The Training and Supervision of Paraprofessionals

1
The Training and Supervision of Paraprofessionals
2
Where Do They Work?

• In education, paraprofessionals, also known as
  teacher aides, work in a variety of programs
  including compensatory education and special
  education

3
What Is Compensatory Education?

• Federally funded and state funded programs
  developed to compensate for the disadvantages
  that some students face, which place them at-risk
  for academic failure
• Risk factors related to environment
• Strongest Risk-Factor
• Family Income
• Additional Risk-Factors
• Parents educational level
• Limited English proficiency
• Others???

4
Compensatory Ed

• Federal Programs for 0-5 Year Olds Their
  Families
• Early Start
• Head Start
• Even Start Family Literacy
• Federal Programs for Elementary and Secondary
  Students
• Title I
• State Programs for Preschool-Age Children
• State PreK

5
What Is Special Education?

• Services for children with developmental delays
  and disabilities whose impairment adversely
  affects their learning
• Identified areas of disability according to IDEA
• Developmental Delay (birth age 9)
• Serious Emotional Disturbance
• Specific Learning Disabilities
• Speech Language
• Deaf (including Hearing Impairment)
• Blind (including Visual Impairment)
• Mental Retardation
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Multiple Disabilities
• Deaf-Blind
• Autistic
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Other Health Impaired

6
What Are Paraprofessionals?

• Paraprofessionals are school employees who
• (1) Work under the supervision of teachers or
  other licensed/certificated professionals who
  have responsibility for
• a) Identifying learner needs,
• b) Developing and implementing programs to meet
  learners needs,
• c) Assessing learner performance, and
• d) Evaluating the effectiveness of education
  programs and related services, and
• (2) Who assist with the delivery of instructional
  and other direct services as assigned and
  developed by certified/licensed professional
  practitioners.
• - (Pickett, 2002)

7
Special Ed Legislation
IDEA -1997 Amendments A State may allow
paraprofessionals and assistants who are
appropriately trained and supervised, in
accordance with State law, regulations, or
written policy, in meeting the requirements of
this part to be used to assist in the provision
of special education and related services to
children with disabilities under Part B of the
Act. 34 CFR 300.136(f)
8
Legislation
No Child Left Behind (NCLB), 2002 - New
Paraprofessionals Each local education agency
receiving assistance under this part shall ensure
that all paraprofessionals hired after the date
of enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of
2001 and working in a program supported with
funds under this part shall have -- Title I,
Section 1119/b
9
Compensatory Ed Legislation

• NCLB, 2002 -
• New Paraprofessionals, continued
• Completed at least 2 years of study at an
  institution of higher education
• Obtained an associates (or higher) degree or
• Met a rigorous standard of quality and can
  demonstrate, through a formal State or local
  academic assessment -
• Knowledge of, and the ability to assist in
  instructing reading, writing, and mathematics or
  
• Knowledge of, and the ability to assist in
  instructing reading readiness, writing readiness,
  and mathematics readiness, as appropriate.
  Title I, Section 1119/b
• Existing paraprofessionals must meet requirements
  within 4 years after enactment (by January 8,
  2006)

10
Legislation

• NCLB, 2002 -
• A little more..
• Paraprofessional - an individual who performs
  instructional support duties and not to an
  individual performing only non-instructional
  duties
• All paraprofessionals must have High School
  diploma or equivalent.
• Requirements do not apply to those working as
  translators (if paraprofessional is proficient in
  English and a language other than English) or
  paraprofessionals working solely on parental
  involvement activities
• - Draft Non-Regulatory
  Guidance

11
NCLB

• What About Special Education?
• If a person working with special education
  students does NOT provide any instructional
  support (only personal care services), the person
  is not considered a paraprofessional and the
  requirements do not apply.
• If a person works in a Title I targeted
  assistance program and has instructional support
  duties and is paid with Title I funds, the
  requirements apply.
• If a person works in a Title I school-wide
  program (school) and has instructional support
  duties, the requirements apply without regard to
  the source of funding that supports the position.
  
• - Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance

12
NCLB

• What is included in Courses of Study?
• Paraprofessionals should be able to demonstrate
  knowledge and the ability to assist in
  instructing in the areas of reading, writing, and
  mathParaprofessionals are expected to have a
  working knowledge of these academic areas.
• Each State may determine what requirements, if
  any, it may choose to place on the coursework
  taken during the two years of study.
• - Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance

13
More about 2 yrs of Study

• State definition of full time study
• HEA definition of institution of higher
  education
• Admits only HS graduates, or equivalent
• Legally authorized by state
• Bachelors or 2 year credit toward
• Public or other non-profit institution
• Accredited
• - Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance

14
NCLB

• What is the purpose of the ASSESSMENT?
• The purpose of the academic assessment is to
  demonstrate that Title I paraprofessionals have
  the appropriate knowledge and ability to assist
  in instructing students and are competent in
  required instructional techniques and academic
  content areas.
• The paraprofessional assessment is expected to
  evaluate paraprofessional candidates at a level
  to the second year of college. Having skills at
  this level is the intent of the law.
• - Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance

15
More about Assessment

• State or local assessment
• Knowledge of and ability to assist in instructing
• Reading, writing, math, or readiness
• Need not be paper pencil test
• Must be valid, reliable, documented
• No USDE approval, but SEA approved
• Not just basic competencies
• Rigor second year of college
• Check with your State or Local
• Education Agency
• - Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance

16
Paraprofessional Roles

• The following is cited in NCLB as appropriate
  roles for paraprofessionals -
• Providing one-on-one tutoring for eligible
  students
• Assisting with classroom management (such as
• organizing instructional and other
  materials)
• Providing assistance in a computer laboratory
• Conducting parental involvement activities
• Providing support in a library or media center
  
• Acting as a translator
• Providing, under the direct supervision of a
  teacher,
• instructional services

17
Paraprofessional Roles

• The Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education
  (SPeNSE, 2001) found that while there were
  differences by region and district regarding the
  types of services paraeducators provided, the
  majority of special education paraeducators,
  nationwide, spend at least 10 of their time on
  each of the following activities
• Providing one-on-one instruction
• Providing instructional support in small
  groups
• Modifying materials
• Implementing behavior management plans
• Monitoring hallways, study hall, other
• Meeting with teachers
• Collecting data on students and
• Providing personal care assistance.

18
Supply and Demand
The National Center on Educational Statistics
reported a 48 increase in instructional
paraprofessional employment in education compared
to a 13 increase in student enrollment and an
18 increase in teacher employment between the
years 1990 and 1998 (NCES, 2000).
19
How Do Paraprofessionals Fit Into the
Organizational Structure?

• What Is the Organizational Structure of School
  Districts and Schools?
• Bureaucracies
• Hierarchies
• Superintendent
• l
• Principal

20
Bureaucracies

• Distinguished by
• Governing rules often rigid
• Division of labor
• Chain of command
• Specializations

21
Bureaucratic Structure of Schools

• Pyramidal
• Senior Management (Principal/Asst. Principals)
• Middle Management (Dept. Heads/Coordinators)
• Floor Supervisors (Teachers)
• Floor Workers (Aides)
• Horizontal and vertical components
• Research indicates that restructuring usually
  results in the elimination of middle management
  positions

22
Vertical Structure

• Hierarchy
• Provides the conduit for authority to flow,
  traditionally from top down (scalar principle)
• Delegation entails assignment of authority from
  super-ordinate to subordinate
• Units may be centralized or decentralized
• Unity of command means each employee has a
  supervisor

23
Vertical Structure

• Span of control refers to number of staff under
  one manager
• Positions
• Line relationship Position of authority over
  others
• super-ordinate
• l
• subordinate
• Staff relationship Advisory or support
• lateral -gt position

24
Power and/or Authority

• Authority right of supervisor to direct
  subordinates flows from chain of command vested
  in position, not person
• Power ability to influence the behavior of
  others may derive from management, ability to
  reward, expertise, and/or respect

25
Horizontal Structure

• Departments with specialized
• Functions
• Territory
• Product
• Processes
• Customers

26
Structure Coordination

• Mechanisms
• Hierarchys elements order, positions, etc.
• Communication
• Supervision
• Standardization of work, products, skills
• Policies procedures
• Committees
• Planning

27
Tools for Management

• Structure
• Organizational design
• Viewed today as means for competitive edge if the
  design is well matched to needs
• All the elements of structure
• For example, position descriptions, distribution
  of authority
• Use of specialization and coordination, etc.

28
What makes a leader?

• Employee-centered vs. production-centered
  approach
• Blake and Mouton (1964), and Likert (1961), use a
  two dimensional grid

Country clubmanagement
Teammanagement
Hi
Concern for people
Impoverishedmanagement
Authoritycompliance
Lo
Lo
Hi
Concern for production
29
Management Theory X and Theory Y

• Management styles Douglas McGregor (1960)
  polarised (caricatured?) managers attitudes
• Theory X
• Average person has an inherent dislike of work
• People must be coerced, controlled, directed,
  threatened with punishment
• Average person prefers to be directed, and wishes
  to avoid responsibility

30
Theory X and Theory Y

• McGregor suggested
• Theory Y
• Physical and mental effort is as natural as play
  or rest
• Man will exercise self-direction for objectives
  to which he is committed
• Commitment to objectives is a function of reward
• Average person learns to accept and seek
  responsibility
• Imagination and creativity is widely distributed
• Peoples potentials are only partially utilised

"When one treats people with benevolence, justice
and righteousness, and reposes confidence in
them, the army will be united in mind and all
will be happy to serve their leaders. Sun Tzu
(circa 400 BC)
31
Theory Z

• Theory Z WS Ouchi, 1980s
• Well managed companies in US and Japan had
  lifetime employment, collective decision making,
  promotion from within, non-specialised career
  paths
• Characterised as a democratic management style

Theory Y Objective setting (Laissez Faire)
Theory X Autocratic
Your style might be anywhere in this continuum
Theory Z Democratic
32
Supervision

• NCLB, 2002 -
• What does NCLB say?
• A paraprofessional works under the direct
  supervision of a teacher if the teacher plans the
  paraprofessionals instructional activities and
  evaluates the achievement of the students with
  whom the paraprofessional works
• The paraprofessional also would be required to
  work in close proximity of the teacher
• - Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance

33
Supervision

• There is a difference between the person
  responsible for hiring and evaluating
  performance (an administrator), and the person
  directing day-to-day work with students (an
  educator or other licensed person).
• As early as the 1960s, there was evidence that
  supervision was needed for paraprofessionals to
  provide instructional services (Esbenson, 1966,
  Blessing, 1967).
• Teachers must learn strategies for supervising
  paraprofessionals -- beginning in their teacher
  preparation programs. And, administrators must
  promote effective instructional supervisory
  relationships and create infrastructures that
  reward teams.

34
Supervision

• There is a need for administrators and teachers
  to find opportunities for licensed staff and
  paraprofessionals to be able plan together.
• Often reported as reasons why paraprofessionals
  leave their positions
• Lack of advancement opportunity
• Poor salary
• Lack of administrative support
• Lack of respect
• Factors affecting self-esteem (Riggs Mueller,
  2001)
• being involved in team meetings for students
  with whom they work
• being provided with adequate break time
• having adequate substitute coverage
• being perceived as a team member working
  along side of the teacher

35
Supervision -

• Six major themes associated with respect,
  appreciation, and acknowledgement of
  paraprofessionals (Giangreco, Edelman, Broer,
  2001)
• Nonmonetary signs and symbols of appreciation
• Compensation
• Being entrusted with important responsibilities
• Noninstructional responsibilities
• Being listened to
• Orientation and support
• Competencies for Teachers (Wallace, Shin,
  Bartholomay, Stahl, 2001)
• Communication with Paraprofessionals
• Planning and Scheduling
• Instructional Support
• Modeling for Paraprofessionals
• Public Relations
• Training
• Management of Paraprofessionals

36
Some Supervision Issues

• Some studies found that paraprofessionals
  reported
• being responsible for instructional program
  of a
• student, when that is the responsibility of
  the teacher
• (Giangreco, Edelman, Luiselli, MacFarland,
  1997 Marks, Schrader,
• Leving, 1999 Wallace, Stahl, MacMillan,
  2000).
• Paraprofessionals reported a high level of
  responsibility
• in their jobs, such as decisions regarding
  adaptations,
• behavioral support, and interacting with team
  members
• including parents (Downing, Ryndak, Clark
  2000).

37
Some Supervision Issues

• Lack of planning time between teachers and
  paraprofessionals (Wallace, Stahl, Johnson,
  2003).
• Many paraprofessionals work in multiple
  classrooms each day (Wallace, Stahl, Johnson,
  2003).
• More than 80 of the paraprofessionals reported
  spending half or more of their day on
  instructional tasks and yet only about 40
  reported having received training in reading,
  writing, or math instruction (Wallace, Stahl,
  Johnson, 2003).
• Half of the paraprofessionals reported that
  their job descriptions accurately reflected their
  duties (Wallace, Stahl, Johnson, 2003).

38
Some Supervision Issues

• Lack of planning time between teachers and
  paraprofessionals (Wallace, Stahl, Johnson,
  2003).
• Sixty-seven percent reported receiving specific
  or non-specific instructions/suggestions for
  their work from the person who directs their
  day-to-day work, while 17 reported receiving no
  real consistent direction (Wallace, Stahl,
  Johnson, 2003).
• Paraprofessionals who felt their planning time
  was adequate reported most often that they had
  daily (43) and weekly (24) planning time with
  the person who directs their work (Wallace,
  Stahl, Johnson, 2003).
• Nearly 90 of the paraprofessionals reported
  feeling like a valued member of the instructional
  team(Wallace, Stahl, Johnson, 2003).

39
Responsibilities for Teachers
40
Responsibilities for Teachers
41
Responsibilities for Teachers
42
Responsibilities for Teachers
43
Responsibilities for Teachers
44
Responsibilities for Teachers
Adapted from Strengthening and Supporting
Teacher/Provider-Paraeducator Teams Guidelines
for Paraeducator Roles, Supervision, and
Preparation, by A.L. Pickett, 1999 - National
Resource Center for Paraprofessionals.
45
Responsibilities of Teachers with Regard to
Paraprofessional Supervision (Pickett and
Safarik, 2003 in Pickett and Gerlach, 2003)

• Participate in supervision training prior to
  using a paraprofessional and upgrade supervision
  knowledge and skills on a regular basis.
• Participate significantly in the hiring of the
  paraprofessional for whom he or she will be
  responsible.
• Inform the family and student about the level
  (professional vs. paraprofessional), frequency,
  and duration of services, as well as the extent
  of supervision.
• Review each individual plan with the
  paraprofessional at least weekly.
• Delegate specific tasks to the paraprofessional
  while retaining legal and ethical responsibility
  for all services provided or omitted.
• Sign all formal documents (e.g., IEPs, reports).
• Review and sign all informal progress notes
  prepared by the paraprofessional.

46
Responsibilities of Teachers with Regard to
Paraprofessional Supervision (Pickett and
Safarik, 2003 in Pickett and Gerlach, 2003)

• Provide ongoing on-the-job training for the
  paraprofessional.
• Provide and document appropriate supervision of
  the paraprofessional.
• Ensure that the paraprofessional performs only
  tasks within the scope of the paraprofessionals
  responsibility.
• Participate in the performance appraisal of the
  paraprofessional for whom he or she is
  responsible.
• Adapted from Learning Disabilities Use of
  Paraprofessionals, National Joint Committee on
  Learning Disabilities, 1999 (Winter), Learning
  Disabilities Quarterly, 22, pp. 23-28.

47
Components of Job Description

• Position Title
• Position Setting
• Qualifications for the Position
• Purpose
• Duties and Responsibilities
• Training Requirements
• Supervision Guidelines
• Evaluation Guidelines

48
Training Preparation
With rare exceptions, policies, standards, and
systems for improving the performance and
productivity of teacher and paraeducator teams
are almost non-existent. Paraeducator training,
when it is available is usually highly parochial
and sporadic, does not recognize the similarities
in the core skills required by the vast majority
of paraeducators, nor is it competency based, or
linked to systematic opportunities for their
career development. State education agencies
and/or other state agencies responsible for
developing and administering teacher
credentialing systems have not joined forces with
institutions of high education to establish
standards for licensure to ensure that teacher
have the knowledge and skills they require to
supervise paraeducators. Moreover paraeducator
issues have yet to be addressed by various reform
initiatives concerned with empowering teachers
and increasing the accountability and
effectiveness of education systems and
practices. (Pickett, Likins, Wallace,
2002).
49
Training Preparation

• Studies have found that paraeducators who receive
  more inservice training or preservice preparation
  report feeling better prepared to fulfill their
  job responsibilities
• Numerous recent studies and opinion pieces
  indicate that there is a scarcity of relevant
  training available to paraeducators.
• Perceptions regarding need for training differ
  among administrators, teachers, and
  paraprofessionals.

50
Questions to ask to avoid ethical dilemmas
regarding preparation and training (Heller, B.
and Gerlach, K. (2003). Paraeducators in
Education Settings Ethical Issues, in Pickett,
A.L., Gerlach, G. Paraeducators in Education
Settings A Team Approach. Austin, TX Pro-ed)

• 1. Have knowledge and skills required by
  paraeducators and assistants to work in different
  positions, programs, and across disciplines been
  identified and developed?
• 2. Are there systematic competency-based
  opportunities for personnel development and
  career advancement?
• ? For paraprofessionals
• ? For administrators who manage paraprofessionals
• ? For educators and other professionals who
  supervise paraprofessionals
• 3. Does the training content provide
  paraeducators and their supervisors with an
  understanding of the roles of professionals as
  team leaders, diagnosticians, program planners
  and supervisors of paraprofessionals?

51
Questions, continued

• 4. Have the team leadership and supervisory roles
  been identified and the knowledge and skill
  competencies developed to prepare the
  professionals for these roles?
• 5. Does the training content demonstrate respect
  for children and youth with disabilities and
  their families, as well as for those who come
  from diverse ethnic, cultural and language
  backgrounds?
• 6 Does the training content include
  information on the ethical, legal and team-based
  roles of professionals and paraeducators in the
  delivery of education and related services?
• 7. Do licensed/certified professionals
  involved in the training of paraeducators have
  knowledge of and respect for the distinction in
  professional and paraeducator roles?

52
Questions, continued

• 8. Is sufficient time and opportunity provided
  for orientation, initial training, and continued
  competency development?
• 9. How can different constituencies (e.g.,
  professional associations, provider agencies,
  IHEs) contribute to the appropriate efforts to
  improve the quality of teacher/provider-paraeducat
  or staff development?

53
Ethical Issues Parents Right to Know(Heller,
B. and Gerlach, K. (2003). Paraeducators in
Education Settings Ethical Issues, in Pickett,
A.L., Gerlach, G. Paraeducators in Education
Settings A Team Approach. Austin, TX Pro-ed)

• Another issue concerns family involvement in
  planning paraeducator services to implement the
  IEP (Individual Education Program). Family
  members should be active participants in
  considering the need for paraeducator services in
  an IEP. If a student requires the services of a
  paraeducator to assist with the implementation of
  the IEP, family members need to contribute to the
  decision making and planning about how those
  services will be delivered. The Iowa Department
  of Education Division of Early Childhood,
  Elementary and Secondary Education, (1998),
  suggests the following questions be asked

54
Parents Right to Know, continued

• 1. What issues do family members and other IEP
  team members need to address when considering the
  needs of the student?
• 2. What accommodations or modifications are
  needed and who will provide those accommodations?
• 3. What services will be provided by the
  paraeducator?
• 4. Where will the services be provided?
• 5. How much time will the paraeducator be working
  with the learner?
• 6. How long will the services be needed?

55
Parents Right to Know, continued

• 7. How will we know when the learner
  outcomes/objectives have been achieved?
• 8. Who is responsible for directing and
  monitoring the paraeducator?
• 9.Who should I call about programming issues such
  as my childs progress, class scheduling,
  instructional needs, or social interaction with
  peers?
• 10.What skills does the paraeducator need to work
  effectively with my child? How will the
  paraeducator be trained prior to starting
  services? What ongoing staff development will be
  provided to the paraeducator?
• 11.How will information the paraeducator has
  about my childs experiences at school be shared
  with me?

56
Training Preparation

• Topics listed in the literature for Paraeducator
  Training -
• Positive behavioral supports
• Specifics about disabilities
• Teaching strategies
• Communication and problem solving strategies
• Transition related information and job coaching
• Early childhood special education and child
  development
• Special Education Law, confidentiality
• Use of computers and accommodations
• Inclusion
• Health and safety
• Development of independence and mobility
• Observation and data collection strategies

57
Standards Infrastructure

• Since the 1997 Amendments to IDEA, a renewed
  interest, and requirements for developing
  standards and certification, has re-emerged.
• Some associations Council for Exceptional
  Children (CEC), the American Speech, Language and
  Hearing Association (ASHA), American Physical
  Therapy Association (APTA), American Occupational
  Therapy Association (AOTA) have established
  knowledge and skill competencies for
  paraprofessionals. CEC has a set for
  paraeducators.
• ASHA, APTA and AOTA require community college AA
  Degreees for certified therapy assistants.
• 249 community colleges offer AA degrees to OT
  and PT assistants.
• In 1997, ASHA recognized an AA degree for SLP
  assistants. In response, there are already 10
  accredited programs and another 50 in
  development.

58
Standards Infrastructure

• Continued -
• Eleven states have identified competencies or
  standards for paraeducators.
• Thirteen states have credentialing systems,
  ranging from multi-level licensure/certification
  credentials that define roles, training and
  career advancement criteria to one-dimensional
  systems that do not specify role or training
  requirements.
• Approximately, 198 community colleges offer
  either two-year AA degrees or one-year
  certificate programs to paraeducators working in
  inclusive special and general education,
  bilingual/ESL, Title I, and early childhood
  programs. (NRCP)
• Paraeducator-to-Teacher programs - Career
  ladders - Ongoing training opportunities.

59
In the final analysis, schools cannot adequately
function without paraeducators, and paraeducators
cannot adequately function in schools that lack
an infrastructure that supports and respects them
as viable and contributing members of
instructional teams (Daniels McBride, 2001).
60
The National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals

• The purpose of the National Resource Center for
  Paraprofessionals (NRCP) is to build partnerships
  that address the preparation, management,
  supervision, deployment, and career development
  of paraprofessionals.
• Co-Directors Marilyn Likins (Utah State
  University) and
• Teri Wallace (University of Minnesota)
• Founder Anna Lou Pickett
• National Conference May 20-22, 2004 in
  Providence, RI
• Web site http//nrcpara.org

61
Resources - 1

• National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals
  (NRCP) http//nrcpara.org
• No Child Left Behind http//www.ed.gov/nclb/
• Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education
  (SPeNSE) Fact Sheets http//www.spense.org/Result
  s.html
• Minnesota Paraprofessional Consortium
  http//ici2.umn.edu/para
• Paraprofessionals In the Education Workforce,
  National Education Association (NEA)
  http//www.nea.org/esp/resource/parawork.htm
• Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education
  (COPSSE) http//www.coe.ufl.edu/copsse/ --look
  for paraprofessional issue brief

62
Resources - 2

• Paraeducator Support of Students with
  Disabilities in General Education Classrooms,
  University of Vermont http//www.uvm.edu/cdci/par
  asupport/
• Roles of Educational Paraprofessionals in
  Effective Schools, U.S. Department of Education
  http//www.ed.gov/pubs/Paraprofessionals/
• National Clearinghouse for Careers in Special
  Education, CEC http//www.special-ed-careers.org/r
  esearch_library/paraeducators.html
• Standards for a Profession, American Federation
  of Teachers (AFT) http//www.aft.org/psrp/standard
  s/
• Schools and Staffing Survey, National Center for
  Educational Statistics (NCES) http//nces.ed.gov/s
  urveys/sass/

63
Resources - 3

• Paraeducator-to-Teacher Programs, National
  Teacher Recruitment Clearinghouse
  http//www.recruitingteachers.org/become/paraprogr
  ams.html
• IDEA Practices Home Page http//www.ideapractice
  s.org/
• National Clearinghouse for Paraeducators
  Resources, Center for Multilingual, Multicultural
  Research http//www.usc.edu/dept/education/CMMR/Cl
  earinghouse.html
• National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities
  http//www.uvm.edu/cdci/parasupport/
• Paraeducator Resources Northwest Regional
  Educational Laboratory http//nwrac.org/links/para
  ed.html

64
Resources - 4

• State Level Initiatives Related to Training and
  Supervision of Paraeducators, Project FORUM
  National Association of State Directors of
  Special Education 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 320
  Alexandria, VA 22314 Tel [phone], ext.
  333 FAX [phone] Please contact Joy
  Markowitz at joy_at_nasdse.org or by calling
  703-519-3800 (ext. 335).
• Copies of the IDEA Partnerships PARAPROFESSIONAL
  INITIATIVE Report to the U.S. Department of
  Education, Office of Special Education Programs
  (OSEP) may be obtained from Council for
  Exceptional Children, 1110 North Glebe Road,
  Suite 300 Arlington, VA 22201-5704,Voice
  1-877-232-4332 (toll free),TTY 866-915-5000,FAX
  703-264-1637, E-mail ideapractices_at_ideapractices.
  org
• IMPACT Feature Issue on Paraeducators
  Supporting Students with Disabilities and At
  Risk. Published by the Institute on Community
  Integration (UCEDD) and the Research and Training
  Center on Community Living, College of Education
  and Human Development, University of Minnesota
  Volume 15 Number 2 Fall 2002 -
  http//ici.umn.edu/products/impact/152/default.htm
  l
• Wallace, T., Shin, J., Bartholomay, T., Stahl,
  B. (2001). Knowledge and skills for teachers
  supervising the work of paraprofessionals.
  Exceptional Children, 67(4), 520-533.
• ERIC/OSEP Special Project (Spring 2003).
  Paraeducators Providing support to students
  with disabilities and their teachers. Research
  Connections in Special Education (no. 12).
  Arlington, VA The ERIC Clearinghouse on
  Disabilities and Gifted Education.
  http//ericec.org

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Resources - 4

• www.nea.org/books Lets Team Up by Kent Gerlach
  - This unique checklist is written to help
  paraeducators, teachers, and principals
  understand their roles and responsibilities as
  they relate to each other. It's filled with
  helpful tips for teachers on working effectively
  with paraeducators, practical suggestions for
  paraeducators on clarifying their jobs and their
  relationships with students and school staff, and
  great advice for principals on the administrative
  supervision of paraeducators. When every member
  of the school team is successful, the entire
  school wins.
• www.proedinc.com Pickett, A.L., Gerlach, G.
  Paraeducators in Education Settings A Team
  Approach. Austin, TX Pro-ed This is the first
  and most comprehensive text on supervising
  paraprofessionals in educational settings.
• http//www.lrp.com/ - The Teachers Guide to
  Supporting and Supervising Paraprofessionals in
  the Classroom Video and Guidebook by Teri
  Wallace
• This hands-on training video spells out key
  roles and responsibilities of paraprofessionals,
  and teachers working with paraprofessionals -
  along with successful management strategies - to
  help educators build effective teaching teams and
  improve overall classroom instruction. This
  hands-on training video spells out key roles and
  responsibilities of paraprofessionals, and
  teachers working with paraprofessionals - along
  with successful management strategies - to help
  educators build effective teaching teams and
  improve overall classroom instruction -
  1-800-341-7874.

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Discussion Questions