69传媒
Who Are Paraprofessionals and What Do They Do?
Special Report
Special Report
School & District Management Explainer

Who Are Paraprofessionals and What Do They Do?

Getting to know one of the most important roles in the classroom
By Vanessa Solis 鈥� June 15, 2022 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Having a paraprofessional often makes an enormous difference in the efficiency and quality of classroom instruction. Ideally, paraprofessionals are teachers鈥� partners in identifying and providing the instructional, linguistic, or behavioral supports students need to thrive.

What Does a Paraprofessional Do?
3 Qualifications for paraprofessionals.
Paraprofessionals have a wide range of responsibilities and skills. Some certifications include dual-language instruction and special Education.
Logistical support: Paras assist teachers take attendance grade assignments administer tests follow students' progress during the school year create reports to help parents understand the curriculum supervise students in class, between classes, during recess, lunch, and on field trips
Paraprofessionals: Act as an nurturing influence for students during lessons provide one-on-one assistance to students encourage students with social difficulties or disabilities to speak up in class when they have the correct answer reinforce lesson plans to small groups
Language: Bilingual paraprofessionals can act as translators in the classroom, Paraprofessionals may be asked to interpret for parents during open houses or assist with parent-teacher phone conversations
Behavior: Paraprofessionals can serve as a guide to students on proper classroom behavior. They enforce school rules, monitor the classroom, minimize distractions and disruptions
Behavior: For students with a behavior intervention plan (BIP)* paraprofessionals can provide coping strategies, encourage positive behavior, redirect off-task behavior, minimize distractions and disruptions, track and log behavior frequency
Paraprofessionals work an average of 35 hours a week.
44% of paraprofessionals say they receive too little professional development for their jobs
13% of paraprofessionals said they received no PD in the past year
Paraprofessionals can make an enormous difference in classroom efficiency and IEP* implementation. They can be a vital part of a student's educational team.

SOURCES: Education Week reporting; EdWeek Research Center; Verywell family; National Resource Center for Paraeducators, Related Service Providers, & Interveners

Vanessa Solis
Associate Design Director,  Education Week
Vanessa Solis is the associate design director for Education Week and leads the design of the opinion section.
Related Tags:
Paraprofessionals School Personnel

Events

Wed., November 06, 2024, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
Register
Thu., November 07, 2024, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Register
Thu., November 07, 2024, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.
Register
See More Events

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥� elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

School & District Management Spooked by Halloween, Some 69传媒 Ban Costumes鈥擝ut Not Without Pushback
69传媒 are tweaking Halloween traditions to make them more inclusive to all students.
Olina Banerji
•
4 min read
A group of elementary school kids sitting on a curb dressed in their Halloween costumes.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management 69传媒 Take a $3 Billion Hit From the Culture Wars. Here鈥檚 How It Breaks Down
Culturally divisive conflicts in schools have led to increased legal and security costs, as well as staff time spent on the fallout.
Caitlynn Peetz
•
4 min read
Illustration of a businessman with his hands on his head while he watches dollars being sucked down into a dark hole.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Opinion The Blind Spot More Educators Need to Recognize
A simple activity in a training session caused a chain reaction that strengthened an educator's leadership for decades to come.
Peter DeWitt & Michael Nelson
•
5 min read
Screen Shot 2024 10 29 at 9.19.10 AM
Canva
School & District Management Opinion 9 Ways 69传媒 Can Improve Life for Teachers and 69传媒
Educators suggest low-cost strategies to improve the education experience for teachers and learners alike.
Larry Ferlazzo
•
8 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Load More 鈻�