Paraprofessionals As Certified Educators

Paraprofessionals As Certified Educators

Training Paraprofessionals to Teach in Urban Districts

A Presentation at the National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals Conference

• Pamela Owen Brucker, Ed.D.• Southern Connecticut State University• Bruckerp1@southernct.edu

• Dana Corriveau, Consultant• Connecticut State Department of • Education• Dana.Corriveau@ct.gov

Why Paraprofessionals?

• Experience working with students

• Experience with school district and district policies

• Connections to the urban community

• Knowledge of diverse cultures

What does literature tell us?

• Special Education is a shortage area

• Severe shortages of teachers with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds

• Having diverse teachers may reduce overrepresentation of minorities in SPED (Tyler, Usquiderdo,Lopez-Reyna, & Flippin, 2002)

More evidence

• Students may perform better when they have teachers who mirror their race or ethnicity (Tyler, Usquiderdo,Lopez-Reyna, & Flippin, 2002)

• Urban districts in CT have a high rate of attrition: more than double that of suburban districts (Special Education, CT State Improvement Grant, 2005)

More about Paraprofessionals in CT

• CT State Department of Education identified 2206 paraprofessionals working in the most disadvantaged urban districts

• In a survey of these paraprofessionals, 50% had an Associates Degree or higher, 27% held Bachelors Degree or higher (Glen Martin Associates, 2001)

More about Paraprofessionals in CT

• In this survey, 26% indicated that they would be interested in pursuing a teaching certificate.

• 10% of these paraprofessionals already held a teaching certificate

What Barriers Exist ?

• Financial Considerations

• Work Schedules

• Proximity of Classes

• Years since completing last degree

• Mentoring Support

• Family Obligations

?

Activities Leading Up to PACE Program

• 2000-2001: CES paraprofessionals– 20 paraprofessionals with BS degrees– No tuition reimbursement– Evening classes - three classes at CES

– 9 paraprofessionals completed SPED certification and are teaching. Most have finished MS degree.

Next cohort

• 2002-2004 New Haven Paraprofessionals

• Funding for 3 classes from NH B of E

• Remaining funding for tuition and books from FIPSE (Federal) Grant

• 10 paraprofessionals completed SPED certification and are teaching

Current PACE Program

• Up to 120 paraprofessionals in four districts: New Haven, Hartford, Bridgeport, and Waterbury

• New Haven started in 2005– Total of 18 paraprofessionals; 15

completed coursework and certified or DSAPed

– 3 undergraduates completing program

Current PACE cont.

• Hartford: 9 paraprofessionals– Completing coursework in summer 2008– 2 DSAPed

• Bridgeport: recruitment begun

Goals of PACE Program

• Provide a pool of Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers for the urban areas

• Maintain racial, ethic, and/or linguistic diversity of at least 50%

• Develop a replication guide for use in urban districts to “ grow their own”

SCSU’s goals under the grant:Project Goal:

A teacher licensure program will be established which will recruit, enroll, support, and assist paraprofessionals currently employed in targeted CT school districts.        

Long Term Objectives:

#1. 120 paraprofessionals will be trained and earn licensure as special education teachers.

#2. Urban LEAs will have a pool of licensed special educators from which to draw to fill personnel vacancies.

#3 There will be an increase in the diversity of the special education teaching workforce in targeted districts.

#4 Develop a long range plan for sustaining recruitment and retention of teachers in urban

areas.

Connecticut’s State Performance Plan is tied in

• Six year plan for special education in Connecticut in 20 different areas

• Have to report our progress annually to the federal government

• Areas that relate to this grant:

Indicator 9 and 10: Disproportionate representation of students by race/ethnicity in special education and in specific disability categories.

• Indicator 5: Least Restrictive Environment Settings

WHY? Research tells us that there is a correlation between the diversity of the teaching staff in relation to the diversity of the student population – culturally relevant instruction and understanding of cultural differences.

How is the grant assessed?

• Federal level – annual report every year

• State level – progress reports every six months, site visits, focus groups

• Outside evaluator – impartial, skilled in research and evaluation

• LEA level data in personnel and staffing…

• ??? SPP indicators 5, 9, and 10 (we’re getting

there)

Some questions we ask when we evaluate:

• Are the people in the grant getting trained and know how to use scientifically- or evidence-based practices? What percent of those people?

• How many candidates have/will have certification? By when?

• Are the candidates going back to the urban area they were in, or leaving? Why?

• What are the barriers for candidates to proceed in the program? (sustainability and replication)

How are barriers addressed?

• All tuition, books and materials are paid• Classes are held in district on public

transportation• Classes are held after work day• Food and childcare stipends are given• Praxis tutorials are held ( bilingual)• Mentors are provided

Lessons Learned

1. You need buy in and support from central office or your Board of Education – especially in light of changing leadership

– Contracts, agreements

2. You need to know what the expectations of the district are

– Release time from work, mentoring support, student teaching/fieldwork opportunities

Lessons Learned

3. Establish your goals/objectives early– What data do you already have?– What data do you need to start collecting – how? – What do you want your end result to be?

4. Data collection – start early and be clear about what you are collecting

5. Contacts needed at the university to help you navigate the system – admissions process, tuition payments, credits, classes

6. Be realistic about the amount of resources this takes – financial and human!