EDUCATION PROGRAM ASSISTANT 1

Code: 20063C State Competitive Range: A16 (FY 2027) Work week 35: FLSA coveredOvertime table (4A:3, Appx. A)

Salary: $53,281.62 - $77,370.62/year FY 2027 schedule (last updated 2026-07-27)

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under direction of a supervising official in a state department, institution, or agency, in an educational setting, performs the more responsible detailed clerical duties related to research, reference, statistical, inspection, fiscal, analytical, and interpretive activities within an assigned area; performs administrative functions for the Spanish High School Equivalency Program, assists in coordinating and supervising the Spanish testing program, disseminates information about preparatory instructional programs, develops a bilingual library, does other related duties as required.

Examples of work

• Provides paraprofessional services within defined areas up to and including drawing conclusions and/or inferences from available data, or develops data from which such actions can be taken.
• Makes recommendations for action based on extensive knowledge of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the department and/or assigned unit.
• Acts as team leader in the provision of responses to inquiries for information by means of letters, memoranda, or reference documents, such as bibliographies and reading lists.
• May act as team leader to subordinate clerical personnel on special and/or ongoing projects.
• Coordinates systems flow for various program funding applications and develops procedures to ensure smooth processing of those materials, and to meet established deadlines.
• Maintains, in current condition, program budget status of account reports, and takes required steps to report and resolve matters involving improper charges against budget elements.
• Personally enters information or amended information in budget element(s) documents.
• Makes inspections or investigations to determine adherence by schools, businesses, or other institutions to the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the State Department of Education and/or its subordinate boards or committees.
• Makes recommendations based on findings relative to the issuance of permits, licenses, and certificates of approval.
• Assists, or acts as team leader to subordinate staff, in assisting professional personnel in the appraisal of program and funding proposals through application of prescribed formula and criteria, and makes preliminary determinations of eligibility.
• Coordinates the gathering and arrangement of financial, statistical, and other data for entry into automatic data processing systems.
• Checks and verifies data accuracy and completeness.
• Initiates calls or prepares letters of inquiry and clarification when inaccurate or incomplete data are identified.
• Follows through on completion of all projects.
• Prepares final drafts of reports including recommendations, where required.
• Reads and summarizes material of a technical nature for use by professional supervisory personnel.
• Arranges, attends, and may participate in conferences, workshops, and seminars, including acquisition of facilities and services of recommended participants and resources, personnel, materials, and equipment.
• Conducts file and/or library research and reference projects, prepares finished reports, and/or provides required data on which professional staff may base reports, speeches, articles, or other public presentations.
• Develops job described records, charts, or other visual devices used to depict status.
• Supervises the maintenance of records and files.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• May be required to engage in lifting clients when working in a setting which provides direct services to clients who are nonambulant, semiambulant, and/or have severe physical handicaps.

Education

Completion of sixty (60) semester hour credits of study from an accredited college or university.

Experience

Three (3) years of experience in secretarial and/or clerical work with a government agency or private industry.

License

Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.

<b> SPECIAL NOTE:</b> Ability to physically lift, move, and position clients as needed.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Knowledge of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the department or agency, as established for preparation of correspondence, reports, memoranda, and other documents after a period of training. Knowledge of problems encountered in organizing and maintaining a clerical staff in a large and complex organization. Knowledge of technical and other problems likely to be encountered in monitoring the processing of a large volume of correspondence. Knowledge of accepted bookkeeping and clerical accounting principles and methods. Ability to train clerical employees, to ensure prompt and efficient flow of work. Ability to work on assigned investigations and inspections to determine adherence to established rules and regulations of the State Department of Education. Ability to read and summarize highly technical material for use by professional staff. Ability to prepare reports. Ability to maintain records and files. Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible. This job specification is applicable to the following title code(s) which are different work week or work month and/or variants of the job class title: Job Spec Code State, Local or Common Class of Service Work Week State Class Code Local Class Code Salary Range

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. NOTE: Appointments may be made to positions requiring bilingual skills. - Bilingual in Spanish and English SPECIAL SKILL Applicants must be able to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in Spanish and English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. Applicants who do not possess the required education may substitute additional experience as indicated above on a year- for-year basis with thirty (30) semester hour credits equaling one (1) year of experience. SC3517N/AA16-Bilingual In Spanish And EnglishSC3517N/AA16- This job specification is for government use only. Salary range is only applicable to state government. Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions. 10/22/1998