CDE sets standards for "Highly Qualified Paraprofessionals"

ESEA outlines new requirements for paraprofessionals with instructional responsibilities in schools that get Title I funding. Under ESEA, they must have at least two years of college, or earned an associate or higher degree, or be a high school graduate who can successfully demonstrate skills on a formal assessment.

New paraeducators (since January 2002) have to meet one of the three requirements to be hired. Paraeducators hired before January 2002 have until January 2006 to fulfill one of the three requirements.

School districts have the responsibility to develop and implement the assessment under guidelines from the state. CDE is not adopting a single assessment tool. It is setting standards that districts must follow in choosing an assessment or developing their own assessment.

The assessment must give the paraprofessional the opportunity to demonstrate content knowledge in reading, writing, and math, and the ability to assist the classroom teacher in instruction of students.

Assessments that currently meet CDE's guidelines are ACT-Work Keys and ParaPro from ETS (Educational Testing Service). CDE and ETS are in the process of setting cut scores on ParaPro. When this work is done, CDE expects that ParaPro will meet Colorado's paraprofessional assessment standards.