Teaching Assistant Jobs in Houston, TX
Teaching assistants in Houston-area districts usually start around $15 an hour, and special education assistants at Houston ISD earn $35,000 to $41,000 a year. Here are the current Houston openings, followed by the districts hiring aides, the Texas certificate you need, and how the job leads into teaching.
Current teaching assistant Openings in Houston, TX
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Teaching Assistant Work in Houston
Houston-area districts use several titles for the same job: Houston ISD posts teacher assistant and special education paraprofessional roles, Cy-Fair ISD hires instructional paraeducators and LIFE Skills aides in northwest Harris County, Katy ISD lists instructional aides on a 187-day calendar, and IDEA Public Schools calls the role co-teacher at Houston campuses such as Hardy and Lake Houston. Searching all of those titles turns up far more openings than searching one.
The steadiest demand is in special education, early childhood and life skills classrooms, which is where districts pay extra. Cy-Fair adds a $2,000 stipend for aides in its early childhood special education, behavior and LIFE Skills rooms, and Houston ISD's special education teaching assistants earn an annual salary that rises at three and five years of experience.
Top Houston Employers Hiring Teaching Assistants
These Houston-area districts and networks hire classroom aides and paraprofessionals:
- Houston ISD - runs a teacher assistant hiring pool and pays special education teaching assistants $35,000 to $41,000 a year by experience.
- Cypress-Fairbanks ISD - hires instructional paraeducators and LIFE Skills aides, with stipends of up to $2,000 for specialized classrooms.
- Katy ISD - pays 187-day instructional aides $15.12 to $20.68 an hour on its 2026-27 scale.
- Alief ISD - the southwest Houston district starts instructional aides at $15.24 an hour.
- IDEA Public Schools - the charter network posts co-teacher roles at Houston campuses including Hardy and Lake Houston.
- Tomball ISD - the northwest district employs paraprofessionals and pays for current aides to earn a teaching degree.
Teaching Assistant Salaries in Houston
- Entry level: about $15 to $16 an hour, the starting rate at Katy and Alief for instructional aides.
- Experienced: roughly $17 to $21 an hour, with Katy's aide range topping out at $20.68.
- Senior / special education: about $35,000 to $41,000 a year for special education teaching assistants at Houston ISD.
These are estimates from district pay plans and change each school year. The BLS puts the Houston median for teaching assistants at $29,300 a year, just below the Texas median of $29,850. Special education and life skills assignments, college hours and years in the district are what move pay.
How to Become a Teaching Assistant in Houston
Texas law requires district educational aides to hold an Educational Aide certificate issued by the State Board for Educator Certification through the Texas Education Agency. You apply after a district hires you: Aide I needs a high school diploma and experience working with students or parents, Aide II needs 15 college hours or two years as an aide, and Aide III needs 30 college hours or three years. Aides in Title I programs also need 48 college hours, an associate degree, or a passing score on a local skills test; Cy-Fair, for example, asks instructional aides for 48 hours, an associate degree or a passing score on its own proficiency test. Houston City College offers a Teacher Assistant/Aide certificate at its Central Campus, and San Jacinto College offers an Educational Aide certificate at its Central and North campuses.
What the Job Involves
Teaching assistants work alongside a certified teacher, leading small reading or math groups, helping individual students stay on task, and reinforcing lessons. In special education and life skills rooms they also help with personal care, behavior plans and data collection. Most aides cover lunch, recess, bus or car line duty, and help prepare materials and grade simple work.
Skills Employers Look For
- Patience and steady behavior management
- Working one-on-one and in small groups
- Spanish and English, valued in many Houston classrooms
- Following a teacher's plan and a student's IEP
- Physical stamina for special education and early childhood rooms
- Reliability across a full school calendar
Career Path and Advancement
Houston districts actively turn aides into teachers. Houston ISD's Grow Your Own program with Texas Woman's University takes aides with 60 or more college credits and offers scholarships of $8,000 to $12,000, Tomball ISD partners with the University of Houston-Downtown and Texas Woman's University at no cost to its aides, and Cy-Fair runs a Teaching and Training program for its paraprofessionals. Aides can also move to a higher Educational Aide certificate level or into special education specialist roles.
Related Careers in Houston
If classroom support work interests you, these Houston school roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do teaching assistants need a certificate in Texas?
Yes. Texas school districts must employ educational aides with an Educational Aide certificate from the State Board for Educator Certification. You apply after you are hired, the district recommends you, and because the certificate cannot be renewed, aides reapply every two years.
How much do teaching assistants make in Houston?
Most Houston-area instructional aides start around $15 an hour, with Katy ISD's 2026-27 aide range running from $15.12 to $20.68. Special education teaching assistants at Houston ISD earn $35,000 to $41,000 a year depending on experience.
Do I need college hours to be a paraprofessional in Houston?
For many jobs, yes. Aides with instructional duties in Title I programs need 48 college hours, an associate degree, or a passing score on a local skills assessment. Cy-Fair ISD, for example, accepts 48 hours, an associate degree, or a score of 70 or higher on its proficiency test.
Can a teaching assistant become a teacher in Houston?
Yes, and several districts pay to make it happen. Houston ISD's Grow Your Own program with Texas Woman's University and Tomball ISD's program with UH-Downtown and Texas Woman's University help current aides finish a degree and earn certification.
What hours do teaching assistants work?
Aides generally work the student day plus a short window before and after, on the school calendar. Katy ISD's instructional aides, for example, are on a 187-day calendar, so pay covers the school year rather than a full twelve months.
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