What Are the Guidelines for Paraeducator Roles and Responsibilities?

Paraeducators can be a viable way to enrich services to students if basic guidelines about the utilization of paraeducators are followed (Pickett, 1999; Project PARA, n.d.):

• Paraeducators work under the direction of teachers (including classroom teachers, specialist teachers, and curriculum directors)
• Teachers are the managers of instruction and services
• Paraeducator effectiveness is maximized by consistent, quality, competency-based preservice, inservice, and on-the-job training
• Teacher supervisory effectiveness is maximized by adequate training focusing on decisionmaking, delegating, planning, and evaluating
• Administrators recognize the need for regularly scheduled time for teachers and paraeducators to plan together
• Teachers are involved in developing paraeducator policies, utilization, selection, training, supervision, and evaluation
• Paraeducators are recognized as valued team members and are integrated effectively into instructional teams

These guidelines, developed by paraeducator task forces, are designed to ensure that paraeducators are effectively supervised, adequately trained, and appropriately integrated into the planning and implementing teams (Pickett, 1999).

The level and style of supervision will vary depending on the level of experience and expertise of the paraeducators. For example, a paraeducator with 15 years experience may have less direction from a teacher or curriculum director than would a first-year paraeducator. The NRCP has developed scopes of responsibility and skill standards for paraeducators. They are divided into three levels of positions. For example, Level 2 paraeducators have more instructional responsibilities than do Level 1 paraeducators. (See Pickett, 1999, for a more detailed explanation of levels.) Depending on the role of the paraeducator, a classroom teacher, a specialist teacher, a curriculum director, or all three could have supervisory roles, and each can provide a certain amount of direction (see profile of Cherrydale Elementary in the NW Sampler section, as an example).

Defining the roles of paraeducators will depend on the needs of the school, and the hiring guidelines of the state and/or district. What works in one setting may not work in another. Just as paraeducator roles and responsibilities will vary from site to site, so will the strategies to create success. (See Pickett, 1999, for more information about developing guidelines.)

ROLES FOR SCHOOL STAFF

The following sections suggest ways that paraeducators, teachers, and principals can put the guidelines for effective paraeducator employment in place at their schools. Doing so requires the support of each member of the instructional team, and a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The following guidelines and suggestions are based on the work of several professionals in the field of paraeducator development.&185; What we list here can get you started. Please consult the Resources and References sections for more suggestions.

What Can Paraeducators Do?

Paraeducators are a valuable asset for teachers in providing support and assistance in instruction and other direct services to students, and in helping to ensure a positive, safe, and supportive learning community. What can paraeducators do to be successful in their role? How can they work most effectively with other instructional team members to create a positive learning environment for students and a positive work environment for themselves and others? Here are a few guidelines for achieving these goals:

1. Understand your role to assist and support the teacher in delivering instruction or other services. Your role will, of course, depend on the job description, the teacher’s expectations, and your skills and experience. Roles will be more flexible in some situations than in others. It helps to clarify your role right away with your supervising teacher and/or principal. One way to do this might be to sit down with your supervising teacher and discuss each activity you might be responsible for and what level of supervision and guidance you will receive. Clarify what responsibilities will be shared and what the teacher is responsible for. Ask questions regarding your role in various situations. If you are assisting students with special needs ask questions about your role in attending Individualized Education Plan meetings, and in implementing Behavioral Intervention Plans. Ask about your role in curriculum instruction. How much responsibility will you have to assume for assisting in planning? What guidance will you receive from the teacher in carrying out his or her lesson plans and instructions? What role will you have in assessing student performance? What guidelines and training for this will the teacher provide (Gerlach, 2001)?



2. Orient yourself to the school. Ideally, your school/district will have a formal orientation to introduce new paraeducators to the staff, review school policies and procedures, and provide other necessary pieces of information. However, you can take the initiative and ask questions of your principal or supervising teacher to make your first days and weeks less uncertain. Some questions might include (adapted from Gerlach, 2001; Montana Center on Disabilities [MCD], 2001b, p. 17):
   • Who will be my supervisor(s)? When will we meet?
   • Is there a weekly schedule and, if so, who gives it to me?
   • Has planning time with the teacher been set into the schedule?
   • Will there be a formal evaluation of my work? If so, who will be performing the evaluation?
   • What are the specific policies on school safety, harassment, bullying, discipline, etc.?
   • What is expected of me in terms of enforcing these policies?
   • Am I invited and expected to attend staff meetings? When do they occur?
   • Am I to attend parent conferences?
   • How will I receive district and school communications?
   • Has an e-mail account and mail box been set up for me?
   • With whom am I to discuss work-related problems?
   • What student records are available to me?
   • What supplies and equipment are available to me and how do I obtain them?

3. Establish a relationship with the professional staff. The keys to a successful relationship with teachers and other staff members are effective communication, trust, respect, recognition, and collaborative problem solving. This obviously takes time as you get to know the staff. Here are some suggestions (adapted from AFT, n.d.):
   • Create an open relationship with professional staff members. Set aside some time to get to know each other, and find out about each other’s interests, professional goals, teaching styles, supervisory styles, discipline strategies, and classroom structure and organization methods. Let the teacher know what strengths and experience you bring to the position.
   • Practice active listening. Active listening is a key to true communication. Elements of active listening include asking encouraging questions; clarifying to obtain clear information by asking who, what, when, and where questions; restating the facts to make sure you’ve understood; reflecting on the other person’s feelings; summarizing the issue; and validating the other person’s "dignity, efforts, and opinions" (AFT, n.d., p. 4).
   • Attempt to understand why conflicts occur and work to collaborate on conflict resolution strategies.
   • Provide input on planning. While the teacher is responsible for planning, the paraeducator should feel comfortable offering input and suggestions.
   • Offer feedback to the teacher. Just as the teacher will and should provide paraeducators with feedback on their job performance, so should paraeducators provide feedback to the teacher on how the working relationship is developing. Discuss these questions periodically: Are we meeting often enough? Are we sharing information about student performance? Do we need to work on redefining roles and setting goals? Are we treating each other with respect and valuing each other’s roles? Do we feel able to talk freely with each other about problems and issues (AFT, n.d., p. 11)?

   For more suggestions on how to work effectively with teachers and create a successful team, see the Creating a Classroom Team: How Teachers and Paraeducators Can Make Working Together Work (AFT, n.d.) and Let’s Team Up: A Checklist for Paraeducators, Teachers, and Principals (Gerlach, 2001).

4. Obtain training and professional development. National and state legislators and educators are working to respond to the need for paraeducator training, as required by the new Title I and Special Education legislation. Opportunities for training and professional development are becoming more and more available to paraeducators. Paraeducators can find out what their district and schools do to provide professional development opportunities for them. In a number of states, state paraeducator associations also provide training and resources. To list a few:
   • The Web site www.paraeducator.com provides an online training module for training in the 14 Washington State Core Competencies for Paraeducators, as well as many other resources. Washington also has an annual paraeducator conference in June.
   • Bates Technical College in Washington is just one college offering training for paraeducators. It is a statewide distance learning training program in the core competencies. For more information, see the program Web site at www.bates.ctc.edu/paraeducator/para00.htm
   • Montana Paraeducator Development Project (www.msubillings.edu/mtcd/paraed/) provides training resources to paraeducators in the state. A paraeducator resource guide available on the Web site provides a wealth of information on team building, communication strategies, instructional guidelines, and descriptions of roles and responsibilities.
   • The PAR2A Center at the University of Colorado provides training resources for paraeducators nationally.

   More resources for paraeducator professional development are listed in the Resources section.

5. Be aware of confidentiality issues (Heller, 1997). Paraeducators, as members of the instructional team, are responsible for maintaining a relationship with school staff, parents, students, and others that is based on "an expectation of trust that each person will perform his/her duties to the best of his/her ability following professional and ethical standards" (MCD, 2001b, p. 21). As representatives of the school, paraeducators maintain professional integrity as they interact with members of the community, both in and outside school.


The issue of confidentiality is an important ethical consideration for all staff members. Because paraeducators have daily contact with students and access to confidential information, and may often interact with families and community members, they need to be aware of certain confidentiality ethics. No staff members, including paraeducators, should informally discuss school problems between and among staff members, discuss personalities of staff members outside the school, discuss administrative and interschool problems in the presence of students, or discuss student concerns with anyone not authorized to be a part of those discussions. Unless authorized to do so by the supervising teacher, paraeducators should not communicate with parents about a student’s progress. If a student or parent brings up a concern, refer them to the supervising teacher. These considerations may sound like simple common sense, but it is a good idea to keep them in mind.


6. Conduct self-evaluations of instructional sessions. Along with any informal and formal evaluations of your work, it is a good idea to develop a self-evaluation checklist with your supervising teacher that can help you evaluate an instructional session. The checklist provides many advantages. It can be a way for paraeducators to establish their own goals for improvement, a way to help the teacher determine what is needed for further professional development and support, and a way for the teacher to determine what he or she can do to make lessons clearer. Some questions to consider include (Gerlach, 2001; Pickett, Vasa, & Steckelberg, 1993):
   • Did I review the lesson plan prior to the lesson?
   • Were the objectives and directions clear?
   • Did I have necessary materials prepared for the lesson?
   • Did I feel adequately prepared for the instruction?
   • Did I use appropriate reinforcement techniques?
   • Was the teaching area arranged comfortably and appropriately for effective instruction for the students and myself?
   • Did I record behavioral observations about the students?
   • Did I record assessment data or summarize the students’ performance?
   • Were the students engaged and motivated throughout the lesson?
   • Did I discuss the results with my supervising teacher?

What Can Teachers Do?

General education and specialist teachers are responsible for directing a paraeducator’s work; however, many may not be well prepared for this role, especially if they are working with a paraeducator for the first time. "When school professionals provide good direction, they make the objectives and purposes of the task or lesson clear and they let the paraeducator know how much authority they have to make decisions associated with the task" (French, p. 111). Following are some suggestions for understanding your responsibilities in working with paraeducators to create an effective instructional team:

1. Direct and supervise paraeducators. Often problems that come up regarding roles for paraeducators and teachers are based on delegation of duties. Some school staff will delegate more authority and autonomy than others. The important issue is whether what has been delegated is appropriate for the teacher to delegate and the paraeducator to accept (Heller, 1997).
   
   As mentioned previously, different situations will have different types of supervisory levels. Teachers also have individual supervisory styles—some provide more structured guidelines, others may be less directive. Here are a few important things for all teachers who are directing the work of paraprofessionals to think about:
   • Make sure your expectations and directions are understood and that paraeducators have the knowledge and skills to fulfill your expectations. Ask the paraeducator what his or her expectations are from the teacher.
   • Keep in mind that appropriate delegation of tasks can increase your productivity. It can also provide paraeducators with the opportunity to develop new skills and initiative (French, 1997). "Effective delegation is a process of steps: analyzing the task, deciding what to delegate, planning, selecting the right person, directing, and monitoring" (French, p. 114).
   • "Provide clear, daily direction for coordinating plans, schedules, tasks and feedback" (Gerlach, 2001, p. 33).
   • Provide clear explanations and guidelines for paraeducators’ role in instruction (drill-and-practice, assessments, adapting lesson plans according to teacher directions, and monitoring student performance).
   • Make sure paraeducators have the resources available to be most effective (including training).
   For more specific guidelines on supervision see Management of Paraeducators (French, 1997).

2. Facilitate a positive working relationship. The best teacher paraeducator teams are built on trust, recognition, respect, communication, and collaborative problem solving. This may not be easy to achieve. Many issues come up that might make effective teamwork challenging. For example, if a paraeducator works primarily with students but is not assigned a direct supervisory teacher, how can a teacher work with the paraeducator to plan and coordinate services? Paraeducators and teachers may also have very different styles relating to students—a paraeducator may develop a different relationship with students than a teacher which might blur the lines of authority with them (Heller, 1997). It is easy to talk about being an effective team, but how does this look in practice? How can teachers foster these aspects?
   • Understand that you and a paraeducator may have different working styles, different cultural backgrounds, and different educational strategies that can affect your working relationship. Take time to discuss these differences when you first start working together.
   • Use the terms "we" and "us" instead of "I" and "you" to reaffirm that you each have a responsibility in the learning process and are both accountable (Shellard, 2002).
   • Allow for "individual initiative." Don’t expect a paraeducator to have exactly the same approach to a task that you do.
   • Provide a schedule with a set meeting time at least weekly. Discuss how you will communicate if you don’t have time to meet. Discuss this with your principal if there is a problem finding a set time to meet.
   • Take time to listen to the paraeducator’s concerns and questions.

3. Develop instructional plans for paraeducators. The teacher is responsible for developing plans for the paraeducator. It may be a special education teacher, a general education teacher, the curriculum director, or all three. Certainly there is room for flexibility, especially if a paraeducator has a high level of experience and skills. For example, "Level 3 paraeducators … have some discretionary authority to modify learning activities that are developed by teachers/providers" (Pickett, 1999, p. 23). A teacher does not have to be constantly looking over the shoulder of a paraeducator, but should certainly be directing their work.


While plans do not have to follow a certain format, planning forms may help to clarify what the teacher expects the paraeducator to do in an instructional situation (see French, 1997, for examples). A plan generally includes objectives, activities, and evaluation. As the teacher and paraeducator become more familiar with expectations, plans can be adapted and less formalized. A discussion of the teachers’ learning goals and teaching philosophy during the planning process will help paraeducators understand the basis for plans and put them into context.


4. Provide feedback and effective evaluation. Evaluation should be an ongoing, continuous process designed not only to provide feedback for the paraeducator, but to evaluate the team relationship. A formal evaluation process should be developed by the school administrator or district with teacher input. Discuss the evaluation criteria that will be used to assess the paraeducators’ performance. Let them know how often and when they will be evaluated. Provide an opportunity for paraeducators to offer feedback on your working relationship. When giving feedback, start with telling them what they do well, and then follow with constructive suggestions for improvement.



5. Recognize and respect the knowledge and expertise paraeducators bring to their role. Teachers should determine what unique skills, special interests, and training paraeducators have that can complement their own. For more specific guidelines A paraeducator may be from the same community and/or cultural background as the students, and thus may have an understanding of the students’ language and culture. This knowledge and experience can be greatly beneficial for developing personal relationships with students and developing insights into their learning styles, enhancing instruction and learning goals. Encourage paraeducators to share this knowledge and understanding with you (MCD, 2001a). Encourage paraeducators to seek professional development to further their skills.



6. Discuss with paraeducators their role with students and families. Paraeducators need to know what their role is with students. How much authority do they have in correcting student behavior, assisting students with interpersonal issues, or overseeing student activities, for example? Discuss the importance of confidentiality regarding both students and parents.
   
   Some districts hire paraeducators as "family advocates" (see Hardin profile, Northwest Sampler section) to provide outreach services to families and to encourage family involvement in their children’s learning. These paraeducators may also have a unique relationship with the family if they are from the same community or cultural background. To capitalize on this role, here are some suggestions:
   • Encourage paraeducators to attend parent-teacher conferences and meetings. If possible, hold these meetings when paraeducators can attend them.
   • Talk with paraeducators about their background in the community and how their knowledge can be useful in helping you design instructional services.
   • Discuss the issues of confidentiality with student and parent information and other school policy issues and how those would relate to their role with students and families.

What Can Principals Do?

The principal is ultimately responsible for developing policies and standards for paraeducator employment. Principals are also responsible for promoting and modeling a professional climate within which roles and responsibilities are clearly delineated, understood, and respected. Administrators "take the leadership role in creating a school climate in which paraeducators have a professional identity and contribute to activities that help to enhance student achievement" (Gerlach, 2001, p. 43).

How can principals take the lead in ensuring the success of teacher/paraeducator teams? How can they ensure that paraeducators possess the knowledge and skills necessary to assist teachers with direct services to children? What can they do to build capacity for leadership in professional staff members to appropriately direct paraeducator’s work?

Below are listed points for principals to consider:

1. Develop clearly delineated roles for paraeducators based on school goals and policies. You should be aware of any federal, district, and state policies and guidelines for hiring paraeducators. Most important, all staff—administrators, teachers, and paraeducators—need to be aware of the guidelines so that paraeducators are not assigned to tasks for which they are unqualified, untrained, or inadequately supervised (Ashbaker & Morgan, 1999). Clearly differentiating between the role of teacher and paraeducator is important because they differ significantly, even though paraeducators and teachers often work side-by-side, appearing to perform similar tasks (Pickett, Vasa, & Steckelberg, 1993). A guiding principle is this: Teachers provide leadership and clarify roles for paraeducators; paraeducators assist teachers in meeting their instructional goals. Various factors may affect the responsibilities assigned to paraeducators, such as their level of expertise in content areas and instruction. It is the administrator’s job to clarify these roles.



2. Develop job descriptions that clearly outline needed qualifications and expected responsibilities. Written job descriptions "help promote job satisfaction by eliminating apprehensions about what is expected" (Pickett, Vasa, & Steckelberg, 1993). Job descriptions should be specific enough to provide necessary guidelines for responsibilities and evaluation of performance, and allow for adjustments to be made for paraeducators’ varying levels of expertise, individual working styles, and student needs.


Ask for teacher input in developing the job description. Invite the potential supervisor to paraeducator interviews. This will help minimize possible conflicts between the teacher and paraeducator and will help clarify for both the paraeducator’s responsibilities (Vasa & Steckelberg, 1997).


3. Provide consistent, competency-based training opportunities for paraeducators that provide a "continuum of experience." New Title I legislation requires that paraeducators be well trained and prepared for their role in assisting with instruction. State legislators are working on how to help districts meet these competency requirements. As this process evolves, one thing is clear—training and support for paraeducators have traditionally not been supported, both fundamentally and financially in many schools and districts. Just as teachers and administrators need sustained professional development, so do paraeducators. Professional development and training should be "long-range, comprehensive and systematic" (Pickett et al., p. 26). One-shot training sessions are generally less effective than a continuum of experiences: formal orientation to lay a foundation, inservice sessions for enhancing skill development, on-the-job training, and opportunities for career enhancement such as academic credit or teacher preparation programs.
   
   
   • New paraeducator orientations should not end after a formal induction. Orient the paraeducator by introducing him or her to all staff members. Assign mentors to new paraeducators, such as an experienced paraeducator. Provide time for paraeducators to become familiar with their responsibilities by having them observe other paraeducators or teachers.
   
   
   
   • Make district and other training opportunities available that match the specific job responsibilities, such as training in a new reading curriculum. Often, scheduling time for paraeducators to attend inservice training is difficult; if at all possible, schedule training so that paraeducators can attend on paid time. If a district doesn’t offer specific training sessions, investigate those offered by national associations at conferences (such as the International Reading Association), colleges and universities, or technical assistance centers. Encourage teachers and paraeducators to attend the same sessions, or at least receive the same information that will provide better coordination of curriculum delivery.

4. Provide training for teachers who are directing the work of paraeducators. Too often teachers are given the responsibility for directing the work of a paraeducator without any prior training in how to be a supervisor. They need training in time management, goal setting and feedback techniques, effective communication and collaboration, planning and delegation, role clarification, professionalism and ethics, problem solving, and providing feedback and evaluation of paraeducators. Find out which community colleges and universities and technical assistance centers might provide this training. (See Resources section for some of those centers.)



5. Support the teacher-paraeducator team. Probably the most important thing a principal can do to encourage a successful team relationship between teachers and paraeducators is to build time into the schedule for them to plan, communicate, discuss student needs and progress, and receive feedback. It is not reasonable to expect teachers and paraeducators to meet outside scheduled work hours. While it may be difficult to schedule time, even scheduling a half hour on a regular basis will increase the team’s efficiency and ensure necessary communication. If a teacher is expected to direct the work of the paraeducator, this time is essential to ensure coordination of teacher expectations and paraeducator responsibilities.
   
   Other ways to support the team:
   • Meet with teachers to make sure they understand their role in directing paraeducators’ work and ensure that paraeducators understand who is responsible for supervising their work
   • Include paraeducators in staff meetings and encourage their input on school improvement, needs assessment, and site-based teams
   • Provide mailboxes and e-mail addresses to paraeducators so that they have a way to communicate with other staff members
   • Include paraeducators in parent-teacher conferences if appropriate
   • "Emphasize cooperation not competition" (Gerlach, 2001, p. 57)
   • Make sure teachers and paraeducators have the necessary skills for effective teamwork

6. Develop an evaluative process for paraeducators and supervisors. Evaluating paraeducator performance is the job of the administrator, especially for more formal evaluations, and also of the immediate supervising teacher or certified specialist who is responsible for ongoing formal and informal evaluations. Characteristics of effective evaluations include frequent performance observations; specific competencies and performance standards to help paraeducators work on specific skills; honest, straightforward, and tactful statements; and consistent evaluation standards for all professional team members (French, 1997).

As mentioned previously, new Title I requirements state that one option for ensuring paraeducators are qualified, is for instructional paraeducators to pass a state or local assessment designed to demonstrate knowledge of and the ability to assist in reading, writing, and math instruction or readiness. Currently, state task forces such as in Washington are developing standards and policies for choosing and designing appropriate assessments.

The National Center for Paraprofessionals in Education has developed specific performance indicators of skill mastery for teachers and paraeducators as well as the different experience levels of paraeducator positions. These can be used as guidelines for school districts to develop their own performance guidelines after they have developed skill standards for various positions. For example, a Level 3 paraeducator whose responsibility is to assist teachers with assessing learner needs, should demonstrate the ability to use informal assessment instruments developed by the teachers, administer standardized tests, and assist teachers in maintaining learning records.

The administrator should also evaluate the supervision of paraeducators. A checklist can be developed listing necessary components that answer four questions:

• Are district/school policies in place that provide guidelines for informal/formal assessment?
• Does the supervisor provide necessary support for adequate supervision (e.g., regular observation and feedback, lesson plans that list expectations)?
• Does the supervisor provide appropriate support for the paraeducator (e.g., clear communication of expectations, appropriate job coaching, respect)?
• Are objectives achieved for student outcomes (Vasa and Steckelberg, 1997)?

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¹We have synthesized information from several sources for the next three sections. Rather than listing citations in the text for every component, we identify in this footnote the primary resources, and cite in text when using a direct quote or pointing to a specific reference. Primary resources are Ashbaker and Morgan, 1999 and 2000/01; French, 1997; Gerlach, 2001; Heller, 1997; Leighton et al., 1997; Pickett, 1999; Pickett & Gerlach, 1997; Pickett, Steckelberg & Vasa, 1993; Shellard, 2002; Vasa & Steckelberg, 1997.