most of her time with fourth and fifth graders. She worked as a classroom assistant, a one-on-one assistant to a child with special needs and a technology assistant, where she helped students and teachers use technology in lessons.

Contributions like those can improve student outcomes, according to researchers with the National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research who studied elementary schools. Teacher assistants can make it easier for teachers to provide effective instruction, and they contribute to results like lower absentee rates and higher test scores.

Teacher assistants often have more flexibility to get to know students on a close personal level, Zarate says. "Getting the one-on-one – sitting, reading with them, listening to their personal stories – it’s a very heartwarming job to have."
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 0.1% employment growth for teacher assistants between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 900 jobs should open up.

Teacher assistants should plan to earn an associate degree or finish at least two years of postgraduate coursework to work in public schools. Some jobs have more specific requirements.

Schools that receive federal funds to support low-income students, for instance, will only hire teacher assistants who have successfully completed two years of college, an associate degree or an assessment specific to their state or locality. Working with students who have special needs requires an additional test in most states, and teacher assistants who drive buses need to obtain the appropriate license.

Zarate started her career as a teacher assistant with a bachelor’s degree, and she continued to learn at workshops and conferences. Professional development is key for teacher assistants. "We believe that teacher assistants need to be just like the teachers in learning what’s going on in education and (the) best ways to teach," she says.

Teacher assistants often must take their development into their own hands, however, since opportunities like conferences don’t fit into school hours and would require overtime pay, according to Zarate.