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New Requirements for
Paraprofessionals back
Existing Paraprofessionals (Hired Prior
to January 8, 2002)
All paraprofessionals hired before the date of enactment of the No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001 (January 8, 2002), and working in a program
supported with Title 1 funds must meet one of the following three
requirements no later than 4 years after the date of enactment (by
January 8, 2006):
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Completed at least 2 years of study (48 semester hours)
at an institution of higher education, OR |
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Obtain an associates (or higher) degree, OR
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Meet a rigorous standard of quality and can
demonstrate, through a formal state of local academic assessment,
knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instructing reading,
writing, and mathematics; or reading readiness, writing readiness, and
mathematics readiness. |
Exceptions
These requirements do not apply to a paraprofessional who is proficient
in English and a language other than English and who provides services
primarily to enhance the participation of children in programs under
this part by acting as a translator; or whose duties consist solely of
conducting parental involvement activities.
General Requirement for All
Paraprofessionals
All paraprofessionals working in a program supported with Title 1 funds
must have earned a secondary school diploma or its recognized
equivalent, regardless of the paraprofessionals' hiring date.
Use of Funds
Local educational agencies receiving Title 1 funds may use such funds to
support ongoing training and professional development to assist
paraprofessionals in satisfying these requirements.
New Criteria for Type of Work that May be
Assigned to Paraprofessionals
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Provide one-on-one tutoring for eligible students, if
the tutoring is scheduled at a time when a student would not otherwise
receive instruction from a teacher. |
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Assist with classroom management, such as organizing
instructional and other materials |
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Provide assistance in a computer laboratory
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Conduct parental involvement activities
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Provide support in a library or media center
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Act as a translator |
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Provide instructional services to students under the
direct supervision of teacher |
What This Means To You
If you are a paraprofessional who needs to obtain an associate's degree
by January 8, 2006, it is critical that you start now. For more
information please contact:
Joan Patterson
Certification Section
Utah State Office of Education
250 East 500 South
PO Box 144200
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4200
(801) 538-7776 office
jpatters@usoe.k12.ut.us
Forms
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All Title 1 (school-wide and targeted assistance)
paraeducators need to have their school and personal information
listed in the educational database CACTUS. Here is the form to fill
out. It is 2 pages long. Be sure you and your supervisor sign it and
send it to the Utah State Office of Education. The information is kept
in a very highly secure database and is not available to the public.
You and the USOE Certification staff are the only folks that have full
access to this information. The address information is on the paper.
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click here for the C.A.C.T.U.S. Para Form
Paraeducator Testing Information
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ParaPro by ETS
In preparation now--Not Available Yet
An online or paper/pencil test
The ParaPro Assessment reflects the most
current research and the professional judgment and experience of
educators across the country. The test was developed with the assistance
of an advisory committee composed of paraprofessionals and teachers who
work with Title 1 paraprofessionals. Title 1 paraeducators who do NOT
meet the requirements for being "highly qualified" through 1) having an
Associates Degree, or; 2) having 48 semester hours of college work, must
pass a rigorous state approved assessment. A thorough job analysis was
conducted to determine what knowledge and skills in the areas of
reading, writing, and mathematics and in assisting in instruction in
these areas are important for Title 1 paraprofessionals. When this test
is approved, Title 1 paraeducators will need to score above 460. The
online test will give the results immediately. Contact your district
Title 1 coordinator for more information. Visit the ETS website for
information and procedures about the ETS tests:
http://www.ets.org/parapro/
ESP Assessment Refresher Tests
provided by
NEA: National Education Association
click here
Western Governors University
Available Now
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The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
requires most paraprofessionals who work in Title 1 schools to complete
an Associate's degree or two years of study at an institution of higher
learning, and/or pass a formal assessment to demonstrate your knowledge
and ability to assist in reading, writing, and mathematics instruction.
Contact WGU for information about taking the "end-of-course" online
evaluation/test.
http://www.wgu.edu/parapro
Portfolio Assessment
In Developmental Stages Now
Please contact Marilyn Likins, National Resource
Center for Paraeducators,
Phone: 801-599-8708 / Fax: 801-273-7026 / Email:
marilyn@nrcpara.org,
for more information.
Who are
paraprofessionals?
How does
the new No Child Left Behind legislation impact them and their school?
What
about the "Test?"
How does
a paraprofessional become "highly qualified?"
Read
more about it...
Frequently Asked
Questions
back
A "Few Frequently
Asked Questions about Paraprofessionals...
Q: What is a paraprofessional as defined by
NCLB?
A: --Provides instructional support in a program supported by Title 1
funding...(School wide or Targeted Assistance)
Q: What are the new requirements for Title 1
paraprofessionals?
A: Para's must have:
--A high school diploma and one of the following:
--An Associates degree
--48 Semester hours of college work
--Pass a rigorous formal assessment that measures reading readiness,
writing readiness, and mathematics readiness, as appropriate.
Q: When do Para's have to meet these
requirements?
A: --New hires must meet them as they are hired.
--Existing paraprofessional hired before Jan. 8, 2002 have until Jan. 8,
2006 to meet the above requirements. High school diploma is required
immediately for all para's.
Q: Can the two years of college or Associate
degree work be in any field at all?
A: --No, Paraeducators should be able to demonstrate knowledge of and
the ability to assist in instructing in the areas of reading, writing,
and math. Paraeducators are expected to have a working knowledge of
these academic areas.
Q: What test should our Para's take?
A: --A suitable test has not been decided on yet, but will soon be
available. It will be a paper/pencil or online (Computer) test. It will
cost $40 and take no more than 2.5 hours to complete. Online results
will be available immediately at a cost of $60. The test is quite
rigorous however, and exceeds the requirements of state testing
requirements.
Q: Does a performance assessment mean a "paper
and pencil test?" Could the assessment be a performance assessment?
A: --No, but the assessment must be validated and be reliable.
Assessments results must be documented. a paper and pencil test is
simple and straight forward if used properly. The state is investigating
(with the help of several groups) a 'Portfolio Assessment".
Educational Opportunities, Special
Resources for Paraeducators
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Educational Paraprofessionals:
Multifaceted Members of
the School Staff-Roles for Education Paraprofessionals in Effective
Schools-1997. Educational paraprofessionals can provide strong,
multidimensional support for students' academic success. This Idea
Book offers decision makers and program planners an overview of
strategies that can enhance the contributions of paraprofessionals to
school and classroom effectiveness. This volume begins with a summary
of the history of paraprofessionals' roles in education and brief
descriptions of the present workforce and factors associated with this
type of work. Then we offer three approaches to thinking about school
effectiveness as frameworks, to help school personnel assess whether
investments in hiring or training paraprofessionals are the best way
to help children reach challenging academic standards in a given
situation. Following that is a review of the working conditions that
can enhance paraprofessionals' ability to contribute. The Idea Book
also profiles schools and programs that stimulate and support
paraprofessionals' efforts to make a lasting impact on student
learning. The sites featured in this section were chosen because of
their exemplary implementation of academically ambitious,
organizationally sound programs that provide contexts for wise use of
education support personnel. Visit the U.S. Dept of Education's
website for this great resource for paraeducators, administrators, and
policymakers...
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/Paraprofessionals/
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USOE, Utah Title 1 Coordinators,
Correspondence to all Paraeducators
Is this school a learning organization? 10 ways to
tell. Leaders of schools, like leaders of businesses and hospitals, want
their organizations to be flexible and responsive, able to change in
accord with changing circumstances. Individuals learn best when the
content is meaningful to them and they have opportunities for social
interaction and the environment supports the learning. That idea applies
to organizations as well. To check whether a school is functioning as a
learning organization, its staff members and others need to consider
this list of characteristics not as a checklist but as elements of the
whole...
Is this school a learning organization.pdf
Title 1 Schools in Utah. The following link is a
listing of every Title 1 Elementary, Middle, Jr. High, and High School
in Utah. School-wide and Targeted Assistance schools are only listed.
Schools that are not "official" Title 1 schools are not shown. The
document is 7 pages long. Please note that several districts have not
yet confirmed the schools listed...
Title One Schools in Utah 1292003.pdf
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The 48 hour letter is a 1 page letter.
USOE has determined that a "Highly Qualified Pareducator" MAY have 48
semester hours of college credit to be highly qualified...48 hour letter.pdf
The ParaPro Supervisors in Utah is a 3
page pdf showing all of the most recent Title 1 coordinators at each
school district in Utah. Their office phone, address and email address
is listed...
ParaPro Supervisors in Utah 1062003.pdf
If you have specific questions about the No Child Left
Behind regulations as to how they apply to paraeducators, please call or
contact:
Joan Patterson
Certification Section
Utah State Office of Education
250 E 500 So
PO Box 144200
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4200
(801) 538-7776 Office
jpatters@usoe.k12.ut.us
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