Working w/Paraprofessionals

Melissa Dougherty & Gina Ming | Substitute PD| July 30, 2025

What does the Law Say?

IDEA

Summary of Key Points:

IDEA and Inclusion

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), formerly P.L. 94-142, mandates that students with disabilities be included in regular school environments whenever possible. Students must be educated in the "least restrictive environment" appropriate for their needs, with removal from regular classrooms only occurring when education cannot be achieved satisfactorily even with supplementary aids and services.

Benefits and Challenges of Inclusion

Research shows that inclusive instruction benefits children with disabilities by increasing social interaction with non-disabled peers, improving social acceptance, and providing appropriate behavior models. However, physical placement alone is insufficient - students often require direct intervention and support to succeed in inclusive settings.

Role of Paraprofessionals

Paraprofessionals play a crucial role in supporting inclusive education by implementing and reinforcing teacher-designed programs. They have a challenging but rewarding position that positively influences academic achievement and behavior while providing invaluable assistance to teachers.

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OVERVIEW IDEA

Working w/Classroom Assistants

Understanding Job Description

• Classifications:
• SMH (Severely Mentally Handicapped)SMH Job Description

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• LCH (Learning and Communicatively Handicapped)LCH Job Description

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• SMH 1:1- SMH 1:1 Job Description

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• LCH 1:1- LCH 1:1 Job Description

Roles of Paraprofessionals

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Paraprofessional Roles:

Paraprofessional Roles:

Student and Teacher Support:

• Work directly with students w/disabilities
• Provide support to students to accessing the general education curriculum or functional curriculum
• Reinforce academic skills
• Promote social-emotional development
• Assist with administrative tasks
• Small-group facilitation
• Adapting materials
• Supervision of students

Ideas for interacting w/students

Supporting

Academics

Supporting Academics:

How to utilize paraprofessionals for academic support:

• Circulating through the classroom and using proximity during direct instruction
• Assisting w/redirecting students during instruction
• Monitoring during tests/quizzes
• Running small-group instruction
• Providing additional academic support as needed
• Check for Understanding
• Maintaining lesson materials/notes/handouts

Prompts for accommodations

Responsibilities of Teachers:

• NON-NEGOTIABLES-
• Paraprofessionals may not engage in the following activities (19 TAC §230.61):
• develop lesson plans
• introduce new material/content
• provide the direct teach portion of the lesson
• select materials for the implementation of the lesson
• assign final grades
• be responsible for any IEP-related responsibilities without the supervision of a certified special educator
• develop IEP goals and objectives
• design the classroom management system
• be responsible for determining or reporting student progress (general class progress or IEP goal progress)
• When paraprofessionals provide services required by a student’s IEP, they must do so under the supervision of a certified special education teacher

Roles & Responsibilities Resource

Working with Paras When Supporting Students WITH Behaviors

Let’s Talk Behavior:

Let’s Talk Behavior:

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Hyperlink:

Behavior Strategies Resource

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Building Professionalism

WORKING WITH YOUR PARAPROFESSIONALS

PARAPROFESSIONALS – TIPS FOR A GOOD PARTNERSHIP

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1. Build a professional working relationship with your paraprofessional. Keep personal lives separate
2. Discuss what classroom support will look like
3. Communicate ideas and get input – Get and respect your paraprofessionals input
4. Clarify expectations with paraprofessionals communicating with families
5. Establish clear communication
6. Meet weekly or monthly to discuss concerns, celebrations, and needed adjustments to procedures

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THANK YOU!

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