paraprofessional_handbook

Region XIII Paraprofessional

InstituteNCLB Highly Qualified Certification

Participant Handbook

PARAPROFESSIONAL TRAINING

©2011 Region XIII DAY 1 • 1

Teacher Role Paraprofessional Role

Setting Organization

• Plans weekly schedule, lessons, and activities for class and modifies for individual student needs.

• Ensures that all team members have access to required records and information.

• Communicates needs and situations of students that effect their safety and welfare.

• Implements plans under the direct supervision of the teacher.

• With appropriate training, makes daily modifications for individuals while getting approval from teacher.

• Keeps daily student progress records.

Assessments • Assesses students.• Administers tests.• Assigns grades.• Interprets assessments.

• Assists with monitoring and scoring of objective test items.

• Reports results and observations.

Objectives • Determines appropriate objectives with input from team.

• Has input to objectives, especially by providing daily updates on student progress.

• Implements lessons to meet objectives.

Instruction • Gives instruction for the entire group, small groups, and individuals.

• Provides follow-up instruction to small groups and individuals.

• Reinforces the teaching of the teacher by following lessons.

Positive Behavioral Supports

• Plans positive behavioral supports for groups and individuals.

• Implements positive behavioral strategies using the same techniques as the teacher.

• Helps to determine appropriate strategies based on daily contact with students.

Working with Parents

• Meets with parents.• Initiates conferences for

planning and review.

• Reports regularly with parents about transportation and reports back to the teacher.

Teacher and Paraprofessional Roles

The following are activities that a paraprofessional should NOT do:• Assign final grades.

• Score or interpret assessments that require subjective judgment.

• Assume final responsibility for students for an indefinite amount of time.

• Have primary responsibility for writing an individualized education program (IEP).

• Make a decision about a student’s educational program without teacher approval.

• Teach to the class without the teacher present.

• Make modifications or adaptations without training and teacher’s approval.

PARAPROFESSIONAL TRAINING

©2011 Region XIII2 • DAY 1

NCLB Title I Program Paraprofessional Roles Basics

Paraprofessional Code of Ethics

Appropriate roles and responsibilities are also described in The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 for paraprofessionals working in Title I programs. These include:

• Providing one-on-one tutoring for eligible students.

• Assisting with classroom management and organization.

• Assisting in the computer laboratories.

• Conducting parental involvement activities.

• Assisting in a library or media center.

• Translating.

• Providing instructional support under the direct supervision of a certified teacher.

Wallace, Teri The Paraprofessional’s Guide to the IDEA and Special Education Programs (LRP Publications, 2005), 4-5.

Paraprofessionals will:

• Interact with students in a manner that demonstrates respect and dignity.

• Interact with educational staff and parents in a manner that demonstrates respect and professionalism.

• Maintain confidentiality.

• Raise questions and concerns in a professional manner and through appropriate channels.

• Demonstrate a commitment to continued professional growth and development.

PARAPROFESSIONAL TRAINING

©2011 Region XIII DAY 1 • 3

Educational Aide CertificateChapter 230. Subchapter S. Educational Aide Certificate

Texas Education Code (TEC). §21.041(b)(2) requires the State Board for Educator Certification to propose rules that specify the classes of certificates offered.

§230.551. Policy.

Each person employed in Texas public schools as an educational aide must be certified according to requirements established by the State Board for Educator Certification.

§230.552. Procedures in General.

(a) School district administrators have the authority and responsibility to determine the number of educational aides and level of job performance desired for the operation of the school district’s program. They are also responsible for preparing accurate job descriptions for each assignment, classifying each assignment, and filing these assignments with individuals certified according to this subchapter.

(b) An appropriate certificate shall be issued to a qualified individual who is recommended by the employing superintendent or designee and who meets the requirement of this subchapter. The school district shall submit the following materials to the SBEC.

(1) an completed application and recommendation for an educational aide certificate; and

(2) the designated fee.

(c) An individual with experience in other states must have that experience verified on a teacher service record when he or she is employed in a Texas school district.

(d) An applicant for an educational aide certificate is subject to the provisions in §230.413(b) 1-5 of this chapter

§230.553. Certification Requirements for Educational Aide I.

The applicant for an educational aide I certificate shall:

(1) Be a high school graduate or hold a general education diploma (GED) certificate; and

(2) Have experience working with students or parents as approved by the employing superintendent. Experience may be work in church related schools, day camps, youth groups, private schools, licensed day-care centers, or similar experience;

§230.554. Certification Requirements for Educational Aide II.

An applicant for an educational aide II certificate shall:

(1) be a high school graduate or hold a general education diploma (GED) certificate;

(2) have satisfied one of the following requirements:

(A) have two creditable years of experience, as defined in Subchapter Y of this Chapter, as an educational aide I; or

(B) have a minimum of 15 semester hours of college credit with some emphasis on child growth and development or related subject areas; or

(C) have demonstrated proficiency in a specialized skill area as determined by the local school district; and

(3) have experience working with students or parents as approved by the employing superintendent

PARAPROFESSIONAL TRAINING

©2011 Region XIII4 • DAY 1

Educational Aide Certificate§230.555. Certification Requirements for Educational Aide III.

An applicant for an educational aide III certificate shall:(1) be a high school graduate or hold a general education diploma (GED) certificate;(2) have satisfied one of the following requirements:

(A) have three creditable years of experience, as defined in Subchapter Y of this Chapter, as either an educational aide I or II; or

(B) have 30 semester hours of college credit with some emphasis on child growth and development or related subject area; and

(3) have experience working with students or parents as approved by the employing superintendent.

§230.559. Assignments in Specialized Areas.

Each person employed as an educational aide must hold an educational aide certificate. An educational aide assigned to a specialized area, such as vocational education, special education, and title programs, shall meet the eligibility requirements assigned to that area; however, no certification beyond an educational aide certificate will be required for assignment in a specialized area.

§230.560. Role Descriptions.

School districts shall use the following guidelines to assign educational aides and secretaries.

(1) An educational aide I: is assigned and performs routine tasks under the direction and supervision of a certified teacher or teaching team; releases the teacher form routine tasks and participates in selecting, planning, organizing, and evaluating; helps the teacher with clerical operations; helps the teacher supervise students in routine movement from one recreational activity to another; helps supervise the playground, bus, and lunchroom; helps the teacher prepare and use instructional media; duplicates instructional materials for teachers; performs classroom clerical operations under the supervision of a certified teacher; or performs equivalent activities determined by the local school district.

(2) An educational aide II: is assigned and performs tasks under the general supervision of a certified teacher of teaching team; releases the teacher from routine tasks and participates in selecting, planning, organizing, and evaluating; helps the teacher prepare and use instructional materials; conducts drills and exercises as directed by the teacher; helps administer and score objective measurement instruments; helps the teacher work with individual students and groups; duplicates materials; records grades and attendance; prepares instructional aids, including displays and mockups; assists with play area activities; helps operate and use educational media; assists with testing routines; works with individual students in drills and exercises; conducts group drills and exercises; assists students with programmed or precise units of instruction; or performs equivalent activities determined by the local school district.

(3) An educational aide III: performs and assumes responsibility for task under the general guidance of a certified teacher or teaching team; releases the teacher from routine tasks and participates in selecting, planning, organizing, and evaluating; helps the teacher implement methodology and use instructional media to yield and educational environment for all students; assists the teacher with instructional activities; works with individuals or groups of students in a variety of educational experiences; relieves the teachers of selected exercises and instructional drills with students; or performs equivalent activities determined by the local school district.

PARAPROFESSIONAL TRAINING

©2011 Region XIII DAY 1 • 5

Paraprofessional Roles and ResponsibilitiesThe following format has been developed to assist paraprofessional and partner teacher teams to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the paraprofessional.

Directions:

The paraprofessional and partner teacher together will write a description of paraprofessional roles and responsibilities including the following information:

• Paraprofessional’s name.

• Type of classroom(s) or setting(s).

• Brief description of responsibilities utilizing areas from the next three pages in full or in part as necessary.

• Professional development needs based on previous self-reflection from discussion.

• Signatures from paraprofessional and teacher/mentor to indicate that this description was completed collaboratively and will be reviewed on a regular basis.

Note: The following pages provide a sample of how the roles and responsibilities may be structured.

Educational Aide Certificate