Common Core Professional Development Standards for

Special Education Paraeducators

Carol Longclong@winona.edu

Kent Gerlachkgerlach@plu.edu

Background • 1922 CEC established professional

standards for field of special education• Since 1997 standards for paraeducators

included in the compilation of CEC standards

• IN 2009 a work group formed to revise and validate the CEC entry-level standards for paraeducators

Recently Revised Standards• Subcommittee of the TED-SIG charged with

the development of a revised set of standards for paraeducators – Mary Fisher, Nancy French, Kent Gerlach, Carol Long (Chair), Janet Stivers, Denise Uitto, Teri Wallace

• Survey completed – March 2011, 309 respondants – TED, SIG, & NRCP members

• Revised standards presented to the CEC Knowledge & Skills Subcommittee – April 29th

Results

• Now called “Professional Development Standards for Paraeducators”

• Considered the Common Core for all paraeducators working with students with disabilities

• Total of 95 Knowledge and skills under 10 standards

CEC Next Steps

• CEC Professional Standards and Practices Committee

• CEC Board of Directors• CEC Redbook, “What All Special Educators Must

Know”• CEC considering – program recognition, – clearing house, – curriculum

The Need for standards• Paraeducators employed in special education - over 60

years - working alongside teachers, providing additional assistance to students

• The 1990s - extraordinary progress in inclusion AND exponential growth in the numbers of paraeducators

• By the late 1990s, classroom teachers commonly reported that paraeducators were a necessity for inclusion

• Today, paraeducators are a primary support for individuals with disabilities

• The success of individuals with disabilities depends on the skills of paraeducators.

Need - continued• Lack of preservice or inservice preparation - a primary

problem, some recommend significantly higher levels of skill development

• Giangreco (2003) - “training trap” - belief that minimal training is sufficient

• Agreement that appropriate use includes:– Support for curricular and instructional adaptations designed by special

education team – Instructional assistance without “prescribing” adaptations – as in nurse-

doctor roles or professional chef -“sous chef” roles

• Research supports the need for higher standards

Intro to Standards• Standards for paraeducators do not focus on

what teachers should do or know…. • Each standard DOES consider – The differences in the role of the paraeducator and

the teacher and the interplay between roles– The necessity for teamwork between teachers,

related service providers and paraeducators– The types of knowledge and skills required for

competent performance of the typical tasks– Ethical behavior in the performance of related duties

Professional Development Standards

Follow the same 10 basic categories as for teachers Categories:

1. Foundations2. Development and Characteristics of Learners3. Individual Learning Differences 4. Instructional strategies5. Language 6. Learning Environments / Social Interactions7. Instructional Planning8. Assessment9. Professional and Ethical practice 10. Collaboration

Components of Standards Each standard has a written statement defining

how the standard applies to paraeducators in general

Each standard consists of knowledge statements and skills statements Knowledge statements suggest that basic knowledge

or understanding is all that is demanded Skills statements, by definition, include all knowledge

necessary to perform the skill

Evidence-Based Knowledge and Skills

• Research-based references• Literature/theory- based references• Practice-based references

Example of Standards:

P1K1 Purposes of supports and services for individuals with exceptionalities.• Research-based references• Hill, C. (2003). The role of instructional

assistants in regular classrooms: Are they influencing inclusive practices? The Alberta Journal of Education Research, (XLIX)(1), 98-100.

Literature/theory- based references

• Kauffman, J.M. & Pullen, P.L. (1989). An historical perspective, A personal perspective on our history of service to mildly handicapped and at-risk students. Remedial & Special Education, 10(6), 12-14.

Practice-based research

• Minnesota Paraprofessional Consortium. (2002). Minnesota Core Competencies for Paraprofessionals. MN: Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota. Author.

• Iowa State Rule 282—24.1(272) (n.d). Paraeducator Standards

Applications

• Programs that prepare paraeducators will use these to design or revise content

• Programs may seek recognition from CEC for meeting standards in their training

Value of Standards

• Application to all paraeducators who work with students with disabilities

• Practitioners - use for preparation prior to employment and professional development programs

• Implementation of standards – better prepared paraeducators to support teachers and meet needs of students

Ultimately…

• More consistently trained individuals serving in paraeducator roles in schools

• Teachers and paraeducators will work more effectively in teams to serve the needs of students with and without exceptionalities

• Pay and benefits will be commensurate with skills and responsibilities

Relevance – Emphasis for Practice

• Respect and understanding students and their families from diverse sub-groups

• Professional ethics including confidentiality• Instructional techniques to re-teach and

support student achievement• Knowledge and accompanying skills to

demonstrate effective practices

Implications of Standards

• What implications for your educational situation do these standards have? • What implications for federal/state

policies might these standards have?

Implementation of Standards

How will you use these standards?

Professional Development

• P5K3 • Identifies the rules and procedural safeguards

that impact behavioral support for individuals with exceptionalities

• Assignment: Power point; RTI model• Assessment: multiple choice test

Professional Development

• P3S3• Implement levels of support appropriate to

academic and social-emotional needs of individuals with exceptionalities as determined by the instructional team

• Assignment: Prompt sequence handout; Demonstration; Role play

• Assessment: Journal entry or photograph of practice

Professional Development

• P4S5• Use strategies to assist individuals in

maintaining and generalizing skills across content and/or locations

• Assignment: Role plays • Assessment: Peer reviewed activities;

Observation by educator

Professional Development

• P5S9• Promotes self-advocacy and independence

through the use of learning strategies in cooperation with the instructional team

• Assignment: Case studies; Journal entry • Assessment: Observation by educator;

Portfolio

How would you create Professional Development?

• P6S1• Match communication methods to individual’s

language as determined by the instructional team

• Assignment: ??• Assessment: ??

How would you create Professional Development?

• P3K2• Individual learner characteristics is the

primary basis for instructional decision making, rather than disability categories or educational placements

• Assignment: ??• Assessment: ??

How would you create Professional Development?

• P7S2• Prepare and organize materials to support

teaching and learning as determined by the instructional team

• Assignment: ??• Assessment: ??

Major Components

• Comprehensive• Evidence-Base• Clear distinction between teacher and

paraeducator roles• Emphasis on ethical practices

CEC Next Steps

• CEC Professional Standards and Practices Committee

• CEC Board of Directors• CEC Redbook, “What All Special Educators Must

Know”• CEC considering – program recognition, – clearing house, – curriculum