Timelines for paraprofessionals extended
The South Dakota Department of Education recently received correspondence from the U.S. Department of Education regarding changes in the timeline for paraprofessionals working in Title I schools to meet certain qualifications.
Previous guidance required that all Title I paraprofessionals hired before the enactment of No Child Left Behind in 2001 must demonstrate competency by no later than four years after the law’s enactment, which is Jan. 8, 2006.
All teachers of core academic subjects have until the end of the 2005-06 school year to meet the highly qualified teacher requirements. U.S. Department of Education officials determined that the paraprofessional and highly qualified teacher provisions should be consistent.
This change means that paraprofessionals also have until the end of the 2005-06 school year to meet the requirement in one of three ways:
- Earning an associate’s degree or higher;
- Earning a minimum of 48 college credits; or
- Passing the designated Parapro state test.
This flexibility does not change the need for paraprofessionals newly hired into a Title I program to meet the qualification requirements before they are hired.
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