Effective Use of Paraprofessionals

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Effective Use of Paraprofessionals

• Washington County School District
• Department of Special Education

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a rose by any other name

• Paraeducator
• Paraprofessional
• Teacher Assistant
• Teacher Aide
• Para
• There are 21 titles for paraprofessionals

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What is a Paraprofessional?

• Paraprofessionals are to assist and support the
  teacher in delivering services to students with
  disabilities.

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The National Resource Center for
Paraprofessionals (NCRP) defines
paraprofessionals as follows

• PARAEDUCATORS/PARAPROFESSIONALS are school/agency
  employees
• Whose positions are either instructional in
  nature or who provide other direct services to
  children and youth and/or their families.
• Who work under the supervision of teachers or
  professional practitioners who are responsible
  for a) the design, implementation, and assessment
  of learner progress, and b) the evaluation of the
  effectiveness of learning programs and related
  services for children and youth and/or their
  families (Pickett, 1989).
• PARAEDUCATORS/PARAPROFESSIONALS are school/agency
  employees who assist and support teacher directed
  instruction (Gerlach, 2003)

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District Support

• Designated personnel in the district office have
  the primary responsibility for
• Recruiting, screening, and hiring
  paraprofessionals.
• Developing appropriate job descriptions.
• Developing appropriate policies for the
  employment and training of paraprofessionals.
• Introduce paraprofessionals to district policies
  and procedures.
• Introduce paraprofessionals to professional
  organizations such as the National Education
  Association (NEA), American Federation of
  Teachers (AFT), and the Council for Exceptional
  Children (CEC)

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Overview of the Paraprofessional Employment
Process

• Beginning January 1, 2006, anyone interested
  in employment with the Washington County School
  District as a Special Education Teacher
  Assistant/Para Professional will be required to
  complete the following training modules which
  consist of 4 phases.
• PHASE I Pre-employment Orientation
• This is a Special
  Education Paraprofessional
• Time required approximately 1
  hour prior to interview
• PHASE II New Employee Inservice
• Introduction to
  the Basics
• Time required 10-12 hours
  within 60 days of hire
• PHASE III Increasing Competence
• Time required approximately
  1 hour per monthongoing
• PHASE IV Skill Building (optional)

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New Paras

• Beginning July 1, 2006, new paraprofessionals
  will be given a Special Education Welcome Packet.
• The packet contains 2 assignments/activities that
  special education teachers need to be aware of.

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Orientation Activities for Paras

• Site Orientation Activity
• This activity has been designed to ensure that
  paras are successful in their new assignment.
• The activity requires them to become more
  familiar with their work site.
• When they have finished the activity, their
  supervising teacher needs to sign it.
• Then the para makes a copy and sends it to the
  Paraprofessional Specialist at the district
  office.

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Orientation Activities for Paras

• The Paraprofessional Training Manual
• The Department of Special Education has written
  a comprehensive training manual that is now only
  accessible from the district web site.
• Each supervising teacher needs an answer key
  for the end of chapter quizzes.

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The Paraprofessional Training Manual

• Paras are encouraged to discuss concepts from the
  manual that are unclear to them
• The manual can be used by teachers as a resource
  for on-the-job training and staff meetings

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The Paraprofessional Training Manual

• Table of Contents
• Chapter I EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
• Philosophy of Special Education
• Chapter II SPECIAL EDUCATION
  POLICIES
• Definition of Disabilities
• Special Education Process
• Chapter III OVERVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL AND
  BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
• Terms
• Overview of Behavior Management
• Motivating Students
• Instructional Methods
• Time Management

• Chapter IV DATA COLLECTION AND
  OBSERVATION
• Chapter V COLLABORATIVE PROCESSES
• Appendix
• A. Feeding Guidelines for Students with
  Disabilities
• B. Transfer Guidelines for Students with Severe
  Disabilities
• Guidelines for Speech/Language and Hearing
  Assistants
• D. Job description for Severe Paraprofessionals
• E. Job description for Motor Paraprofessionals
• Job description for Behavior Technicians
• Index

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The Department of Special Education

• The Department of SPED will support the
  Teacher-Paraprofessional team by
• Providing a clearly defined role.
• Meeting with all new teachers to make sure they
  understand their responsibilities in directing
  the work of paraprofessionals.
• Determine what local, state, and federal legal
  mandates exist for paraprofessional staff
  development and supervision.
• Providing professional development opportunities
  for paraprofessionals and those who supervise
  them.
• Design a professional development plan for
  paraprofessionals.

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• The Department of Special Education has
  designated the following paraprofessional
  positions
• Resource Paraprofessional
• Severe Paraprofessional
• Speech / Language Paraprofessional
• Motor Paraprofessional
• Preschool Paraprofessional

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Professional Development Plan for
Paraprofessionals

• STANDARDS
• and
• CORE COMPETENCIES
• were approved by the USOE and are based on NCLB
  and IDEA 04

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Professional Development Plan for
Paraprofessionals

• Teachers are expected to support paras in their
  professional development.
• Training will be provided through various means.
  
• The SpEd page of the district website has a link
  to Para Resources and the Newsletter will include
  information.
• Teachers will provide on-the-job training.
• Recognition will be an important component of
  paraprofessional development

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The Department of Special Education

• The Special Education page of the district
  website has a tab for Para Resources.
• There is a link to
• -this presentation Effective Use of
  Paraprofessionals
• - The Paraeducator Training Manual
• -a pre-employment orientation
  Paraprofessional 101

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• ROLES

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Paraprofessional Roles

• The work performed by paras will vary depending
  upon teachers expectations, paraeducators
  skills and experience, and job assignment.
  Paraeducators are primarily responsible for
  assisting and supporting teachers or other
  certified or licensed staff.

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Major Responsibilities

• Work as a team
• Build and maintain effective communication
• Maintain student-centered supportive environments
• Implement lessons initiated by the teacher or
  related-service personnel
• Assess student needs and progress under teacher
  direction.

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Other important responsibilities

• Learn school policies and procedures
• Perform assigned tasks
• Support curriculum and instruction
• Deal with student behavior
• Work with teachers and other supervisors
• Assist students with special needs
• Obtain training and professional development
• Maintain ethics and professionalism

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Major Responsibilities of Teachers in supervising
paras

• Plan the tasks that paras will perform
• Develop schedules for paras
• Appropriately delegate responsibilities to paras
• Monitor the day-to-day performance of paras
• Provide feedback and on-the-job training to paras
• Share relevant information about para strengths
  and training needs to principals and district
  Department of SPED

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Other important responsibilities

• Introduce the para to your classroom
• Provide clear instructions and complete
  information
• Assign and delegate tasks
• Discuss curriculum and instruction
• Discuss student behavior
• Promote training and professional development
• Give feedback and recognition

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Ideas to effectively utilize and supervise
paraprofessionals

• As teachers, were trained to deal with kids.
  Were not trained to deal with adults.
• When working with another adult in the
  classroom, take a leadership role. Start by
  getting to know each other.

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Ideas to effectively utilize and supervise
paraprofessionals

• Clarify roles and responsibilities
• Strengthen interpersonal communication

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Competency Areas for Teachers Who Supervise
Paraprofessionals

• Communicating with Paras
• Planning and scheduling
• Providing instructional support
• Modeling for Paras
• Managing the work of Paras
• Providing On-the-Job Training
• Advocating for involvement and professional
  development

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Guidelines for determining the need for
paraprofessional support

• Consider the impact of the decision.
• Consider the inadvertent detrimental effects such
  as student dependence, interference with peer
  interaction, limited involvement of the general
  ed. teacher with the student, isolation of the
  student.
• Assignment of a one-on-one para should be
  considered temporary.

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Guidelines for determining the need for
paraprofessional support

• In too many cases, reliance on para support
  results in the least trained, least qualified
  individuals assuming the primary educational
  responsibilities for students who have the most
  complex learning challenges.

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Guidelines for determining the need for
paraprofessional support

• Determination is not based on categorical labels
  (e.g. autism, deafness, blindness, severe
  emotional disturbance, etc.)

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Guidelines for determining the need for
paraprofessional support

• Look beyond student characteristics by
  encouraging alternative solutions
• Peer supports
• Grouping changes
• Problem solving strategies
• Identification of personnel training needs
• Evaluation procedures to assess the continued
  need for para support

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Common criteria for deciding on para support

• Student needs assistance in self-care (toileting,
  feeding, dressing, mobility)
• Student needs intensive assistance in the area of
  communication support.
• Student behavior poses a disruption in the
  classroom.
• Student poses a direct safety risk to him/herself
  or others.
• Student needs intensive on-going support in vital
  areas (academics, functional skills,
  re-direction) to benefit from instruction.

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Guidelines for determining the need for
paraprofessional support

• Rely on collaborative teamwork
• Build capacity in the school to support all
  students.
• Consider para supports individually and
  judiciously
• Clarify the reasons why para supports are being
  considered
• Match the identified needs and the skill of the
  person to provide the supports.

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Guidelines for determining the need for
paraprofessional support

• Explore opportunities for natural supports.
• Consider school and classroom characteristics.
• Consider special educator and related services
  caseloads.
• Explore administrative and organizational
  changes.
• Consider if para support is a temporary measure.

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Guidelines for determining the need for
paraprofessional support

• Is it acceptable for students with disabilities
  to be educated by paraprofessionals whereas
  students without disabilities receive their
  instruction from certified teachers?
• Are we willing to acknowledge that the
  challenges we face may have less to do with
  individual student characteristics and perhaps as
  much to do with our own attitudes and practices?

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Conclusion

• Paraprofessionals play a major role in the
  education of students with disabilities. They
  are part of a collaborative team where their role
  is clearly defined and their work is
  appropriately planned and supported.