Putting paraeducators on the path to teacher certification

Abstract

In response to local districts’ needs for certified teachers with community roots who understand local schools and students, the authors developed an innovative alternative route for paraprofessionals based on a traditional bachelor’s program. Their goals were to provide a rigorous, research-based program that allows paraprofessionals to get a university degree and, in the process, to get course credit for skills and knowledge gained on the job. This article describes both the challenges involved in developing the program and its successes.

Preparing Paraprofessionals to Become Teachers: A Study Examining the Effect of Catalytic Interventions

“…Exacerbating the problem of homogeneity, teacher shortages abound across the country, suggesting that the current ethnic, gender, and racial make-up of the teaching population will likely remain intact. For example, in various iterations of research in this area, Bireda and Chait (2011), Morrison and Lightner (2017), and Gist et al (2019) have all proposed solutions to this complex problem, but, to date, there seems to have been little progress. As Johnson and Lehner (2020) suggested, using the term Culturally and Linguistically Diverse students (CLDs), the literature on preparing this group of teacher candidates, however, often overlooks paraprofessionals.…”

“…Villegas and Clewell (1998) and Abbate-Vaughn and Paugh (2009) contended that support services should include robust academic advising and monitoring systems, mid-term communications, curriculum modification, and preparation for certification testing. Additionally, related to this literature, Morrison and Lightner (2017) identified a challenge that is often overlooked in training paraprofessionals to become teachers but also applies to training students to become paraprofessionals: passing state skill tests and meeting credentialing requirements. Over the years, as a population, paraprofessionals have collectively progressed in some areas of career development (Johnson & Lehner, 2020), but more research may be necessary to better understand what services this population needs to become full-fledged teachers, especially in providing students with the information that they need to navigate and pass the multiple certifications required to become paraprofessionals.…”

Latina Paraeducators’ Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Adaptation in an Alternative Route to Teaching Program

“…Program Strengths-ELLPARAS Entry requirements biases and barriers (Andrews et al, 2019;Lau et al, 2007;Morrison & Lightner, 2017) Flexed application of admission requirements and counseling prior to admission High-stake assessments (Richmond et al, 2016;Taylor et al, 2017) Tutoring Recognition of linguistic, cultural, and social capitals two years in the ELLPARAS program, Irma took a full load of teacher education classes while working 30 hrs a week as a paraeducator. In addition, she took several courses at the local community college and online, while tending to her sons and husband, and later giving birth to her daughter.…”