Archived: Elements of Good Professional Practice

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Roles for Education Paraprofessionals in Effective Schools - 1997

Elements of Good Paraprofessional Practice

Appropriate Job Qualifications

Thirty-one states have established specific education or experiential guidelines for hiring paraprofessionals, although in five of these the guidelines apply only to personnel in special education programs. Most states' guidelines require only a high school diploma or its equivalent, however. This paucity of guidelines in itself would not be a problem, say some experts, if better and more extensive on-the-job training were routinely offered.

Concerns about the qualifications of teaching assistants were raised during the recent reauthorization of ESEA, after studies commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education found that some Title I assistants were assuming roles otherwise reserved for teachers. A study of Title I programs (Millsap et al., 1993) determined that 13 percent of instructional assistants had a bachelor's degree, and 4 percent had more advanced formal education; little information is available about the educational backgrounds of the remaining 83 percent. To ensure that students in Title I programs are served by qualified assistants, Title I now requires that paraprofessionals in Title I programs have at least a high school diploma or GED, unless they are proficient in a language other than English that is needed to enhance the participation of children in Title I programs.

Through the advocacy of professional associations, some paraprofessionals have called for employment standards, such as a minimum number of college credits or minimum level of training. For example, AFT has recommended that standards for paraprofessional licensing include: (1) a high school diploma; (2) district-sponsored preservice and inservice education; and (3) demonstrated competency in areas directly bearing on paraprofessionals' assignments, such as instructional methods, behavior management, and child development. Associations of early childhood educators have recommended similar credentialing requirements.

In Broward County, Florida, local school board policy requires that teaching assistants have at least 60 college credits. However, the policy did not specify what courses should be taken, and state policy provided no guidelines on desired training for paraprofessionals. The district's vocational leaders recognized a need for program development; as a result, in 1994-95 the area's three vocational centers designed and offered an 18-week program designed for paraprofessionals.

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[Clear Definitions of Paraprofessionals' Roles and Responsibilities]

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