Rigorous Preparation for Paraeducators

1
Rigorous Preparation for Paraeducators

• Meeting NCLB Mandates
• Margaret Gessler Werts, Ph.D.
• Appalachian State University

2
Purpose

• To determine how states are meeting the
  requirements
• To determine the attitudes of state officials
  toward paraeducators who do not meet the
  requirements
• To determine the progress made toward having all
  paraeducators meet the requirements

3
Methods

• List of Title I Directors obtained from DC
• Call to each state
• Interviews in summer 2002
• Interviews in Spring 2005
• Websites Spring 2005

4
Results

• 2002
• 46 states contacted by phone
• 2005
• 45 contacted by phone
• Confirmed by checking the websites

5
Mandated Education

• Associates Degree
• 2 years of higher education
• Pass designated test in reading, writing, and math

6
In 2002

• All had heard of and were familiar with the
  legislation (except Washington, D. C.)
• 18 had made decisions
• 13 states decided or considering Parapro
• 2 adopted Workkeys
• Others in process of making decisions

7
In 2005

• Testing
• 69 can use the ETS Parapro
• 25 mentioned the WorkKeys
• Others have state devised testing
• A few can use the Praxis I
• Some have teaching modules and tests to follow
  each

8
Classes

• Majority of persons are taking the tests
• Most states mentioned classes at community
  colleges

9
Other ways

• Apprenticeship programs
• Teacher and paraeducator study teams
• Training to prepare for tests
• Portfolios
• Some states these were used.
• One state Nobody submitted one.

10
Associate degrees

• Any degree
• Any degree that would be accepted as entry into a
  4 year institution
• A paraprofessional degree (Utah)
• An early childhood degree (encouraged)
• Articulation agreements with Universities and
  Colleges

11
Degree of preparation

• Overall, 69.5 reported prepared as of last
  reporting date
• Only about ½ of states would estimate or give
  figures (Some were on line, some said the data
  was too difficult to collect.)
• Range of 30 to 100

12
Comments on the legislation

• I think it has, nationally, cause the biggest
  stir but it is working out well. We have about
  90 who have met the requirements so it is not a
  huge issue any more. It required a lot of fast
  decisions.
• We agree with the concept. We want people who are
  well qualified.

13

• It is a process of including the whole community
  including the parents. It is difficult to
  implement all the requirements because we want
  high quality and well prepared paraprofessionals,
  but there is such a teacher shortage.
• They must be certified if they are employed.

14

• There has certainly been money allocated to try
  to get them to become teachers. IDEA has
  professional development money, and they may be
  using the Title I money.
• There are going to be relatively few who do not
  meet the requirements. Some are going to retire,
  if they do not, they may be moved to a position
  not requiring the NCLB requirements. We do not
  foresee a problem in January

15

• Concerns? Only what we have been hearing from
  districts about the number of paras left at the
  end. Some people are hesitant to take the tests
  because they fear not passing. So some are
  thinking about retirement but would like to work
  for a few more years. Some districts are
  providing more support than others.

16

• It caused a great deal of confusion at first
  because we were implementing new state
  requirements at the same time, but now that we
  are past that, we are OK.

17

• We may have to fire them and then hire them back
  as casual employees they will lose the benefit
  packages, they will not have a salary. But they
  may make more money per hour.

18

• I just don't know what will happen. The state
  has been making the requirements clear. The
  districts will not be able to keep the paras in
  title I positions or in Title I schools. Maybe
  they could stay in Non-title I positions. By
  putting them in special education positions, what
  message are we sending? I hope the districts
  would have the same requirements for special
  education for consistency across programs.

19
Last Word?

• Performance has improved tremendously in the
  last three years."