Lead Pre-school Paraprofessional

All paraprofessionals working in a schoolwide program or schoolwide building are considered Title I employees.

Districts must ensure that all paraprofessionals, who are required to do so, meet the qualifications required in Section 1111(g)(2)(m).  Paraprofessionals required to meet highly qualified guidelines include those who provide instructional support and work under the direct supervision of a teacher in a Schoolwide building, without regard to how the position is funded. This also applies to those who work in a Targeted Assisted building and are paid in part or in full with Title I funds.

Paraprofessionals

Paraprofessionals who provide instructional support include those who:

•  Provide one-on-one tutoring if such tutoring is scheduled at a time when a student would not otherwise receive instruction from a teacher
•  Assist with classroom management, such as by organizing instructional materials
•  Provide instructional assistance in a computer laboratory
•  Provide instructional support in a library or media center

Because paraprofessionals provide instructional support, they should not be providing planned direct instruction, or introducing to students new skills, concepts, or academic content.

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, Part A.

Requirements

All Title I paraprofessionals must have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Additionally, paraprofessionals working in a program supported with Title I, Part A funds must have:

•  Completed two years of study at an institution of higher education In Arkansas, 60 semester credit hours at a regionally accredited institution of higher education are required. -or-
•  Obtained an associate’s (or higher) degree -or-
•  Met a rigorous standard of quality and be able to demonstrate, through a formal State or local academic assessment, knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics (or, as appropriate, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness). In Arkansas, the formal test accepted is the Educational Testing Services (ETS) Parapro Assessment” and applicants must obtain a passing score of 457. A Child Development Associate (CDA) certification and hours of training are not acceptable substitutions for this requirement.