Working with

Paraprofessionals
A Resource for Teachers of Students with Disabilities

Copyright Notice
These materials are copyrighted by and are the property of Education Service Center, Region 20 and the Texas Education
Agency and may not be reproduced, distributed or modified without their written permission except by Texas public school
educators under the following conditions:
1. any portion reproduced or distributed will be used exclusively for nonprofit educational purposes in
Texas, and
2. no monetary charge is made for the reproduced materials, any documents containing them, or any
activity at which they are distributed; however, a
reasonable charge to cover only the cost of reproduction and distribution
may be charged.
To obtain a license to reprint large quantities or to use the materials in a manner not specified above, contact
[email protected].

Working with Paraprofessionals

Acknowledgements
Texas Education Agency, Education Service Center, Region 20, and the Statewide Access to the
General Curriculum Network would like to thank representatives from across the state for providing feedback that assisted in the development of this document. The comments and suggestions
received were invaluable and greatly appreciated.
The Statewide AGC Network, including the
Preschool LRE Specialists
Amy Adams, Special Education Teacher,
Brownwood ISD
Deborah Badrak, General Education Teacher,
Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City CISD
Kimberly Baumgardner, AGC Specialist,
ESC-20
Jeanie Bell, AGC Specialist, ESC-5
Carolina Campos, Special Education Supervisor, Mission ISD
Shirley Carawan, Special Education Teacher,
Taft ISD
Sherry Cragen, AGC Specialist, ESC-12
Jenice Dames, Preschool/PPCD Specialist;
Preschool LRE State Lead, ESC-20
Azeneth DeLeon, Paraprofessional,
Houston ISD
Julia Erwin, Parent/CAC Member
Kami Finger, Special Education Coordinator,
Lubbock ISD
Sonja Harper, Paraprofessional, Lubbock ISD
Sonja Hollan, PLRE Specialist, ESC-4
Jonel Huggins, Program Specialist, TEA
Deborah Jones, AGC Specialist, ESC-2
Lisa Jones, AGC Specialist, ESC-6
Martha Jones, General Education Teacher,
Brownwood ISD
Barbara Kaatz, Program Specialist, TEA
Erin Kelts, Project Manager, AGC State Lead,
ESC-20
Lisa Kirby, AGC Specialist, ESC-20

Jacklyn Meyers, Paraprofessional,

Leander ISD
Kirsten Omelan, AGC Specialist, ESC-4
Jane Penn, Special Education Director,
Mason ISD
Nancy Perkins, Special Education Teacher,
Leander ISD
Stacy Smith, Principal, Brownwood ISD
Norma Trevino, Paraprofessional, Taft ISD
Carolina Valtierra, AGC Specialist, ESC-11
Dawn White, Coordinator, ESC-20
Robin White, Preschool/PPCD Specialist;
Preschool LRE State Lead, ESC-20
Amy Wilson, Special Education Coordinator/
Charter School Representative, San Antonio
Special Programs Cooperative
Leslie Wilson, AGC Specialist, ESC-18
Kelly Woodiel, Inclusion Specialist, ESC-20

Working with Paraprofessionals

Table of Contents
How to use this Document ......................................................................................................................5
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................6
Roles and Responsibilities.......................................................................................................................9
General and Special Education Settings ...............................................................................................12
General Education .............................................................................................................................13
Sample Instructional Duties ................................................................................................... 13
Administrative Duties ..............................................................................................................19
Special Education ............................................................................................................................. 20
Sample Instructional Duties .................................................................................................... 20
Administrative Duties ...............................................................................................................24
Non-Traditional Settings ........................................................................................................................25
Sample Instructional Duties ..............................................................................................................25
Administrative Duties ........................................................................................................................29
Communication......................................................................................................................................30
Teacher Communication to Paraprofessional ..................................................................................31
Teacher Communication to Student about Paraprofessional ..........................................................32
Teacher Communication to Parents about Paraprofessional ..........................................................33
Confidentiality ........................................................................................................................................34
Documentation.......................................................................................................................................35
Professional Development .....................................................................................................................38
Instruction ..............................................................................................................................................39
Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................40
References and Resources....................................................................................................................42

Working with Paraprofessionals

How to Use
this Document
The intent of this document is to provide
information to teachers who are assigned a
paraprofessional as a resource in assisting
students with disabilities access the
general curriculum. The intended audience
is classroom teachersboth general and
special education. The document is meant
to assist in defining and distinguishing the
roles and responsibilities of the certified
teacher from the paraprofessional and
in opening lines of communication on a
campus or at a Local Education Agency
(LEA) so that paraprofessionals are more
effectively utilized in assisting students with
disabilities access to and progress in the
general curriculum. Each LEA/campus will
need to determine exactly what and how the
roles, responsibilities, communication, and
documentation requirements will look locally.
This document was created to open up
communication about these vital issues.

The organization of the document is as follows:

Roles & Responsibilities provides a
comparison of examples of tasks which are
appropriate for individuals in designated
roles to complete within specific educational
settings;
Communication outlines areas in which
a teacher needs to ensure communication
takes place in order to ensure all
stakeholders understand the role and
purpose of the paraprofessional; and
Documentation lists some areas in which
LEAs need to ensure they have guidelines in
place to document appropriate supervision
of paraprofessionals as well as appropriate
implementation of students Individualized
Education Programs(IEPs).
Each section is independent and can be read
as a stand-alone section or all sections may be
used together.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Introduction
This document was created as a resource for teachers, in order to assist in their understanding of
how to best utilize a paraprofessional in the classroom. Both general and special education settings
are addressed (including non-traditional settings such as in-home or community-based settings).
The intent of this guide is for it to be used as a resource, not as a strict set of rules that must be
followed. However, some non-negotiable pieces that are required by federal and/or state regulations/rules are included and are noted throughout the document.

The intent of this guide is for it to be used as a resource, not as a

strict set of rules that must be followed.
This resource focuses on the use of paraprofessionals in instructional activities. However, a significant number of paraprofessionals have non-instructional responsibilities, including assisting
students with disabilities with physical needs, such as diapering, positioning, feeding, etc. While
this resource does not specifically address these tasks or job responsibilities, it is imperative that
paraprofessionals receive proper training on how to safely and hygienically conduct these activities in a way that meets the individual students needs. These especially important tasks must not
be devalued or overlooked; however, how these tasks need to be carried out must be determined
locally, based on a specific students needs and, thus, cannot be adequately addressed within a
general document.

Frequently Used Terms/

Acronyms
LEA - Local Education Agency
IEP - Individualized Education Program
PLAAFP - Present Levels of Academic
Achievement and Functional
Performance
ARD - Admission, Review, and Dismissal

While no one resource can answer every question

a teacher may have, this document is designed to
serve as a starting point to spark conversations on
a campus or within an LEA. Many decisions will
have to be made and clearly communicated at the
local level. These decisions must be made with
the understanding that any supports provided to
students who receive special education services
will always need to be individualized, and may
vary from student to student, setting to setting,
and even within a class period, according to the
type of instruction being delivered (whole group
direct instruction, small group, re-teach, etc.)

Working with Paraprofessionals

Texas Administrative Code (TAC), 19 TAC 230.560

Title 19
Part 7
Chapter 230

Education
State Board for Educator Certification
Professional Educator Preparation and
Certification

Subchapter S

Educational Aide Certificate

Rule 230.560

Role Descriptions

School districts shall use the following guidelines to assign educational aides.
(1) Educational Aide I: performs routine tasks under the direction and supervision of a certified
teacher or teaching team; releases the teacher from routine tasks and participates in selecting,
planning, organizing, and evaluating; helps the teacher with clerical operations; helps the teacher
supervise students in routine movement from one recreational activity to another; helps supervise the
playground, bus, and lunchroom; helps the teacher prepare and use instructional media; duplicates
instructional materials for teachers; performs classroom clerical operations under the supervision of
a certified teacher; or performs equivalent activities determined by the local school district.
(2) Educational Aide II: performs tasks under the general supervision of a certified teacher or
teaching team; releases the teacher from routine tasks and participates in selecting, planning,
organizing, and evaluating; helps the teacher prepare and use instructional materials; conducts
drills and exercises as directed by the teacher; helps administer and score objective measurement
instruments; helps the teacher work with individual students and groups; duplicates materials; records
grades and attendance; prepares instructional aids, including displays and mockups; assists with play
area activities; helps operate and use educational media; assists with testing routines; works with
individual students in drills and exercises; conducts group drills and exercises; assists students with
programmed or precise units of instruction; or performs equivalent activities determined by the local
school district.
(3) Educational Aide III: performs and assumes responsibility for tasks under the general guidance
of a certified teacher or teaching team; releases the teacher from routine tasks and participates
in selecting, planning, organizing, and evaluating; helps the teacher implement methodology and
use instructional media to yield an educational environment for all students; assists the teacher
with instructional activities; works with individuals or groups of students in a variety of educational
experiences; relieves the teacher of selected exercises and instructional drills with students; or
performs equivalent activities determined by the local school district.

________________________________________
Source Note: The provisions of this 230.61 adopted to be effective August 12, 2012, 37 TexReg 5753
Retrieved from http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_
tac=&ti=19&pt=7&ch=230&rl=61 May 8, 2013

Working with Paraprofessionals

School districts should pay careful attention to the type of certification a paraprofessional holds
when determining their assignment and placing them in a role on a campus. Be sure all duties assigned to that paraprofessional fall within their scope of certification.

Educational Aide 1

Educational Aide 2

Educational Aide 3

Performs routine tasks under the

Performs tasks under the general
Performs and assumes responsidirection and supervision of a certi- supervision of a certified teacher or bility for tasks under the general
fied teacher or teaching team
teaching team
guidance of a certified teacher or
teaching team
Releases the teacher from routine
tasks and participates in selecting,
planning, organizing, and evaluating

Releases the teacher from routine

tasks and participates in selecting,
planning, organizing, and evaluating

Releases the teacher from routine

tasks and participates in selecting,
planning, organizing, and evaluating

Helps the teacher with clerical

operations

Helps the teacher prepare and use

instructional materials

Helps the teacher implement

methodology and use instructional
media to yield an educational environment for all students

Helps the teacher supervise students in routine movement from

one recreational activity to another

Conducts drills and exercises as

directed by the teacher

Assists the teacher with instructional activities

Helps supervise the playground,

bus, and lunchroom

Helps administer and score objective measurement instruments

Works with individuals or groups of

students in a variety of educational
experiences

Helps the teacher prepare and use

instructional media;

Helps the teacher work with individual students and groups

Relieves the teacher of selected

exercises and instructional drills
with students

Duplicates instructional materials

for teachers

Duplicates materials

Performs classroom clerical operations under the supervision of a

certified teacher

Records grades and attendance

Performs equivalent activities

determined by the local school
district

Performs equivalent activities

determined by the local school
district

Prepares instructional aids, including displays and mockups

Assists with play area activities
Helps operate and use educational
media
Assists with testing routines
Works with individual students in
drills and exercises
Conducts group drills and
exercises
Assists students with programmed
or precise units of instruction
Performs equivalent activities
determined by the local school
district.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Roles & Responsibilities

When there is more than one adult present in a classroom, it is essential that roles and responsibilities be clearly delineated and followed. While this document provides general information, one nonnegotiable is that the classroom teacher (or co-teaching team) must always have the role of primary
teacher(s) for all students in the classroom.
All students should be involved in all parts of the classroom, including instruction and routines of the classroom. When students with disabilities are hosted, rather than fully included, in a
classroom setting, it can inadvertently send a message to the rest of the class that some students
are more or less worthy of teacher time than are others (Broer, S.M.; Doyle, M.B; & Giangreco, M.F.
(2007) p. 427).1
The tasks the paraprofessional performs should supplement, not supplant, the classroom
teacher(s) duties.2 While paraprofessionals can serve in many different capacities in a classroom,
Causton-Theoharis, Giangreco, Doyle & Vadasy point out that [t]he paraprofessionals role is not to
plan or design classroom instruction, but rather to make important contributions to classroom instruction by effectively implementing important delegated tasks for which they are specially trained
(p. 56).3
Be aware of the role your paraprofessional is intended to play in the classroom.
It is important to distinguish the roles and responsibilities of a paraprofessional who is assigned to a
classroom for support of multiple or even all students from those of a paraprofessional who is assigned to an individual student within the classroom, as required by that students IEP. While a classroom paraprofessional is able to assist with general classroom routines and assist all students within
a classroom, a paraprofessional who is required to provide 1:1 support for a specific student, as
mandated by the students IEP, should not have responsibilities outside of working with that individual
student.
Support student independence, autonomy, and peer relationships.
However, it is important that the student with a 1:1 aide not be isolated physically or socially from the
rest of the classroom, as studies have repeatedly shown that in many instances a 1:1 paraprofessional
hindered a students participation in a general education classroom, and the paraprofessional, rather
than peers, became the students primary social contact during their school years.1 Instead of the 1:1
paraprofessional being the students primary social contact, the paraprofessional can work to facilitate

1 Broer, S.M., Doyle, M.B., & Giangreco, M.F. (2007). Perspectives of students with intellectual disabilities about their experiences with
paraprofessional support. Exceptional Children, 71(4), 415-430.
2 Giangreco, M.F., & Doyle, M.B. (2004). Directing paraprofessional work. In C.H. Kennedy & E.M. Horn (Eds.), Including students with
severe disabilities (pp. 185-204). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
3 Causton-Theoharis, J.N., Giangreco, M.F., Doyle, M.B., & Vadasy, P.F. (2007, Sept/Oct). Paraprofessionals: The sous-chefs of literacy
instruction. Council for Exceptional Children, 40(1), 56-62.

10

Working with Paraprofessionals

academic and social interaction between the student with a disability and his/her peers. A study of
how paraprofessionals spent their time in the classroom found that nearly 37% [of the paraprofessionals who participated in the study] were concerned that students with disabilities they worked with
were unnecessarily dependent on paraprofessionals[,] over 46% of paraprofessionals reported that
some of their students with disabilities communicated, via their language or behavior, that they found
paraprofessional supports unwanted[and] more than 36% reported that students with disabilities
spent more than half of their social time at school (e.g. lunch, playground, free-time) with paraprofessionals (Giangreco & Broer, 2005, p. 15-17).4 It is important to heed the caution that [t]here isa
fine line between support that facilitates participation and support that restrains child interaction and
the development of autonomy. Too much assistance can result in limited use of the childrens skills
and potential, and possibly create unnecessary or unhealthy dependencies and helplessness
(Egilson & Traustadottir, 2009, p. 28).5

It is important to heed the caution that [t]here isa fine line between support that facilitates participation and support that restrains
child interaction and the development of autonomy.

Include students in the decisions that affect the supports they need from a paraprofessional.
A study of students with physical disabilities who were assigned a paraprofessional to support them
in the general education setting found that the students were often excluded from decision making as
to what types of supports they needed from a paraprofessional; the students who were interviewed
reported that this exclusion sometimes resulted in them receiving supports they felt they did not need
and not receiving supports in areas in which they felt they needed them.5
Fade supports appropriately.
Additionally, regardless of whether the individual is a classroom paraprofessional or a student-specific
paraprofessional, it is always important to look at the fading of supports and ensure that students
independence is maximized. One study of students with intellectual disabilities who were assigned
a paraprofessional during their school years found that, [W]hen fading of supports was successfully
achieved, respondents [students with intellectual disabilities] spoke about the experience with excitement and pride in their voices1

4 Giangreco, M.F., Broer, S.M. (2005, Spring). Questionable utilization of paraprofessionals in inclusive schools: Are we addressing symptoms or causes? Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 20(1), 10-26.
5 Egilson, S.T., & Traustadottir, R. (2009). Assistance to pupils with physical disabilities in regular schools: promoting inclusion or creating
dependency? European Journal of Special Needs Education, 24(1), 21-36

Working with Paraprofessionals

Non-Negotiables
Paraprofessionals

may not (19 TAC 230.560):

Develop lesson plans

Introduce new material/content
Provide the direct teach portion of the lesson
Select materials for implementation of the lesson
Assign final grades
Be responsible for any IEP-related responsibilities without supervision of a certified
special educator
Develop IEP goals/objectives
Design the classroom management system; and/or
Be responsible for determining or reporting student progress (general class progress
or IEP-goal progress).

When a paraprofessional is providing services required by a students IEP, he/she must do so under the supervision of a certified
special education teacher.

11

12

Working with Paraprofessionals

General and
Special Education Settings
The following tables represent a comparison of examples of activities which are appropriate for
individuals in designated roles to participate. It is imperative that everyone understands that the roles
and responsibilities of the paraprofessional will be very fluid, and will vary across situations. This is not
meant to be an exhaustive list, nor is it meant to represent what must be a part of a job description.
It is meant to spark conversation within an LEA and/or campus as to how to most effectively utilize
paraprofessionals within a classroom or non-traditional setting in assisting students with disabilities
in accessing and progressing in the general curriculum. It is recommended that each LEA or campus
create its own specific list of duties for a paraprofessional; this list should link to the classroom
schedule and provide the paraprofessional guidance on what to be doing during particular points in
a lesson.

Working with Paraprofessionals

General Education
Sample Instructional Duties
In the general education setting, it is important to delineate the role not just of the certified/highly
qualified general education teacher and the paraprofessional, but also to include the role of the special educator, if there is one assigned to the classroom for all or some of the class time. The following
tables of sample instructional duties outline possible roles/responsibilities with both instructional and
administrative tasks for the general educator, the special educator, the classroom paraprofessional,
and the student specific (1:1) paraprofessional. LEAs will need to make final determinations regarding
roles and responsibilities.
Paraprofessionals should be provided a schedule that links to the classroom schedule, providing
them explicit information regarding what task(s) they should implement during specific points in the
lesson. For example, while the teacher provides direct whole-class instruction, the paraprofessional
may prepare materials or the teacher may direct the paraprofessional to listen to the instruction so
that he/she can provide teacher-directed student assistance after the instruction.
Paraprofessionals should spend the majority of the time on instructional duties, not on administrative
duties.

13

14

Working with Paraprofessionals

IEP Development
General Educator

(Highly Qualified Teacher

of Record)

Provide information
regarding students abilities, including strengths
and weaknesses, for
ARD (Admission, Review,
and Dismissal) Committee to use in development of PLAAFP (Present Levels of Academic
Achievement and Functional Performance) and
IEP goals/objectives.
Provide information regarding content
standards for his/her assigned course/class for
ARD Committee to use in
development of PLAAFP
and IEP goals/objectives.

Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional
(Not assigned to a
specific student)

Provide current information regarding students abilities, including

strengths and weaknesses, for ARD Committee
to use development of
PLAAFP and IEP goals/
objectives.

Provide any information requested by teacher(s)/

administrator(s) for
development of the IEP.

Student-Specific (1:1)
Paraprofessional
(Required by Students IEP)

Provide any information requested by teacher(s)/

administrator(s) for
development of the IEP.

Provide information regarding specially

designed instruction for
ARD Committee to use in
development of PLAAFP
and IEP goals/objectives.
Attend ARD meeting,
when invited.
Give input into development of IEP.

Attend ARD meeting,

when invited.
Give input into development of IEP.

Lesson Planning
General Educator

(Highly Qualified Teacher

of Record)

Design lesson plans.

Include any required
accommodations and or
modifications.

Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional
(Not assigned to a
specific student)

Assist as needed/
Assist in prepararequired in designing les- tion of materials that are
son plans.
designated as needed
in the lesson plan (i.e.
Ensure general
prepare centers for the
educator is aware of
classroom, etc.)
any individual student
IEP-directed accommodations and/or modifications, including goals/
objectives related to the
content/course.
Assist in developing
IEP-required accommodations and/or modifications into lesson plan.

Student-Specific (1:1)
Paraprofessional
(Required by Students IEP)

Assist in preparation
of IEP-required materials
needed for lesson (i.e.
prepare accommodated
materials for the student,
etc.)

Working with Paraprofessionals

Lesson Implementation
General Educator

(Highly Qualified Teacher

of Record)

Provide direct teach

portion of lesson to
entire class.
Direct classroom
paraprofessional in his/
her role during the direct
teach portion of the
lesson.

Special Educator

Student-Specific (1:1)
Paraprofessional

Implement supports
directed by teacher(s)
during the direct teach
portion of the lesson.

Implement IEPrequired supports during

all portions of the lesson
as directed by teacher.

(Not assigned to a
specific student)

May assist with direct

teach portion of lesson.
Implement IEP goals/
objectives, including
specially designed
instruction required
by IEP.

Oversee/supervise
implementation of IEP
goals/objectives by
a paraprofessional,
Re-teach as
necessary and/or provide including specially
designed instruction
direction to classroom
paraprofessional on who/ required by IEP.
what/how to
May re-teach small
re-teach.
groups.
Design necessary
re-teach pieces.

Assist students as
needed with individual
work.

Classroom
Paraprofessional

May assist students

as needed with individual
work.
Pull individual
students out of general
education classroom
only if required by IEP.

(Required by Students IEP)

Work with small group Pull student out

for re-teach, as directed
of general education
by teacher(s).
classroom only if
required by IEP.
Assist individual
students, as directed by
teacher(s).
Pull individual
students out of general
education classroom
only if required by IEP.

15

16

Working with Paraprofessionals

Evaluation of Student Learning

General Educator

(Highly Qualified Teacher

of Record)

Responsible for final

grade determination for
both assignments and
overall course/class.
Partner with special
educator to determine
mastery for students
who receive special
education services, as
directed by IEP.
Report on all
students progress/
grades in class
periodically, as directed
by local policy.
Responsible for
asking for a review of IEP
if concerns/questions
exist regarding students
IEP and/or any lack
of expected progress
toward the annual
goals and in the general
education curriculum,
where appropriate.
Responsible for data
collection on student
mastery of IEP goals/
objectives.

Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional
(Not assigned to a
specific student)

May assist in final

grade determination for
both assignments and
overall course/class, as
determined by students
IEPs.
Design process/forms
for collection of data on
student progress on IEP
goals/objectives.
Responsible for
asking for a review of
IEP if concerns regarding
the lack of the expected
progress toward the
annual goals/objectives.
Responsible for data
collection on student
mastery of IEP goals/
objectives.

May assist in grading

objective assignments/
tests (i.e. multiple choice,
fill in the blank, etc.)
May assist in clerical
recording of grades
(Note: Some LEAs allow
only the classroom
teacher to enter grades
in a grade book/online
grading system.)
May assist in
collection of data on
student mastery of
material using criteria/
checklist developed by
special educator.

Student-Specific (1:1)
Paraprofessional
(Required by Students IEP)

May assist in
collection of data on
student mastery of
IEP goals/objectives
using criteria/checklist
developed by special
educator.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Behavior Management
General Educator

(Highly Qualified Teacher

of Record)

Special Educator

(Not assigned to a
specific student)

Design classroom
management system for
all students in the class/
course.

May assist in design of

classroom management
system for all students in
the class/course.

Implement classroom management

system for all students
in the class/course.

May assist in implementation of classroom

management system for
all students in the class/
course.

Implement individual
students Behavior Improvement Plans (BIP),
as required by IEP.
Responsible for data
collection on student
mastery of behaviorrelated IEP goals/objectives.
Responsible for asking for a review of IEP
if student is not making
adequate progress on
behavior-related IEP
goals/objectives and/or
if BIP is not effective.

Classroom
Paraprofessional

Ensure general educator is aware of any individual student IEP goals/

objectives related to
behavior and/or individual
students BIP.
Provide and/or supervise any specially designed instruction related
to behavior.
Responsible for data
collection on student mastery of behavior-related
IEP goals/objectives.
Responsible for asking for a review of IEP
if student is not making
adequate progress on
behavior-related IEP goals/
objectives and/or if BIP is
not effective.
Reports on student
mastery of behavior-related IEP goals/objectives
periodically, as required
by IEP.

Assist teacher(s) in
implementation of the
classroom management system, including
established classroom
routines, as directed by
teacher(s).

Student-Specific (1:1)
Paraprofessional
(Required by Students IEP)

Assist in the implementation of the BIP.

May assist teacher(s)

in implementation of the
classroom management
system with individual
student, including
reinforcing/re-teaching
established classroom
routines, as directed by
teacher(s).

May assist in collection of data on student

mastery of behavior
goals/objectives using
criteria/checklist developed by special educator.

May assist in collection of data on student

mastery of behaviorrelated IEP goals/objectives using criteria/
checklist developed by
special educator.

17

18

Working with Paraprofessionals

Fading of Supports
General Educator

(Highly Qualified Teacher

of Record)

Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional
(Not assigned to a
specific student)

Student-Specific (1:1)
Paraprofessional
(Required by Students IEP)

Fade supports to
individual students, as
appropriate.

Fade supports to
individual students, as
appropriate.

Fade supports to
individual students, as
appropriate.

Fade supports to
individual students, as
appropriate.

Assist paraprofessionals with understanding how/when to fade

supports to students, as
appropriate.

Assist paraprofessionals with understanding how/when to fade

supports to students, as
appropriate.

Document fading of
supports per students
IEP, as directed by
teacher(s).

Document fading of
supports per students
IEP, as directed by
teacher(s).

Document fading of
supports per students
IEP.

Document fading of
supports per students
IEP.

Working with Paraprofessionals

General Education
Administrative Duties
Paraprofessionals should spend the majority of the time on instructional duties, not on administrative
duties.

Classroom Duties
General Educator

(Highly Qualified Teacher

of Record)

Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional
(Not assigned to a
specific student)

Responsible for
reporting accurate
attendance information.

May assist with

reporting attendance
information.

May assist in
collecting and recording
attendance information.

Responsible for
ensuring accurate
reporting of grades.

May assist with

reporting of grades.

May assist in clerical

recording of grades
(Note: Some LEAs
allow only the classroom
teacher to enter grades
in a grade book/online
grading system.)

Reports on individual
student mastery of
IEP goals/objectives
periodically, as required
by IEP.

Reports on individual
student mastery of
IEP goals/objectives
periodically, as required
by IEP.

StudentSpecific (1:1)
Paraprofessional

(Required by Students IEP)

Because this
paraprofessional is
required by a students
IEP, he/she should not
have duties that take
him/her away from
providing the services
dictated by the students
IEP.

May assist with

other clerical duties
in classroom (i.e.
organization of materials,
making copies, etc.) as
directed by teacher(s).

Duties Outside of Classroom

General Educator

(Highly Qualified Teacher

of Record)

Supervise hallways, play

areas, etc. as directed by
administration.

Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional
(Not assigned to a
specific student)

Supervise hallways, play

areas, etc. as directed by
administration.

Supervise hallways, play

areas, etc. as directed by
administration.

StudentSpecific (1:1)
Paraprofessional

(Required by Students IEP)

Supervise/Assist
individual student in
hallways, play areas,
etc. as required by IEP.

19

20

Working with Paraprofessionals

Special Education
Sample Instructional Duties
The following tables represent possible instructional and administrative tasks/roles/responsibilities of
the special education teacher and the paraprofessional(s) both classroom and student-specific (1:1)
paraprofessionals within a traditional special education setting. This might be a resource setting, a
content mastery setting, a self-contained setting, or any other special education classroom setting.

IEP Development
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Provide student-specific
information for development of
IEP, including:
- Current abilities (strengths and
weaknesses);
- Modifications and/or
accommodations (including use
and effectiveness); and
- Specially designed instruction.
Attends ARD meeting as
appropriate.

Provide any information

requested by teacher(s)/
administrator(s) for development
of the IEP.

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional
(IEP-Required)

Provide any information

requested by teacher(s)/
administrator(s) for development
of the IEP.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Lesson Planning
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Design lesson plans.

Develop IEP-required
accommodations and/or
modifications into lesson plan.

Assist in preparation of
materials that are designated as
needed in the lesson plan (i.e.
prepare centers, etc.).

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional
(IEP-Required)

Assist in preparation
of IEP-required materials
needed for lesson (i.e. prepare
accommodated materials for the
student, etc.)

Lesson Implementation
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Provide direct teach portion of

lesson to entire class.

Work with small group for reteach, as directed by teacher(s).

Direct classroom paraprofessional and/or student specific

paraprofessional in his/her role
during the direct teach portion of
the lesson.

Implement supports directed

by teacher(s) during the direct
teach portion of the lesson.

Implement and/or oversee implementation of IEP goals/objectives, including specially designed

instruction required by IEP.
Design necessary re-teach
pieces.
Re-teach as necessary and/
or provide direction to classroom
paraprofessional on who/what/
how to re-teach.
Assist students as needed with
individual work.

Assist individual student(s), as

directed by teacher(s).

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional
(IEP-Required)

Implement IEP-required supports during all portions of the

lesson.

21

22

Working with Paraprofessionals

Evaluation of Student Learning

Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional

May assist in grading objective

assignments/tests (i.e. multiple
choice, fill in the blank, etc.)

May assist in collection of data

on student mastery of IEP goals/
objectives using criteria/checklist
developed by special educator.

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Responsible for final

grade determination for both
assignments and overall course/
class.
Report on all students
progress/grades in class
periodically, as directed by local
policy.
Design process/forms for
collection of data on student
progress on IEP goals/objectives.
Responsible for data collection
on student mastery of IEP goals/
objectives.
Responsible for asking for
a review of IEP if concerns/
questions exist regarding
students IEP and/or any lack of
expected progress toward the
annual goals and in the general
education curriculum, where
appropriate.

May assist in clerical recording

of grades (Note: Some LEAs
allow only the classroom teacher
to enter grades in a grade book/
online grading system.)
May assist in collection of data
on student mastery of material
using criteria/checklist developed
by special educator.

(IEP-Required)

Working with Paraprofessionals

Behavior Management
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Design classroom management Assist teacher(s) in

system for all students in the
implementation of the classroom
class/course.
management system, including
established classroom routines, as
Implement classroom
directed by teacher(s).
management system for all
students in the class/course.
Implement individual students
BIP, as required by IEP.
Provide and/or supervise any
specially designed instruction
related to behavior.

May assist in collection of data

on student mastery of behavior
goals/objectives using criteria/
checklist developed by special
educator.

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional
(IEP-Required)

May assist teacher(s) in

implementation of the classroom
management system and/or BIPs
with individual student, including
reinforcing/re-teaching established
classroom routines, as directed by
teacher(s).
May assist in collection of data
on student mastery of behaviorrelated IEP goals/objectives using
criteria/checklist developed by
special educator.

Responsible for data collection

and reporting on student mastery
of behavior-related IEP goals/
objectives.

Fading of Supports
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Fade supports to individual

students, as appropriate.
Assist paraprofessionals with
understanding how/when to
fade supports to students, as
appropriate.
Document fading of supports
per students IEP.

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional
(IEP-Required)

Fade supports to individual

students, as directed by
teacher(s).

Fade supports to individual

students, as directed by
teacher(s).

Document fading of supports

per students IEP, as directed by
teacher(s).

Document fading of supports

per students IEP,
as directed by teacher(s).

23

24

Working with Paraprofessionals

Special Education
Administrative Duties
Paraprofessionals should spend the majority of the time on instructional duties, not on administrative
duties.

Classroom Duties
Classroom
Paraprofessional

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional

Responsible for reporting

accurate attendance information.

May assist in collecting and

recording attendance information.

Responsible for ensuring

accurate reporting of course/
assignment grades.

May assist in clerical recording

of grades.

Because this paraprofessional

is required by a students IEP, he/
she should not have duties that
take him/her away from providing
the services dictated by the
students IEP.

Special Educator

(Not assigned to a specific student)

May assist with other

clerical duties in classroom (i.e.
organization of materials, making
copies, etc.) as directed by
teacher(s).

Report on individual student

mastery of IEP goals/objectives
periodically, as required by IEP.

(IEP-Required)

Duties Outside of Classroom

Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Supervise hallways, play areas,

etc. as directed by administration.

Supervise hallways, play areas,

etc. as directed by administration.

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional
(IEP-Required)

Supervise/Assist individual student in hallways, play areas, etc.

as required by IEP.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Non-Traditional Setting
(i.e. In-Home, Community-Based, etc.)
Sample Instructional Duties
The following tables represent some possible roles/responsibilities of the special education teacher
and the paraprofessional (either a classroom paraprofessional not assigned to a specific student
and/or a student-specific 1:1 paraprofessional). While these tables take into account some of the
more common non-traditional (non-classroom based) settings, such as in-home training and community based settings, there may be IEP-specific settings that are not considered here. Therefore,
roles/responsibilities here may vary greatly, based on settings.

IEP Development
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Provide information regarding

students abilities, including
strengths and weaknesses,
for ARD Committee to use in
development of the PLAAFP and
IEP goals/objectives.
Provide information regarding
specially designed instruction
for ARD Committee to use in
development of PLAAFP and IEP
goals/objectives.
Attend ARD meetings.
Give input into development of
IEP.

Provide any information

requested by teacher(s)/
administrator(s) for development
of the IEP.

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional
(IEP-Required)

Provide any information

requested by teacher(s)/
administrator(s) for development
of the IEP.

25

26

Working with Paraprofessionals

Lesson Planning
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Design lesson plans.

Develop IEP-required
accommodations and/or
modifications into lesson plans.

Assist in preparation of
materials that are designated as
needed in the lesson plans (i.e.
prepare centers, etc.)

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional
(IEP-Required)

Assist in preparation of
IEP-required materials needed
for lesson plans (i.e. prepare
accommodated materials for the
student, etc.)

Lesson Implementation
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Provide direct teach portion of

lesson to entire class.
Direct classroom
paraprofessional in his/her role
during the direct teach portion of
the lesson.
Implement and/or oversees
implementation of IEP goals/
objectives, including specially
designed instruction required by
IEP.
Design necessary re-teach
pieces.
Re-teach as necessary
and/or provide direction to
paraprofessional on who/what/
how to re-teach.
Assist student(s) as needed
with individual work.

Implement supports directed

by teacher(s) during the direct
teach portion of the lesson.
Work with small group for reteach, as directed by teacher(s).
Assist individual student(s), as
directed by teacher(s).

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional
(IEP-Required)

Implement IEP-required
supports during all portions of the
lesson.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Evaluation of Student Learning

Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional

May assist in grading objective

assignments/tests (i.e. multiple
choice, fill in the blank, etc.)

May assist in collection of data

on student mastery of IEP goals/
objectives using criteria/checklist
developed by special educator.

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Responsible for final

grade determination for both
assignments and overall course/
class.
Report on all students
progress/grades in class
periodically, as directed by local
policy.
Design process/forms for
collection of data on student
progress on IEP goals/objectives.
Responsible for data collection
on student mastery of IEP goals/
objectives.
Responsible for asking for
a review of IEP if concerns/
questions exist regarding
students IEP and/or any lack of
expected progress toward the
annual goals and in the general
education curriculum, where
appropriate.

May assist in clerical recording

of grades (Note: Some LEAs
allow only the classroom teacher
to enter grades in a grade book/
online grading system.)
May assist in collection of data
on student mastery of material
using criteria/checklist developed
by special educator.

(IEP-Required)

27

28

Working with Paraprofessionals

Behavior Management
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional

Assist teacher(s) in
implementation of the classroom
management system and/or BIPs,
including established classroom
routines, as directed by teacher(s).

May assist teacher(s) in

implementation of the behavior
management system with
individual student, including
reinforcing/re-teaching established
routines, as directed by teacher(s).

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Design behavior management

system for all students.
Implement behavior
management system for all
students.
Implement individual students
BIPs, as required by IEP.
Provide and/or supervise any
specially designed instruction
related to behavior.

May assist in collection of data

on student mastery of behavior
goals/objectives using criteria/
checklist developed by special
educator.

(IEP-Required)

May assist in collection of data

on student mastery of behaviorrelated IEP goals/objectives using
criteria/checklist developed by
special educator.

Responsible for data collection

on student mastery of behaviorrelated IEP.

Fading of Supports
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Assist paraprofessionals with

understanding how/when to
fade supports to students, as
appropriate.
Fade supports to individual
students, as appropriate.
Document fading of supports
per students IEP.

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional
(IEP-Required)

Fade supports to individual

students, as directed by
teacher(s).

Fade supports to individual

students, as directed by
teacher(s).

Document fading of supports

per students IEP, as directed by
teacher(s).

Document fading of supports

per students IEP, as directed by
teacher(s).

Working with Paraprofessionals

Special Education
Administrative Duties
Paraprofessionals should spend the majority of the time on instructional duties, not on administrative
duties.

Classroom Duties
Special Educator

Classroom
Paraprofessional

Student-Specific
Paraprofessional

Responsible for reporting

accurate attendance information.

May assist in collecting and

recording attendance information.

Responsible for ensuring

accurate reporting of course/
assignment grades.

May assist in clerical recording

of grades.

Because this paraprofessional

is required by a students IEP, he/
she should not have duties that
take him/her away from providing
the services dictated by the
students IEP.

(Not assigned to a specific student)

Report on individual student

mastery of IEP goals/objectives
periodically, as required by IEP.

May assist with other clerical

duties in classroom.

(IEP-Required)

29

30

Working with Paraprofessionals

Communication
In addition to clearly defining and distinguishing the roles and responsibilities for teachers and
paraprofessionals, it is imperative that everyone on the teaching team be clear about what is
communicated to whom regarding how the teaching team will work together. It is also helpful to
define specific responsibilities related to communication. The certified teacher should always be
the primary communicator to the parent regarding a students academic and behavioral progress.
Additionally, anytime student-specific information is communicated, whether verbally or in writing,
confidential/lity must be maintained.

The certified teacher should always be the primary communicator to

the parent regarding a students academic and behavioral progress.
It is imperative that the paraprofessional have both general information about his/her duties and
specific information about the student(s) with whom he/she will be working. If he/she is to work
with any portion of the childs IEP, not only must he/she be directly supervised by a certified special
educator, he/she must also have or have access to the portion of the IEP he/she is responsible
for following. While ultimate responsibility for implementation of the IEP will rest with the certified
educator, the paraprofessional should be included and have access to student specific information
if he/she is responsible for following it. The teacher will need to explain what the IEP means and
what the paraprofessionals role is in assisting with its implementation.
All adults in the classroom must be on the same page in order for students to receive a
consistent message. Expectations must not vary from person to person. This needs to be clear in
communication to both the students and to parents. Students are able to easily tell when there is a
lack of communication between two (or more) adults in the classroom. Recognizing the limited time
that exists within the school day for structured communication, LEAs or campuses may consider
alternate strategies for allowing for communication between the teacher(s) and paraprofessional(s),
especially when a new student is introduced, IEPs are updated, or roles/responsibilities change for
any other reason.
As with all communication, whether verbal or written, confidentiality of student information must
always be maintained.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Teacher Communication to Paraprofessional

In General or Special Education Settings

Roles
Clearly define roles and responsibilities of
Paraprofessional (see p.8). However, roles and
responsibilities will be a local decision.
The paraprofessional needs to know when and
how his/her responsibilities will be communicated
to them and by whom.

Communication

grades, relationships to other students, and/or

discipline with the appropriate teacher(s).
Paraprofessionals should direct all questions to
the General/Special Education teacher(s).
The teacher will be the one to share specific
results of students academic/behavioral progress,
where the paraprofessional may impart more
general information and refer parent to the teacher
for specifics.

Describe and clarify all areas/implications of

confidentiality. (Paraprofessional may not discuss
other students with parents.)

Information about the students performance

should be objective, not personal opinions.

The teacher will be the primary communicator

with the parent regarding student progress,
behavior, etc.

Classroom Management

Explain to the paraprofessional how to redirect

a parent to contact the teacher by e-mail, phone,
parent meeting, etc.

Rapport
Describe how the paraprofessional is there
as a support in the classroom but should receive
the same respect as the teacher.

Clarify how the paraprofessional will assist with

general classroom management as determined by
the classroom teacher.
Describe and explain the paraprofessionals
role with expectations of the students. Both
the paraprofessional and teacher share the
expectations of students, as well as the same
consequences, whether positive or negative.

Academic Assistance

Describe how the paraprofessional is an

important part of the learning community and
is here to help with student success.

Explain that the paraprofessional is in the

classroom to assist the students completion
of work independently.

Identify where materials or supplies are located

that he/she may need for instructional purposes.

Explain that the paraprofessional is there

primarily to support the student receiving special
education services. However, he/she may
assist general education students (i.e. inclusive
classrooms where both special education and
general education students are present).

IEPs
Explain the legal obligations of the IEP as
they relate to the paraprofessionals role with the
student, including: confidentiality, necessary
accommodations and modifications, time
(frequency/duration/location of IEP-required
services), and documentation requirements.

Grades/Progress
Teachers have ultimate responsibility for
communicating progress and/or concerns.
Paraprofessionals should discuss the students

Training
Describe what training is available (both in
district/on campus and externally) and how to
request training to the paraprofessional.

Planning
Describe how the paraprofessional will be
included in the planning process.

31

32

Working with Paraprofessionals

Teacher Communication to Student about

Paraprofessional
In General or Special Education Settings

Roles
Clearly define the role of the paraprofessional to
the students.

Communication
Explain that paraprofessionals cannot discuss
other students.
Describe to student how the teacher and
paraprofessional will work together to communicate
with their parents.

Rapport
Explain that the paraprofessional is there as a
support, and needs to be respected as a teacher.
Explain that the paraprofessional is an important
part of the learning community and describe how
he/she is here to help the student be successful.

IEPs
Explain age appropriate information regarding
his/her IEP and describe the necessary supports
the paraprofessional will provide as outlined in his/
her IEP.

The student should provide feedback as to

the efficacy of current supports and the addition
or elimination of supports provided by the
paraprofessional.

Classroom Management
Explain that the paraprofessional will assist with
general classroom management.
Describe how the paraprofessionals role
regarding expectations and consequences will
mirror those of the classroom teacher.

Academic Assistance
Explain that the paraprofessional is there to
assist with work completion but the student should
strive to do so as independently as possible.

Training
Describe the training the paraprofessional
receives in order to assist the student in the
classroom.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Teacher Communication to Parents about

Paraprofessional
In General or Special Education Settings

Roles
Clearly define the role of the paraprofessional to
the parents.

IEPs
Explain the legal obligations of the IEP and all the
components of the IEP and subsequent documentation.

Communication
Explain that paraprofessionals cannot discuss
any students progress, behavior, etc.
The teacher must explain to the parent that all
communication must come from the teacher. If
the parent has questions, those are directed to the
teacher.

Classroom Management
Explain that the paraprofessional will be in
classroom to assist students and, if appropriate,
can implement classroom management strategies,
etc.

Explain to the parent how to contact the teacher

by e-mail, phone call, or parent meeting.

Explain the paraprofessionals role regarding

student expectations and consequences will mirror
those of the classroom teacher.

Rapport

Academic Assistance

Explain that the paraprofessional is there to

support students in the classroom and should be
respected.
Explain that the paraprofessional is an important
part of the learning community and describe how
he/she are here to help with student success.

Clarify that the paraprofessional is there primarily

to support the student receiving special education
services. In addition, if his/her role permits, the
paraprofessional may assist all students in the
classroom.

Training
Clarify to parents that the paraprofessional
receives training to assist the students in the
classroom.

33

34

Working with Paraprofessionals

Confidentiality
All LEA staff must complete confidentiality training and understand laws regarding how to protect
confidential student information. It is important that paraprofessionals have an understanding that
communication norms exist in order to ensure that confidentiality of student information is protected and that any communication outside of the LEA-established norms could violate student confidentiality laws.
The following tips on confidentiality, from Giangreco and Doyle (2004, p. 192), might be helpful to
share with the paraprofessional1:

Tip 1. Never discuss a students educational plans in public places (e.g., faculty room, playground, hallway, community park, grocery store).

Tip 2. When meeting to discuss a students educational plan, only discuss information that is
directly relevant to the issues at hand.

Tip 3. If someone approaches you and begins to breech the confidentiality of a student, provide a kind but clear response. For example, Im not on that students educational team, so I
dont think it is appropriate for me to be involved in discussing his educational program.

Tip 4. When you or the paraprofessional are no longer on the students team, you must continue to maintain confidentiality about any information that you have learned about the student
and/or family.

Tip 5. When in doubt, put yourself in the shoes of the parent or student and ask yourself:
Would it be okay for people to be talking about me or my family in this manner, in this same
location, and for the same purpose?

1 Giangreco, M.F., & Doyle, M.B. (2004). Directing paraprofessional work. In C.H. Kennedy & E.M. Horn (Eds.), Including students with
severe disabilities (pp. 185-204). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Documentation
Paraprofessionals require ongoing supervision and regular performance evaluations which are
based on their job descriptions and clearly defined district/campus processes and procedures.
While the teacher may not be responsible for the formal performance evaluations of the paraprofessional, the teacher(s) is responsible for supervision of the day-to-day working of the paraprofessional. Both federal regulations (200.59(c)(2) of the Title I Regulations) and state rules (19 TAC
230.560) require that paraprofessionals must be directly supervised by a certified teacher. Supervision should be by a certified special educator when the paraprofessional is responsible for IEP
implementation. The LEA will need to determine what documentation to keep in regard to supervision, possibly including notes from observations or meetings, locally-developed forms, or other
documentation as determined locally.
Note: The following tables do not provide comprehensive lists, but are intended as a guide to
stimulate conversations.

Documenting Communication
While the previous section of this document spoke about communication, these tables specify what
needs to be or may need to be documented in regard to communication.

Administrator
Create systems of communication between teachers and paraprofessionals that

allow information to be exchanged in a manner that ensures student information remains

confidential.
Schedule adequate planning and communication time.
Determine a campus-wide monitoring process of staff to meet the individual needs

of the campus and the population it serves.

Monitor and provide feedback on the working relationship between staff members.
Establish a chain of command so the supervising teacher and paraprofessional know

who to contact when issues or situations arise.

Provide mediation between staff if conflicts arise.

General & Special Educator

Identify when, where, and how often the paraprofessional(s) and teacher(s) will for-

mally and informally communicate, in a manner that ensures student information remains
confidential. This might include: email; phone calls; messages; notes; and/or teacher begins
and/or ends each day with the paraprofessional, if schedule allows.

35

36

Working with Paraprofessionals

Document meetings which discuss the students characteristics, needs, and educational

goals, such as: team meetings; discussions and decisions; daily check-in; and team logbook.
Provide the paraprofessional a schedule to outline duties each day, week, grading pe-

riod, or semester; to include: grade level/content area meetings and planning time.
Communicate that schedule and/or duties may change based upon students needs,

ARD committee decisions, and/or administrative decisions.

Create norms and expectations for formal meetings, such as: read reports in advance;

follow an agenda; take turns ensure both parties have time to talk and time to listen; maintain timelines; review data associated with students IEPs; and/or discuss students IEP
before and after the ARD committee meeting.
Communicate the chain of command so the paraprofessional knows who to contact

when issues or situations arise.

Provide constructive and corrective feedback on instructional and non-instructional

activities in a timely manner.

Maintain written communications/notes in a manner that ensures confidentiality.
Communicate that schedule and/or duties may change based upon students needs,

ARD committee decisions, and/or administrative decisions.

Paraprofessional
Provide input for when, where, and how often the paraprofessional and teacher(s) will

formally and informally communicate, in a manner that ensures student information remains
confidential. This might include: email, phone calls, messages, notes; and/or begin and/or
end each day with the teacher, if schedule allows.
Keep notes from meetings to refer to as needed which discuss the students

characteristics, needs, and educational goals, such as: team meetings; discussions and
decisions; daily check-in; and team logbook.
Follow the duty schedule.
Collaborate with the teacher to establish norms and expectations for formal

meetings, which include: read reports in advance; follow an agenda; take turns ensure
both parties have time to talk and time to listen; maintain timelines; review data associated
with students IEPs; and/or discuss students IEP before and after the ARD committee
meeting.
Follow the chain of command and document discussions and decisions when

issues or situations arise.

Provide feedback on students progress and supports in a variety of settings.
Maintain written communications/notes in a manner that ensures confidentiality.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Professional Development
While teachers may not have the authority to send a paraprofessional to professional development,
if a teacher has the capacity, he/she could make suggestions or help the paraprofessional find
appropriate training opportunities so that the paraprofessional can develop skills specific to the responsibilities he/she is responsible for implementing. Additionally, the certified educator is responsible for ensuring the paraprofessional has a working knowledge of the student(s) with whom he/
she is assigned to work. Specifically, the teacher must ensure that the paraprofessional knows what
he/she is responsible for implementing with the assigned student(s) and what documentation must
be kept of this implementation. When specific special education duties are assigned, those portions
should be supervised by a certified special educator.

Administrator
Provide professional development to supervising teachers on how to effectively

supervise paraprofessionals, including:

-Planning time and communication with paraprofessional;
-Managing paraprofessionals schedules;
-Delegating tasks and responsibilities;
-Orientation of a new paraprofessional;
-Informing the paraprofessional of professional development opportunities;
-Modeling academic and functional activities, instructional supports, skill sets,
fading supports;
-Evaluating paraprofessionals job performance;
-Managing the work environment;
-Maintaining student confidentiality; and
-Providing constructive and corrective feedback based on objective rather than
subjective evidence of instructional and non-instructional activities.
-Schedule continuous professional development opportunities that align to the
paraprofessionals job descriptions and tasks they will perform in the educational
setting, (i.e., webinars, trainings, etc.)
Ensure all staff receives training in maintaining confidentiality.

37

38

Working with Paraprofessionals

General & Special Educator

Provide ongoing on-the-job training, such as:

-Orient a new paraprofessional to a new district/campus, educational setting, or situation

such as one-on-one assistance;
-Refreshers/continuous professional development on providing supports in academic
and functional settings, confidentiality, skill sets, and fading supports;
-Implementing students IEP goals and, where appropriate, objectives/benchmarks
Train, coach, and model academic and functional activities, instructional supports, skill

sets, and fading supports.

Maintain confidentiality.

Paraprofessional
Request professional development, coaching, or modeling of academic and

functional activities, instructional supports, skill sets, and fading supports.

Maintain confidentiality.

Working with Paraprofessionals

Instruction
Regarding instruction, the teacher will always have the primary responsibility of instruction of all
students. The teacher will delegate appropriate instructional tasks to paraprofessionals, and document the paraprofessionals implementation of these tasks.

Administrator
Develop ways to evaluate paraprofessional services to individual students,

classrooms, and staff.

General & Special Educator

Evaluate the impact of paraprofessional services on students in a variety of academic

and functional activities, settings, and skills sets in accordance with the students IEPs.
Develop written plans that provide the content and level of information required

for the paraprofessionals to effectively carry out a plan devised by a general or special
educator.
Create a plan/evaluation in writing to fade paraprofessional-student supports by

increasing student independence or replacing with more naturally occurring supports (e.g.,
classroom and visual cues, written directions, and/or peers).
Scaffold the learning process for the paraprofessional in writing.

Paraprofessional
Document student progress as a result of implementing academic and functional

strategies and skills sets in accordance to the students IEP in a variety of settings per the
teacher directive.
Follow the direction of the teacher(s)/administrator(s) to fade paraprofessional-

student supports by increasing student independence or replacing with more naturally

occurring supports (e.g., classroom and visual cues, written directions, and/or peers).
Follow scaffolding of the learning processes.
Adhere to written plans that provide the content and level of information required to

effectively carry out a plan devised by a general or special educator

39

40

Working with Paraprofessionals

Conclusion
The certified educator is always responsible for effective, meaningful instruction for all students in
his/her class, whether or not they are students with disabilities and regardless of the paraprofessional supports provided for them. It is the teachers responsibility to remain actively involved with
the paraprofessional; in delegating/assigning tasks to him/her, monitoring his/her implementation
of those tasks, and providing timely feedback on their implementation of those tasks. It is critical
that the certified teacher ensures that paraprofessionals roles and responsibilities, including those
related to communication, are clearly delineated and that the paraprofessional has an understanding of how to implement the tasks assigned to him/her.
McGrath and Johns offer an acronym for helping teachers remember their responsibilities when it
comes to paraprofessionals (2010, p. 6):1

P repare the paraprofessional from the beginning on his or her role

A ssert your expectations in a helpful manner
R eview frequently how things are going
A gree to work out any problems and support each other
P lan carefully the activities you wish the paraprofessional to conduct
R einforce the paraprofessional for his or her contributions and successes
O bserve the paraprofessional frequently to ensure all is going well and that your plans
are being implemented and give constructive feedback based on your observation

Giangreco and Doyle summarize it very well when they state, It is the responsibility of the teacher
and special educator to assess students educational needs and progress; make decisions about
curriculum; develop lesson plans that reflect individually determined adaptations, instructional
methods, and data collection systems; and to be the primary liaison with the family. These are
responsibilities that many paraprofessionals are not trained in or qualified to undertake. In cases
where they are qualified (e.g., a certified teacher hired in a paraprofessional role), they are not compensated to do teacher-level work and as a paraprofessional are not accountable for the educational program in the same way as you are as an educator (2004, p. 195).2

1 McGrath, M.Z., Johns, B.H., & Mathur, S.R., (2010, Winter). Empowered or overpowered? Strategies for working effectively with paraprofessionals. Beyond Behavior, 2-6.
2 Giangreco, M.F., & Doyle, M.B. (2004). Directing paraprofessional work. In C.H. Kennedy & E.M. Horn (Eds.), Including students with
severe disabilities (pp. 185-204). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Working with Paraprofessionals

How will you know if you have been successful as an educator in directing the work of a paraprofessional? There are four
primary indicators of your success in this area. First, gauge the
job satisfaction of the paraprofessionalSecond, as an educator,
do you feel satisfied with the work of the paraprofessional? Third,
you will know that you have been effective in directing the work of
the paraprofessional when you can link it to positive student outcomes. Finally, consider the perspectives of your students with
disabilities regarding paraprofessional supports.

Giangreco, M.F., & Doyle, M.B. (2004)

41

42

Working with Paraprofessionals

References and Resources

Broer, S.M., Doyle, M.B., & Giangreco, M.F. (2007). Perspectives of students with intellectual disabilities about their experiences with paraprofessional support. Exceptional Children, 71(4), 415430.
Causton-Theoharis, J.N., Giangreco, M.F., Doyle, M.B., & Vadasy, P.F. (2007, Sept/Oct). Paraprofessionals: The "sous-chefs" of literacy instruction. Council for Exceptional Children, 40(1), 56-62.
Egilson, S. T., & Traustadottir, R. (2009). Assistance to pupils with physical disabilities in regular
schools: Promoting inclusion or creating dependency? European Journal of Special Needs
Education, 24(1), 21-36.
Giangreco, M.F., Broer, S.M. (2005, Spring). Questionable utilization of paraprofessionals in inclusive schools: Are we addressing symptoms or causes? Focus on Autism and Other Developmental
Disabilities, 20(1), 10-26.
Giangreco, M.F., & Doyle, M.B. (2004). Directing Paraprofessional Work. In C.H. Kennedy & E.M.
Horn (Eds.), Including students with severe disabilities (pp. 185-204). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Giangreco, M.F., Edelman, S.W., & Broer, S.M. (2001). Respect, appreciation, and acknowledgement of paraprofessionals who support students with disabilities. The Council for Exceptional Children, 67(4), 485-498.
McGrath, M.Z., Johns, B.H., & Mathur, S.R., (2010, Winter). Empowered or overpowered? Strategies for working effectively with paraprofessionals. Beyond Behavior, 2-6. Title I Paraprofessionals
Non-Regulatory Guidance; March 1, 2004

A collaborative project of the

Texas Education Agency and the
Statewide Access to the General Curriculum Network