Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 12, December 20, 2024
A.
Definition of Paraprofessional
1. For the
purposes of title I, part A, a paraprofessional is an employee who provides
instructional support in a program supported with title I, part A funds
including paraprofessionals working in any of the following capacities:
a. providing one-on-one tutoring if such
tutoring is scheduled at a time when a student would not otherwise receive
instruction from a teacher;
b.
assisting with classroom management, such as organizing instructional and other
materials;
c. providing
instructional assistance in a computer laboratory;
d. conducting parental involvement
activities;
e. providing support in
a library or media enter;
f. acting
as a translator; or
g. providing
instructional support services under the direct supervision of a teacher [title
I, section 1119(g)(2)].
2. Individuals functioning as interpreters or
transliterators, who are providing communication assistance only and not
instructional support, are not considered paraprofessionals under Title I if
the individual possess one of the following educational interpreter
certificates:
a. ancillary provisional
certificate; or
b. qualified
ancillary certificate.
3. Individuals who work in food services,
cafeteria or playground supervision, personal care services, non-instructional
computer assistance, and similar positions are not considered paraprofessionals
under title I.
C.
Requirements for Title I Paraprofessionals. All Title I paraprofessionals hired
on or before January 8, 2002, and working in a program supported with title I
funds must have met the following requirements by January 8, 2006. All title I
paraprofessionals hired after January 8, 2002, must meet the following
requirements to be hired:
1. possess a
secondary school diploma or recognized equivalent including paraprofessionals
who serve as translators or who conduct parental involvement activities;
and
2. satisfy one of the
following:
a. pass a state approved
assessment for paraprofessionals;
b. obtain an associate (or higher) degree at
a higher education institution; or
c. complete two years of full-time study at
an institution of higher education.
D. Louisiana Pathways for Paraprofessionals
to Meet Federal Requirements. The U.S. Department of Education specifies that
paraprofessionals should be able to demonstrate knowledge of and the ability to
assist in instruction in the areas of reading, writing, and math, or in school
readiness. Paraprofessionals are expected to have a working knowledge of the
academic areas. Louisiana offers all paraprofessionals three ways to meet
federal requirements.
1. State Test. A
paraprofessional who passes the Educational Testing Service (ETS) para-pro
assessment will meet state and federal requirements to be classified as a
highly qualified paraprofessional. A paraprofessional who is not new to the
profession, passes the ACT work keys assessment, and has successful
observations will meet state and federal requirements to be classified as a
highly qualified paraprofessional.
2. Two Years of Full-Time Study (48 Semester
Credit Hours). State, district, and post-secondary education personnel
collaborated in identifying course requirements for paraprofessionals within a
state approved institution of higher education that would assist
paraprofessionals when instructing students in the areas or reading, writing,
math, and school readiness.
3.
Associate Degree. State, district, and postsecondary education personnel
collaborated in identifying course requirements for paraprofessionals within a
state-approved institution of higher education that would assist
paraprofessionals when instructing students in the areas of reading, writing,
math, and school readiness.
E. State-Approved Institutions of Higher
Education. State-approved higher education institutions may offer coursework to
paraprofessionals. To be approved by the state, institutions must be accredited
by a nationally recognized accrediting entity or granted pre-accreditation
status. Newly developed public institutions that are formally seeking
accreditation may obtain pre-accreditation status from the state. A list of
approved institutions is available from the LDE upon request.
F. Louisiana Definition: Highly Qualified
Paraprofessional
1. New to the Profession. A
paraprofessional must satisfy one of the following:
a. passed the ETS para-pro
assessment;
b. has 2 years of
full-time study (48 semester credit hours) from the recommended list of
state-approved institutions of higher education or from an institution of
higher education accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602 . A total of 15 hours
of general education course requirements include English composition (3),
English/reading (6), and mathematics (6). For the remaining 33 hours of
coursework, acceptance of credit for a course shown on a transcript from an
approved higher education institution is at school district discretion in
addressing the needs of the specific job; or
c. has associate of arts or associate of
applied science degree from a state-approved institution of higher education or
from an institution of higher education accredited in accordance with 34 CFR
602.
2. Not New to the
Profession. A paraprofessional must satisfy one of the following:
a. passed the ETS para-pro
assessment;
b. has 2 years of
full-time study (48 semester credit hours) from the recommended list of
state-approved institutions of higher education or from an institution of
higher education accredited in accordance with 34 CFR 602 . A total of 15 hours
of general education course requirements include English composition (3),
English/reading (6), and mathematics (6). For the remaining 33 hours of
coursework, acceptance of credit for a course shown on a transcript from an
approved higher education institution is at school district discretion in
addressing the needs of the specific job;
c. has associate of arts or associate of
applied science degree from a state-approved institution of higher education or
from an institution of higher education accredited in accordance with 34 CFR
602 ; or
d. has successfully
completed the ACT, Inc., work keys skills assessments and on-the-job
observation.
G. Curriculum-based Pathways for
Paraprofessionals. General education and teacher preparation coursework must
address the K-12 state content standards, Louisiana components of effective
Teaching, National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
standards, and Praxis expectations. In addition to the ETS para-pro assessment,
the state specified three curriculum-based pathways for paraprofessionals to
meet federal requirements, as follows:
1.
total of 48 credit hours:
a. general education
coursesa}-15 semester hours:
i. English
compositiona}-3 hours;
ii.
English/readinga}-6 hours; and
iii.
mathematicsa}-6 hours; and
b. paraprofessional courses-for the remaining
33 semester hours, acceptance of credit for a course shown on a transcript from
an approved institution of higher education is at school district discretion in
addressing needs of a specific job:
i.
guidelines for prescriptive plan requiring additional coursework-school
districts should consider at least three hours of reading and at least 12 hours
from a list of available paraprofessional courses, as follows:
(a). strategies for teaching and
learning;
(b). assessment of
learning;
(c). classroom and
behavior management; and
(d).
addressing the needs of exceptional children; and
ii. discipline-specific electives may include
as many as 12 hours of developmental or remedial courses;
2. associate of applied science
degreea}-60+ credit hours:
a. general
education courses-15 semester hours:
i.
English compositiona}-3 hours;
ii.
humanitiesa}-3 hours;
iii. math:
algebraa}-3 hours;
iv. natural
sciencesa}-3 hours; and
v. social
and behavioral sciencea}-3 hours;
b. teacher preparation
courses-child/adolescent developmenta}-3 hours;
c. paraprofessional courses-30 semester
hours:
i. introduction to paraprofessional
educationa}-3;
ii. applied literacy
developmenta}-3;
iii. strategies
for teaching and learninga}-3;
iv.
applied assessment of learninga}-3;
v. applied classroom behavior
managementa}-3;
vi. addressing the
needs of exceptional childrena}-3;
vii. application of computer
technologya}-3;
viii. family,
school, and community relationsa}-3;
ix. health and safety in schoolsa}-3;
and
x. paraprofessional
practicum-teaching, learning, and record keepinga}-3;
3. associate of arts degreea}-60+
credit hours:
a. general education courses-54
semester hours:
i. English compositiona}-6
hours;
ii. humanities: English
literaturea}-6 hours;
iii. math:
algebra, etc.a}-12 hours;
iv.
natural sciencesa}-15 hours;
v.
social and behavioral sciencea}-12 hours;
vi. fine artsa}-3 hours; and
b. teacher preparation courses-9
hours. Select three of the following:
i.
child/adolescent developmenta}-3 hours;
ii. educational psychologya}-3 hours;
and
iii. multicultural/exceptional
educationa}-3 hours:
(a). educational
technologya}-3 hours; or
(b).
children's literaturea}-3 hours.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
17:6(A)(10), (11), and (15),
R.S.
17:7(6),
R.S.
17:10,
R.S.
17:22(6),
R.S.
17:391.1-391.10, and
R.S.
17:411.
