Teaching Assistant Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
Teaching assistants in Los Angeles work in LAUSD classrooms, charter schools from Sylmar to South LA, and Head Start centers, with posted pay running from about $20 to $35 an hour. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what each employer requires, and how to qualify.
Current teaching assistant Openings in Los Angeles, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Teaching Assistant Work in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Unified School District is the biggest single source of classroom assistant jobs in the city, and it runs a Teacher Assistant program built as a pipeline into teaching: Degree-Track assistants must stay enrolled in college and finish 12 qualifying units every school year. Charter networks add their own aide positions, with KIPP SoCal, ICEF Public Schools and PUC Schools all posting instructional aide and special education assistant roles, and Volunteers of America Los Angeles hiring teacher assistants for its Head Start centers in West LA, East and Central LA, South LA and North Hollywood.
Bilingual Spanish is a real advantage here. More than half of city residents speak a language other than English at home, and some postings, including the UCLA Lab School in Westwood, require Spanish outright. Experience with students with disabilities also widens your options, since several charter postings are for special education assistants.
Top Los Angeles Employers Hiring Teaching Assistants
The district, charter networks, the university and Head Start all post assistant jobs in Los Angeles:
- Los Angeles Unified School District - the district takes continuous applications for Degree-Track Teacher Assistants.
- KIPP SoCal Public Schools - the charter network hires full-time special education assistants at $22 an hour, plus part-time expanded learning assistants.
- ICEF Public Schools - the South LA charter network hires full-time instructional aides starting at $22 an hour on a 10-month pay cycle.
- PUC Schools - Partnerships to Uplift Communities posts teacher assistant roles at PUC Community Charter Elementary in Sylmar at $20.00 to $28.29 an hour.
- UCLA Lab School - the university's Westwood demonstration school hires bilingual Spanish and English teaching assistants at $26.68 to $34.70 an hour.
- Volunteers of America Los Angeles - the Head Start operator hires Teacher Assistant I and II staff for preschool classrooms across the city at $21.57 to $24.44 an hour.
Teaching Assistant Salaries in Los Angeles
- Entry level: about $20 to $22 an hour for new instructional aides and special education assistants at charter schools and Head Start centers.
- Experienced: roughly $23 to $28 an hour for assistants with college units, a Child Development Permit or several years in the classroom.
- Senior / top of range: $28 to $35 an hour, the top of posted ranges at PUC Schools and the UCLA Lab School.
These are estimates drawn from current employer postings. The BLS 2025 median for teaching assistants in the Los Angeles metro is about $46,240 a year. College units, bilingual skills and special education experience move pay up, and many school jobs run on a 10-month calendar, so compare annual pay, not just the hourly rate.
How to Become a Teaching Assistant in Los Angeles
California does not issue a teaching assistant license or run a statewide test. Under federal Title I rules, the California Department of Education requires a high school diploma plus two years of college (48 units), an associate degree, or a passing score on a local assessment, and each district checks it. At LAUSD that means the District Proficiency Requirement (the District Proficiency Examination, CBEST, 48 semester units or an associate degree), the Instructional Assistance Requirement (the Instructional Assistance Test, 48 units or an associate degree), and proof of college enrollment. Preschool and Head Start roles follow the Commission on Teacher Credentialing's Child Development Permit: the Assistant Permit takes 6 units of early childhood education, the Associate Teacher Permit 12 units plus classroom experience. Los Angeles Southwest College offers a 20-unit Teacher Assistant Skill Certificate with hands-on training at its Child Development Center, and Los Angeles City College offers Child Development and Early Childhood Education degrees. Expect a background check and TB clearance before your first day.
What the Job Involves
Teaching assistants support a lead teacher by working with small groups and individual students, reinforcing lessons, preparing materials, and helping manage the classroom, lunch and recess. Special education assistants follow each student's IEP goals and help with behavior plans and personal care.
Skills Employers Look For
- College units or an associate degree, or a passed proficiency test
- Bilingual Spanish and English
- Patience and calm behavior management
- Experience with students with disabilities
- Clear communication with teachers and families
- Reliability across a full school day
Career Path and Advancement
For many people in Los Angeles, the assistant job is the first step to a teaching credential. LAUSD's Degree-Track Teacher Assistant program keeps you in college while you work, and the district's tuition-free iCAAP intern program, CSUN's Michael D. Eisner College of Education and Cal State LA all offer credential routes for working assistants. From there the path runs to lead teacher or special education teacher.
Related Careers in Los Angeles
If classroom work interests you, these related Los Angeles roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a teaching assistant in Los Angeles?
No state license exists for K-12 teaching assistants. You do need a high school diploma plus 48 college units, an associate degree, or a passing score on a local test, and LAUSD adds its own proficiency and instructional assistance requirements.
How much do teaching assistants make in Los Angeles?
Current postings run from about $20 to $22 an hour at entry level to $28 to $35 an hour at the top of the range. The BLS 2025 median for the Los Angeles metro is about $46,240 a year.
What is the LAUSD Degree-Track Teacher Assistant program?
It is an LAUSD assistant position for people working toward a degree and a teaching career. Degree-Track assistants must complete 12 qualifying college units each school year.
Do teaching assistant jobs in Los Angeles require Spanish?
Not always, but it helps. Some postings, such as the UCLA Lab School teaching assistant, require bilingual Spanish and English.
How long does it take to qualify as a teaching assistant?
If you already have 48 college units or an associate degree, you can apply now. Otherwise you can take a district proficiency test, or complete a short program such as the 20-unit Teacher Assistant Skill Certificate at Los Angeles Southwest College.
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