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Districts must ensure that all new paraprofessionals hired after Jan. 8, 2002, and working in a program supported with Title I, Part A funds have completed at least two years of college (48 hours), have an associate’s or higher degree, or otherwise meet a rigorous state or local standard of quality and demonstrate knowledge of and ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing and mathematics through a formal state or local academic assessment. Paraprofessionals hired on or before Jan. 8, 2002, must meet this standard by the end of the 2005-06 school year. An exception is made for paraprofessionals who serve primarily as translators or who solely conduct parent involvement activities. All paraprofessionals, regardless of hiring date, must have earned a secondary school diploma or its equivalent.
The Act also defines the duties of paraprofessionals as follows:
- Provide one-on-one tutoring;
- Assist with classroom management;
- Provide assistance in a computer laboratory;
- Provide support in a library or media center;
- Act as a translator; or
- Provide instructional services while working under the direct supervision of a teacher.
The USDE has issued further guidance on paraprofessionals clarifying the following:
A “new” paraprofessional is one who is newly hired by a district. If a person worked as a paraprofessional in a non-Title I school in the same district, he/she is not considered to be a new paraprofessional if he/she transfers to a Title I school within that district. A district also has the discretion to define its policies for distinguishing “new” and “existing” paraprofessionals in the case of those hired before Jan. 8, 2002, who were laid off and subsequently rehired after that date.
Once paraprofessionals have met the requirements of the NCLB Act, they do not necessarily have to re-qualify if they move to a new district. A district may, at its discretion, determine that a paraprofessional meets the Title I qualification requirements if the individual was previously determined to meet these requirements when employed by another district.
A state or district, as appropriate, may count continuing education credits (CECs) toward the requirement that a paraprofessional complete at least two years of study at an institution of higher education if the following conditions are met: the CECs are part of an overall training and development program plan, and an institution of higher education accepts or translates them to course credits.
Title I funds may be used to pay for the paraprofessional assessment.
Because paraprofessionals provide instructional support, they should not be providing planned direct instruction, or introducing to students new skills, concepts or academic content. The requirement that paraprofessionals work in close and frequent proximity to a teacher also would be inconsistent with the following programs:
- allowing a paraprofessional to provide instructional support while a teacher visits the site once or twice a week but otherwise is not in the classroom
- one where a paraprofessional works with a group of students in another location while the teacher provides instruction to the rest of the class
