Constructively Responding to Requests for Paraprofessionals

Abstract

Paraprofessional utilization has steadily risen in an effort to meet the needs of students with disabilities in inclusionoriented classrooms. To date, no widely accepted processes exist to assist schools in determining when the use of paraprofessional staff is warranted. Many schools have attempted to fill this void by developing local processes designed to justify paraprofessional assignment. This article describes how justification approaches to paraprofessional decision making operate from a reactive posture, include inherently problematic criteria, and perpetuate socially constructed myths that certain students need one-to-one paraprofessionals. An alternative framework for making decisions is offered through a series of school/district-and classroom/team-level concepts and corresponding actions that can be pursued in developing proactive processes and practices tailored to local contexts.

Teaching Assistants in Inclusive Classrooms: A Systematic Analysis of the International Research

“…Giangreco and his colleagues have identified alternatives to the use of TAs such as employing co-teaching, peer-supports, and dually-certified teachers, and making changes in resource allocation and working conditions, and have developed guidelines and a 10-step self-assessment model that school districts and departments/ ministries of education can employ to determine appropriate alternatives to the use of TAs (Giangreco, 2013;Giangreco, Broer, & Suter, 2011;Giangreco et al, 2012).…”

“…Therefore, there is a need for countries and school districts to examine the efficacy of their practices and policies related to the use of TAs in inclusive classrooms to determine if the use of TAs in inclusive classrooms is an effective and appropriate way to support educators and students in inclusive classrooms (Giangreco, Doyle, & Suter, 2012). Primarily, the effectiveness of the policies and practices implemented should be assessed by collecting standardized and classroom-based data that examines the extent to which they foster positive academic, social, and behavioral outcomes for students.…”

Ecological Factors Affecting Access to General Education Content and Contexts for Students With Significant Disabilities

“…Changes over time in a student's life can affect their access to general education content and contexts. Moreover, decisions about instructional configurations, such as a one-toone paraprofessional, can persist or be changed at each of these transition junctures (Giangreco, Doyle, & Suter, 2012). Each transition creates an opportunity for the IEP team to address a student's access to the general education content and contexts.…”

Experiences of paraprofessionals in US preschool special education and general education classrooms

“…Job satisfaction is the area containing the smallest amount of published research, but studies suggests that lead teachers should remember that paraprofessionals, while lacking formal education, may provide knowledge to contribute to classroom experiences, and they should be respected and valued in the classroom (Darrow, ; Giangreco et al., ). For example, positive behavioral support interventions use a team approach to implementation (Scheuermann and Hall, ).…”

“…Paraprofessionals, also known as teaching assistants and educational assistants in some countries, play a major role in the development, social and academic outcomes of students with disabilities (Giangreco, Doyle and Suter, ). Many preschool students, especially those diagnosed with a disability, spend a large majority of their classroom time with paraprofessionals instead of the lead teacher (Gilligan, Luiselli and Pace, ).…”