Transcript What do Paraprofessionals do… …in Minnesota Classrooms? MN Definition of “Paraprofessional” MN 3525.0200 DEFINITIONS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION – Subp.

What do Paraprofessionals
do…
…in Minnesota Classrooms?
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MN Definition of “Paraprofessional”
MN 3525.0200 DEFINITIONS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION –
Subp. 10a. Paraprofessional. “Paraprofessional” means a
district employee who is primarily engaged in direct
instruction with one or more pupils for instructional
activities, physical or behavior management, or other
purposes under the direction of a regular education or
special education teacher or related services provider.
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Definition of “Paraprofessional”
• Paraeducators (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
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professional practitioners.
- (Pickett, 2002)
What roles have you seen
paraprofessionals fulfill in
classrooms?
What has seemed to work?
What could work better?
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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
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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
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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
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- Providing personal care assistance.
Appropriate Roles
What does it mean to assist and support the
teacher in providing services
to students?
What are appropriate roles for
paraprofessionals?
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Appropriate Roles
Some paraprofessionals report that they are
fully responsible for the instructional
program of a student. Still others report
making instructional decisions, writing
IEPs, and more.
Are these appropriate roles?
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Appropriate Roles
Wallace, Stahl, & Johnson (2003)
Eighty-four percent (768) of the paraprofessionals in this
survey indicated that they spent 50% or more of their
day on instructional tasks.
Table 8: Percent of School Day Spent on Instructional Tasks
# of Responses (n) % of Total N
100%
193
21%
75-99%
445
49%
50-74%
130
14%
25-49%
66
7%
Less than 25%
58
6%
None
18
2%
Total N
910
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Whose Role??
Task
Teacher
Only
Paraprofessional
Only
Both
Design Instruction
Assign Grades
Review Lesson
Modify Curriculum
Gather Data
Graph Data
Interact with Parents
Support Personal
Care
Prepare Materials
Take Attendance
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Issues in identifying role…
• How have teachers’ roles
changed in the past 15 years?
• How have paraprofessionals’
roles changed?
• What issues exist related to
supporting students in general
education classroom?
• What issues exist in supporting
students in community
environments?
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MN Core Competencies for
Instructional Paraprofessionals
Minnesota developed a set of Core Competencies
for Instructional Paraprofessionals. These
should be used to guide training, portfolio
development, and more.
Find the full competency list and other resources
at…
ici2.umn.edu/para
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MN Core Competency Areas for
Instructional Paraprofessionals
 Philosophical, Historical, and Legal Foundations
of Education
 Characteristics of Students
 Assessment, Diagnosis, and Evaluation
 Instructional Content and Practice
 Supporting the Teaching and Learning
Environment
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MN Core Competency Areas for
Instructional Paraprofessionals
 Managing Student Behavior and Social
Interaction Skills
 Communication and Collaborative Partnerships
 Professionalism and Ethical Practices
 Academic Instructional Skills in Math, Reading,
and Writing
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Job Descriptions & Reviews
Wallace, Stahl, & Johnson (2003)
. Paraprofessionals were asked whether or not their job descriptions accurately
reflected their duties. Fifty-three percent (429) reported “yes”, 21% (175) reported “no”
and 26% (211) reported that they “don’t know.” While 26% who reported that they
were unsure seems high, perhaps this response is due to the numbers of
paraprofessionals who did not have job descriptions or those who are unsure.
Table 13: Job Descriptions and Annual Performance Reviews
Year 2003
Year 2000
Year 1994
Percent of Paraprofessionals
That Reported Having a Job
Description
64%
(N=906)
62%
(N=3361)
56%
(N=867)
Percent of Paraprofessionals
That Reported Having an Annual
Performance Review
51%
(N=906)
54%
(N=3394)
56%
(N=867)
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Components of Job Description
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Position Title
Position Setting
Qualifications for the Position
Purpose
Duties and Responsibilities
Training Requirements
Supervision Guidelines
Evaluation Guidelines
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