Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, March 1, 2024
RELATES TO: 156.160, 157.3175
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
156.160 authorizes the Kentucky Board of
Education to promulgate administrative regulations establishing standards which
school districts shall meet in student, program, service and operational
performance.
KRS
157.3175 authorizes preschool education
programs and authorizes that administrative regulations be promulgated to
establish eligibility criteria, program guidelines, and standards for
personnel. This administrative regulation establishes the criteria for
paraprofessional instructional personnel, including a differentiated job
description from certified teachers, qualifications for the position, and
responsibilities for certified personnel providing supervision of preschool
associate teachers.
Section 1.
Definitions.
(1) "Curriculum oversight" means
supervision of a preschool associate teacher by a qualified
professional.
(2) "Preschool
associate teacher" means a classified employee employed by a local school
district in a paraprofessional role to organize, manage and provide direct
instruction to children below primary school age under the supervision of a
qualified professional.
(3)
"Qualified professional" means a person who:
(a) Meets one (1) of the criteria established
in Section 3(2) of this administrative regulation; and
(b) Is responsible for the curriculum in an
early childhood classroom or program operated by a paraprofessional preschool
associate teacher.
Section
2. Role of a Preschool Associate Teacher.
(1) A local school district may employ a
preschool associate teacher to do the following:
(a) Manage the daily operation of preschool
classrooms or other early childhood programs:
(b) Provide direct instruction to children
based on identified skills:
(c)
Assist in assessing the skills of individual children;
(d) Assist in implementing individual
education programs (IEP's) of children with disabilities; and
(e) Provide parent information on progress of
individual children.
(2)
A preschool associate teacher shall receive at least weekly contact and
consultation by a qualified professional regarding the classroom, the
curriculum and the teacher performance standards in interdisciplinary early
childhood education established in 704 KAR 20:084.
(a) The qualified professional shall
determine a regular schedule for onsite visits and observation no less than
monthly and based on the skills and experience of the preschool associate
teacher. Additional onsite contact and consultation for individual children
with disabilities shall be provided as specified in the IEP.
(b) The activities of the preschool associate
teacher shall reflect the guidance of the professional assigned to provide
curriculum oversight.
Section 3. Qualifications.
(1) A preschool associate teacher shall hold
one (1) of the following or its equivalent as approved by the Department of
Education:
(a) An associate degree with a
professional core of courses in early childhood education or child
development;
(b) A child
development associate certificate conferred by the Council for Early Childhood
Professional Recognition; or
(c) A
Kentucky vocational diploma for preschool teacher.
(2) A local board may request approval of a
preschool associate teacher who has begun and is in the process of completing a
degree, diploma or certificate specified in subsection (1) of this
section.
(3) Curriculum oversight
shall be provided by an individual who meets one (1) of the following criteria:
(a) Holds certification or a statement of
eligibility for interdisciplinary early childhood education;
(b) Has been exempted by the Kentucky
Education Professional Standards Board from additional certification in order
to continue teaching in an early childhood position;
(c) Provided supervision to a preschool Level
III teachers under the interim requirements in
704
KAR 3:410 prior to the 1999-2000 school year;
or
(d) Is qualified to serve on an
internship team for interns in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education
pursuant to 704 KAR 20:690.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
KRS
156.070,
156.160,
157.3175
