|
|
Highly Qualified Standards for Paraprofessionals (Paraeducators)NCLB outlines new requirements for paraprofessionals (paraeducators) in Title I funded positions. It creates Highly Qualified standards that they must meet in order to be employed in such positions. In the past, Title I funded paraprofessionals were only required to have a high school diploma and there were no limits on their duties.
However, under NCLB, Title I paraprofessionals must meet ONE of the following requirements: The federal law does not prescribe how #3 should be done. The Colorado State Board of Education gave the responsibility of developing and administering this written test to school districts. Therefore, if you choose #3, your school district employer administers the written test. NOTE: The Highly Qualified requirement applies to all Title I paraprofessionals who have instructional or classroom duties. To further explain, Title I Paraprofessionals are paraprofessionals who (1) provide one-on-one tutoring, (2) assist with classroom management, (3) provide instructional assistance in a computer laboratory, (4) conduct parental involvement activities, (5) provide support in a library or media center, (6) act as a translator, or (7) provide instructional support services under the direct supervision of a teacher. However, the law does not apply to any Title I paraprofessionals who are ONLY translators or who are ONLY involved in conducting parent involvement activities. Title I paraprofessionals DO NOT INCLUDE employees who work in food services, cafeteria or playground supervision, personal care services, non-instructional computer assistance, and similar positions. If you are a paraprofessional who works in Food Services, for example, NCLB does not apply to you.
Does this federal Highly Qualified requirement affect you?
The original deadline was January 8, 2006, but the U.S. Department of Education extended the deadline so it is the same as the deadline for teachers to become Highly Qualified. 2. If you were hired as a paraprofessional after January 8, 2002 and you work in a program supported by Title I funds, you had to meet one of the three requirements in order to be hired in the first place. So you are already Highly Qualified.
How do you know what to do next?
If you can answer Yes to A, B, or C, it appears that you are Highly Qualified under NCLB -- and it is likely that you have already proven this to your school district employer. A college transcript is necessary to prove A and B; and it is likely that your employer requires an original transcript which you can order from the college or university you attended. 2. If you have not met one of the three Highly Qualified choices explained above, you have until the end of the current 2005-06 school year to finish two years of college or earn an associate’s degree or pass your school district’s test. 3. It is likely that you have already met with school district personnel who have explained this to you. If not, you should make an appointment right away with the administrator in your district who oversees paraprofessionals’ employment. If you don’t know who this is, call the Human Resources/Personnel Department in your district or ask your school principal to refer you to someone in the Central Administration who can help you. 4. You may want to take NEA’s online quiz to see if you meet NCLB’s requirement as a Highly Qualified Paraprofessional (just to reassure you). NCLB Highly Qualified Choice C: Your School District’s Written Test A Colorado paraprofessional who has passed a paraprofessional assessment that meets Colorado’s NCLB standards is not required to pass any other formal paraprofessional content assessment. The assessment must be valid (measure math, reading, and writing content at a level equivalent to two years of college and be applicable to the duties of the paraprofessional) and it must be reliable (provide consistent results). It is up to school districts to make sure the assessment is valid and reliable and meets the Colorado Department of Education’s standards. School districts can choose one of the following paraprofessional assessments that CDE has deemed as meeting the state’s guidelines or it can develop its own test.
The two paraprofessional assessments that currently meet the guidelines are:
By now, you should have been notified by your employer whether it is using one of these two tests or its own test. If not, you should make an appointment right away with the administrator in your district who oversees paraprofessionals’ employment. If you don’t know who this is, call the Human Resources/Personnel Department in your district or ask your school principal to refer you to someone in the Central Administration who can help you.
What else does NCLB require for paraprofessionals?
It also lists specific "allowable duties" that include: one-on-one tutoring scheduled during the regular day when regular instruction is given; assisting with classroom management such as organization instructional materials; assisting in a computer lab; conducting parent involvement activities; providing support in a library or media center; act as a translator. Title I paraprofessionals may perform certain functions outside of those listed above for the benefit of all students, such as lunch room, playground, or study hall monitoring. However, the portion of their time they spend on these general duties may not exceed that of non-Title I paraprofessionals at the same school. Under NCLB, any district that gets Title I funds may use them to support ongoing professional development (training, workshops, etc.) that helps paraprofessionals satisfy the education requirements under the law.
Other NCLB Paraprofessional Quality Links
|