Paraprofessionals
Summary of Major Changes ……………………………………………………………..v
A-1. Title I, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act, has new requirements for paraprofessionals. Why is this important?
What
are the requirements?
B-1. What are the qualification requirements for Title I
paraprofessionals?
B-2. Are
there any requirements outside of Title I that apply to the hiring of
paraprofessionals?
To whom do the
requirements apply?
B-3. How do the new requirements apply to paraprofessionals
in a schoolwide program?
B-4. How do the new requirements apply to
paraprofessionals in a targeted assistance program?
B-5. How do the requirements apply to
paraprofessionals, such as home-school liaisons, whose duties consist solely of
parental involvement activities?
B-6. How do the requirements apply to
paraprofessionals who work solely as translators or bilingual aides?
B-7. How do the requirements apply to persons who
work with special education students?
B-8. Do the paraprofessional requirements apply to
persons paid with funds under Title I, Part B (Student Reading Skills
Improvement Grants and all subparts, including Even Start), Part C (Education
of Migratory Children), or Part D (Programs for Children and Youth who are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk)?
B-9. Must
a paraprofessional who provides services to eligible private school students and is employed by an LEA
with Title I funds meet the new requirements?
B-10. How
do the requirements apply if a person performing non-instructional duties becomes
an instructional paraprofessional?
B-11. What if a person has both instructional support and
non-instructional duties?
B-12. Do the new requirements for paraprofessionals
(explained in B-1) apply to LEAs or schools that do
not receive Title I funds?
B-13.
Do existing paraprofessionals have until
B-14.
Would a
paraprofessional, hired on or before January 8, 2002 and currently
working in an LEA in a non-Title I program, be
considered a “new” paraprofessional (and subject to the requirements for new paraprofessionals) if
that individual is re-assigned to a program supported with Title I funds?
B-15. Do the Title I requirements for new
paraprofessionals (explained in B-1) apply to paraprofessionals who are laid off and then recalled? In other words, are these
individuals “new” or “existing” paraprofessionals?
B-16. Once a paraprofessional has met the
requirements in B-1, is the status of being qualified “portable”? That is, can the paraprofessional be deemed qualified in other LEAs within a State?
B-17. Do the paraprofessional requirements apply to
people working in schools as part of the AmeriCorps
program?
B-18. Do the paraprofessional requirements
apply to volunteers?
B-19. Do the paraprofessional requirements
apply to people working in 21st Century Community Learning Center
Programs?
B-20. Do the requirements apply to
paraprofessionals working in Head Start programs? B-B-21. Some paraprofessionals work in
programs for children ranging in age from birth to age 20 that are supported by Title I, Part A funds. Are they required
to meet the
Title I requirements?
What
is the requirement for two years of study at an institution of higher
education?
B-22. The
statutory language refers to “two years of study at an institution of higher
education.” [Section 1119(c)(1)(A)] What
does “two years of study” mean?
B-23. What does the term “institution of higher
education” mean?
B-24. Is a paraprofessional required to take a
specific course of study?
B-25. May continuing education credits (CECs)
be used to meet the requirement that paraprofessionals complete at least
two years of study at an institution of higher education?
C. PARAPROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENT.…………………….………9
C-1. One
option for meeting the new educational requirements for paraprofessionals is to
test their knowledge and ability through a formal State or local academic
assessment. What is the purpose of this assessment?
C-2. Does
“assessment” mean a “paper and pencil test” only, or could the assessment be a
performance assessment evaluating demonstrable skills?
C-3. When must the assessment
be administered for newly hired paraprofessionals?
C-4. What
factors should States take into consideration in approving State or local
paraprofessional assessments?
C-5. May Title I funds be used to pay for the
paraprofessional assessment?
D. PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS.…………………….………10
D-1. What are the requirements for the
supervision of paraprofessionals?
D-2.
Do the direct
supervision requirements apply to paraprofessionals who provide
services under contract?
D-3. Must a paraprofessional who provides services to eligible private school students and is employed by an LEA with Title I funds be under the direct supervision of a public school teacher?
E. FUNDING
ISSUES…………………………………………………………11
E-1. What
funds are available for helping paraprofessionals in Title I schools meet the
new requirements?
Summary
of Major Changes
This updated version
A-1. Title
I, Part A as amended by the No Child Left Behind
Act, has new requirements for paraprofessionals. Why is this important?
Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, is designed to help disadvantaged children reach high academic standards. Properly trained paraprofessionals can play important roles in improving student achievement in Title I schools where they can reinforce and augment a teacher’s effort in the classroom. Unfortunately, studies indicate that paraprofessionals are used in many Title I schools for teaching and assisting in teaching when their educational backgrounds do not qualify them for such responsibilities.[1] Title I of the ESEA, as amended by the NCLB Act requires that paraprofessionals meet higher standards of qualification, and ensures that students who need the most help receive instructional support only from qualified paraprofessionals.
For the purposes of Title I,
Part A, a paraprofessional is an employee of an LEA who provides instructional
support in a program supported with Title I, Part A funds.
“Paraprofessionals
who provide instructional support,” includes those
who (1) provide one-on-one tutoring if
such tutoring is scheduled at a time when a student would not otherwise receive
instruction from a teacher, (2) assist with classroom management, such as by organizing
instructional materials, (3) provide instructional assistance in a computer
laboratory, (4) conduct parental involvement activities, (5) provide
instructional support in a library or media center, (6) act as a translator, or
(7) provide instructional support services under the direct supervision of a
highly qualified teacher. [Title
I, Section 1119(g)(2)]
Because paraprofessionals
provide instructional support, they should not be providing planned direct
instruction, or introducing to students new skills, concepts, or academic
content.
Individuals who work in food
services, cafeteria or playground supervision, personal care services,
non-instructional computer assistance, and similar positions are
not considered paraprofessionals under Title I, Part A.
What
are the requirements?
B-1. What are the
qualification requirements for Title I paraprofessionals?
(1) All Title I
paraprofessionals must have a secondary school diploma or its recognized
equivalent.
(2) Additionally, except as noted below, paraprofessionals
hired after
·
Completed two years of study at an institution of higher education;
or
·
Obtained an associate’s (or higher) degree; or
·
Met a rigorous standard of quality and be able to
demonstrate, through a formal State or local academic assessment, knowledge of
and the ability to assist in instructing, reading,
writing, and mathematics (or, as appropriate, reading readiness, writing
readiness, and mathematics readiness).
Paraprofessionals hired on or before
Paraprofessionals who only serve as translators or who only
conduct parental involvement activities must have a secondary school diploma or
its equivalent but do not have to meet the additional
requirements. [Section
1119(e)]
B-2. Are there any requirements outside of Title I that apply to the
hiring of paraprofessionals?
Yes. Under section 2141 (c)
of Title II of the ESEA, as amended by the NCLB Act, if a State educational agency
(SEA)
determines that an LEA (1) has failed to make progress toward
meeting the annual measurable objectives established by the State for
increasing the percentage of highly
qualified
teachers in each LEA and school and for increasing the percentage of teachers
receiving high quality professional development, and (2) has failed to make
adequate yearly progress for three consecutive years, the SEA must enter into
an agreement with the LEA. This
agreement must include
a plan that the LEA will use to meet its
annual measurable objectives and that prohibits the use of Title I, Part A
funds to fund any paraprofessional hired after the date the initial
determination was made, with two exceptions. The
exceptions are:
·
The agreement must permit the use of Title I, Part A funds
to hire a paraprofessional after the date of the determination if the hiring is
to fill a vacancy created by the departure of another paraprofessional paid
with Title I funds and the newly hired paraprofessional meets the statutory
qualification requirements;
·
The agreement may allow the use of Title I, Part A funds to
hire a paraprofessional after the date of the determination if the LEA can
demonstrate:
o
that a significant influx of population has substantially
increased student enrollment; or
o
that there
is an increased need for translators or assistance with parental involvement
activities.
To
whom do the requirements apply?
B-3. How do the new requirements apply to paraprofessionals in a schoolwide program?
The requirements in B-1 apply
to all paraprofessionals in a Title I schoolwide program, without regard to
whether the position is funded with Federal, State, or
local funds. In a schoolwide program, Title I funds support all teachers and
paraprofessionals.
B-4. How do the new requirements apply to paraprofessionals in a
targeted assistance program?
In a Title I targeted assistance program, the requirements in B-1
apply to all paraprofessionals who are paid with Title I, Part A funds (but not to paraprofessionals paid with State or local
funds in targeted assistance programs).
B-5. How do the requirements apply to paraprofessionals, such as
home-school liaisons, whose duties consist solely of parental involvement
activities?
A paraprofessional with duties
that consist solely of conducting parental involvement activities must have a
secondary school diploma or its equivalent but does not have to meet the other
educational requirements in B-1.
B-6. How do the requirements apply to paraprofessionals who work
solely as translators or bilingual aides?
A paraprofessional who is
proficient in English and a language other than English and acts solely as a
translator to enhance the participation of limited English proficient children
under Title I, Part A, must have a secondary school diploma or its equivalent
but does not have to meet the other educational requirements in B-1.
B-7. How do the requirements apply to persons who work with special
education students?
The requirements for persons
who work with special education students differ depending upon their duties.
If a person working with
special education students does NOT provide any instructional support (such as
a person who solely provides personal care services), that person is not
considered a paraprofessional under Title I, Part A, and the
requirements in B-1 do
not apply.
If a person works in a Title I
targeted assistance program, has instructional support duties, and is paid, in whole or in part, with Title I,
Part A funds, the requirements in
B-1
apply. If the person is not paid with Title I, Part A
funds, however, the
requirements in
B-1 do not apply.
If a person works in a Title I schoolwide program and has instructional support duties,
the B-1 requirements apply without regard to the source of funding that
supports the position.
B-8. Do the paraprofessional requirements apply to persons paid with
funds under Title I, Part B (Student Reading Skills Improvement Grants and all
subparts, including Even Start), Part C (Education of Migratory Children), or
Part D (Programs for Children and Youth who are Neglected, Delinquent, or
At-Risk)?
The
paraprofessional qualification requirements in B-1 do not apply to individuals
paid with funds under Title I, Part B (Student Reading Skills Improvement Grants
and all subparts, including Even Start), Part C (Education of Migratory
Children), or Part D (Programs for Children and Youth who are Neglected,
Delinquent, or At-Risk), unless these individuals are working in a schoolwide
program under Part A or the paraprofessional is paid, in whole or in part, with
Part A funds. (See B-3.)
B-9. Must a paraprofessional who provides services to eligible
private school students and is employed by an LEA with Title I,
Part A funds meet the new requirements?
Yes, such a paraprofessional
must meet the requirements outlined in B-1.
B-10. How do the requirements apply if a person performing
non-instructional duties becomes an instructional paraprofessional?
In
this case, the person is a “paraprofessional” as defined for Title I purposes
and must meet the requirements in B-1. In other words, the individual would
have to hold a secondary diploma or its equivalent and meet the new
qualification requirements. However, as an existing employee of the LEA, the
individual would be considered an existing
paraprofessional and would have until
B-11. What if a person has both instructional support
and non-instructional duties?
In
this case, the person must meet the requirements in B-1, because he or she
carries out some instructional support duties.
B-12. Do the new requirements for paraprofessionals (explained in B-1)
apply to LEAs or schools that do not receive Title I, Part A
funds?
No. If an LEA does not receive
Title I,
Part A funds,
the requirements do not apply. Similarly, if an LEA receives Title I,
Part
A funds, but a school within
that LEA does not receive Title I,
Part A
funds, the requirements do not apply to paraprofessionals working in that
school.
B-13. Do existing paraprofessionals have until
No. Section 1119(f) requires
that all paraprofessionals have a secondary school diploma or its equivalent
without regard to the date they were hired. This requirement took effect on the
date of enactment of the NCLB Act (
B-14. Would a paraprofessional, hired on or before January 8, 2002, and
currently working in an LEA in a non-Title I program, be considered a “new”
paraprofessional (and subject to the
requirements for new
paraprofessionals) if that individual is re-assigned to a program supported
with Title I funds?
A new paraprofessional is a
paraprofessional who is newly hired by an LEA. If a
person is working as a paraprofessional in a non-Title I school in the same
district, he or she is not considered to be a new
paraprofessional if he or she transfers to a Title I school within that
district.
B-15. Do the Title I requirements for new paraprofessionals (explained
in B-1) apply to paraprofessionals who are laid off and then
recalled? In other words, are these individuals “new” or “existing”
paraprofessionals?
The statute and
regulations state that “new” paraprofessionals are paraprofessionals hired
after
These
policies might say, for example, that a
paraprofessional who was initially hired on or
before
(1)
Is considered
an “existing” paraprofessional if the individual was rehired when the LEA
recalled laid-off paraprofessionals such that the individual has continuous
years of employment;
(2) Is considered a “new” paraprofessional if the individual did not rejoin the LEA when it recalled laid-off paraprofessionals if and when the individual is rehired.
B-16. Once a paraprofessional has met the requirements in B-1, is the
status of being qualified “portable”? That is, can the
paraprofessional be deemed qualified in other LEAs
within a State?
An LEA may,
at its discretion, determine that a paraprofessional meets the Title I
qualification requirements if the individual was previously determined to meet
these requirements when employed by another LEA.
B-17. Do the paraprofessional requirements apply to people working in
schools as part of the AmeriCorps program?
The National Community Service
Act states that AmeriCorps volunteers are not
considered employees of the entities where they are placed (42 U.S.C. 12511
(17B)). Unless AmeriCorps volunteers are considered employees of a school district under State
law, the paraprofessional requirements in section 1119 (see items B-1 and B-5)
do not apply. However, even though the requirements do not apply, districts
should make every effort to ensure that AmeriCorps
volunteers who provide instructional support in a Title I program have the
skills necessary to assist effectively in instructing reading, writing, and
mathematics or in reading readiness, writing
readiness, and mathematics readiness, as appropriate.
B-18. Do the paraprofessional requirements apply to
volunteers?
No. Volunteers are not paid
employees of an LEA and the paraprofessional requirements do not apply to them.
However, school officials are encouraged to work with volunteers to ensure they
have information and training necessary to carry out
the activities they are performing, as
appropriate.
B-19. Do the paraprofessional requirements apply to people working in 21st
Century Community Learning Center Programs?
In
general, the requirements do not apply to individuals working in 21st
Century Community Learning Center Programs. However, the requirements would
apply to paraprofessionals paid with Title I, Part A
funds in a 21st Century afterschool
program funded jointly with Title I funds in a targeted assistance school,
and to paraprofessionals working in a 21st Century afterschool
program that is part of a Title I schoolwide program. The requirements do not
apply to staff of 21st Century programs who are not employees of the
LEA.
B-20. Do the requirements apply to paraprofessionals working in Head
Start programs?
In general, the requirements
do not apply to paraprofessionals working in a Head Start program. However, the
requirements would apply to paraprofessionals working in a Head Start program
that is jointly funded with Title I,
Part A,
funds and the paraprofessional is paid with Title I funds; for example, a
program where Title I funds the instructional component and Head Start funds the
remainder of the program activities. The requirements would also apply when a
Head Start program is part of a Title I schoolwide program.
Note: Although Head Start
funds may not be combined in a Title I schoolwide program school (Federal Register
notice of Thursday,
September 21, 1995), all staff working in a Title I schoolwide program school
are considered Title I staff and all students are Title I students.
B-21. Some paraprofessionals work in programs for
children ranging in age from birth
to age 20 that are supported by Title I, Part A,
funds. Are they
required
to meet the Title I
requirements?
Paraprofessionals in a
targeted assistance program who are paid with Title I,
Part A,
funds or paraprofessionals with instructional duties in a schoolwide program
school must meet the qualification requirements
regardless of the age of the children being served.
What
is the requirement for two years of study at an institution of higher
education?
B-22. The statutory language refers to “two years of study at an
institution of higher education.” [Section 1119(c)(1)(A)] What does “two years of study” mean?
“Two years of study” means the
equivalent of two years of full-time study, as defined by the institution of
higher education (IHE). For some IHEs that may mean
12 credit hours per semester (requiring a total of 48
credit hours), while in others it may mean 15 credit hours a semester (requiring
a total of 60 credit hours).
B-23. What does the term “institution of higher education” mean?
Section 9101(24) of the ESEA,
amended by the NCLB Act, incorporates the definition of institution of higher
education found in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act. It defines an
“institution of higher education” as an educational institution in any State
that:
1)
Admits as regular students only persons having a certificate
of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized
equivalent of such a certificate;
2)
Is legally authorized within such State to provide a program
of education beyond secondary education;
3)
Provides an educational program for which the institution
awards a bachelor’s degree or provides not less than a two-year program that is
acceptable for full credit toward such a degree;
4)
Is a
public or other non-profit institution; and
5)
Is accredited by a nationally
recognized accrediting agency or association, or,
if not so accredited, is an institution that has been granted pre-accreditation
by such an agency or association that has been recognized by the Secretary for
the granting of pre-accreditation status, and the Secretary has determined that
there is satisfactory
assurance that the institution will meet the accreditation standards of such an
agency or association within a reasonable time.
B-24. Is a paraprofessional required to take a specific
course of study?
No.
However, paraprofessionals must be able to demonstrate knowledge of, and the
ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics, or reading
readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness [Section 1119(c)(1)(C)]. For this reason, a paraprofessional who chooses to
meet the qualification requirements by completing two years of study in an
institution of higher education and has coursework to complete in order to do
so, is encouraged to take courses that will enable the paraprofessional to
demonstrate knowledge of these subject areas.
B-25. May continuing education credits (CECs) be used to meet the requirement that
paraprofessionals complete at least two years of study at an institution of
higher education?
A State or LEA, as
appropriate, may count CECs toward the requirement
that a paraprofessional complete at least two years of study at an institution
of higher education if
the CECs are part of an overall
training and development program plan and an institution of higher education
accepts or translates them to course credits.
C. PARAPROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENT
C-1. One option for meeting the new educational requirements is for
paraprofessionals to demonstrate their knowledge and ability through a formal
State or local academic assessment. What is the purpose of this assessment?
To help improve student
achievement, Title I paraprofessionals must have the appropriate knowledge and
ability to assist in instructing students and be competent in required
instructional techniques and academic content areas. Additionally, because
students need good language role models and because communication is essential
to effective instructional support, Title I paraprofessionals should also
demonstrate that they are competent in basic literacy skills,
including the ability to speak and write standard
English.
The assessment is one way for
Title I paraprofessionals to demonstrate knowledge of, and the ability to
assist in instructing, reading arts, writing, and mathematics; or reading
readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness.
C-2. Does “assessment” mean a “paper and pencil test” only, or could
the assessment be a performance assessment evaluating demonstrable skills?
The law does not require a
paper and pencil test. However, there must be evidence that the assessment is
valid and reliable. Also, the assessment results must
be documented, i.e., there needs to be a record of the assessment and the
individual’s performance on that assessment. Should a State or LEA decide to
use or
allow more than one type of assessment, each assessment should be
evaluated against the same standards.
C-3. When must the assessment be administered for newly hired paraprofessionals?
For a paraprofessional hired
after
C-4. What factors should States take into consideration in approving State
or local paraprofessional assessments?
The following guidelines may
assist an SEA in approving assessments:
·
SEAs and LEAs have flexibility to determine the content and format
of any assessment of paraprofessionals. For example, while an appropriate
assessment might be entirely a written test, it alternatively could be a
combination of a written test on content (reading, writing, and math) and a
demonstration of competence in instruction (assessed through observations via a
series of rubrics).
·
The content of the assessment should reflect both the State
academic standards and the
skills expected of a child at a
given school level (preschool, elementary, middle, or high school), and the ability of the candidate to effectively provide
instructional support to assist students in mastering the content. Clearly, the
assessment should be rigorous and objective. Furthermore, each evaluation
should have a standard that the candidate is expected to meet or exceed. These
standards for evaluation must be applied to each
candidate in the same way.
·
The results of the assessment should establish the
candidate’s competence as a paraprofessional relative to the standards in
section 1119(c)(1)(C), or target the areas where
additional training and staff development may be needed to help the candidate
meet those standards before being hired. The results should
be documented and the LEA should retain that documentation.
Moreover, an SEA may wish to
officially establish the
assessments
it has determined meet the statutory requirements, the extent
to which State policies permit LEAs to develop, select or implement their own assessments
for paraprofessionals, and
the requirements,
if any, the State places on any local assessment. Keeping
such formal approvals on file, along with an explanation as to how the State
(or local) assessments meet these requirements, would be one way of making sure
that the State (or local) assessments on which LEAs
rely comply with the law. The SEA could then communicate this information to LEAs, so that each LEA is clear as to what the options are
when it comes to assessing paraprofessionals.
C-5. May Title I funds be used to pay for the
paraprofessional assessment?
Yes.
D. PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS
D-1. What are the requirements for the
supervision of paraprofessionals?
Paraprofessionals who provide
instructional support must work under the direct supervision of a highly
qualified teacher. [Sections 1119(g)(3)(A)] A
paraprofessional works under the direct supervision of a teacher if (1) the
teacher prepares the lessons and plans the instructional support activities the
paraprofessional carries out, and evaluates the achievement of the students
with whom the paraprofessional is working, and (2) the paraprofessional works
in close and frequent proximity with the teacher. [§200.59(c)(2) of the Title I regulations] As
a result, a program staffed entirely by paraprofessionals is
not permitted.
A
program where a paraprofessional provides instructional support and a teacher
visits a site once or twice a week but otherwise is not in the classroom, or a
program where a paraprofessional works with a group of students in another
location while the teacher provides instruction to the rest of the class would
also be inconsistent with the requirement that paraprofessionals work in close
and frequent proximity to a teacher.
D-2. Do the direct supervision requirements apply to paraprofessionals
who provide services under contract?
Yes, paraprofessionals
hired by a third-party contractor to work in a Title I program must work under
the direct supervision of a teacher. That teacher does not have to meet
the teacher qualification requirements if he/she is also
employed by the third party connection.
D-3. Must a
paraprofessional who provides services to eligible private school students and
is employed by an LEA with Title I funds be under the direct supervision of a
highly qualified public school teacher?
Yes, a paraprofessional who
provides services to eligible private school students and is
employed by an LEA must be under the direct supervision of a highly
qualified public school teacher throughout the duration of the services/program
being offered. [§200.59 (c)(1)]