Index

Paraeducator Competencies and Training Opportunities

As part of the Kent Association of Paraeducators collective bargaining agreement, special education paraeducators are eligible for up to 10 additional hours of paid, district-directed in-service/staff development. This time is mandatory for 1st-year employees in special education and optional for those who have more than one complete school year (Sept-June) of service in Kent as a special education paraeducator.

To be considered a special education paraeducator, an employee needs to have some or all of his/her salary funded through state or federal special education dollars. Each special education paraeducator is eligible for the 10 hours of paid training regardless of the number of hours he or she is paid for by special education funding. To receive the Para Training Guidelines document that provides additional information about eligible staff, please contact Dorothy Smedsrud at ext. 7094 or email her at Dorothy.Smedsrud@kent.k12.wa.us .

The ten (10) hours may only be used for inservice and/or training opportunities directly related to acquiring skills for working with special education students as reflected in the fourteen (14) Washington State Core Competencies for Paraeducators (listed below). The ten (10) hours of inservice and/or staff development was not established to be used for meetings related to students or development of individual classroom/building programs. For example, a paraeducator who works with several students who have autism might take a class (sponsored either by the district or outside the district) on communicating with students with autism, or might participate in training on implementing behavioral interventions. Another example would be signing up for and completing the Core Competencies training modules through Puget Sound ESD.

The key is that the principal, or classroom teacher with principal approval, determines or directly approves the content of the training. Contact Dorothy Smedsrud at ext. 7094 or email her at Dorothy.Smedsrud@kent.k12.wa.us for a copy of the Authorization for Special Projects Pay for Paraeducator Training Hours. This form is used to document the principal’s approval of the designated training.

Contact your special education coordinator or TOSA for information on available options.
For questions regarding the required paperwork, please contact Dorothy Smedsrud at x7094.

The Core Competencies and the various training opportunities available from OSPI,
PSESD, BTC, and GRCC are listed below.

Washington State Recommended Core Competencies

To work in education and related services programs for children and youth with disabilities, paraeducators will demonstrate:
1.	understanding the value of providing instructional and other direct services to all children and youth with disabilities;
2.	understanding the roles and responsibilities of certificated/licensed staff and paraeducators;
3.	knowledge of (a) patterns of human development and milestones typically achieved at different ages, and (b) risk factors that may prohibit or impede typical development;
4.	ability to practice ethical and professional standards of conduct, including the requirements of confidentiality;
5.	ability to communicate with colleagues, follow instructions, and use problem solving and other skills that will enable the paraeducator to work as an effective member of the instructional team;
6.	ability to provide positive behavioral support and management;
7.	knowledge of the legal issues related to the education of children and youth with disabilities and their families;
8.	awareness of diversity among the children, youth, families and colleagues with whom they work;
9.	knowledge and application of the elements of effective instruction to assist teaching and learning as developed by the certificated/licensed staff in a variety of settings;
10.	ability to utilize appropriate strategies and techniques to provide instructional support in teaching and learning as developed by the certificated/licensed staff;
11.	ability to motivate and assist children and youth;
12.	knowledge of and ability to follow health, safety, and emergency procedures of the agency where they are employed;
13.	awareness of the ways in which technology can assist teaching and learning; and
14.	awareness of personal care and/or health related support

Training Resources

Click on the desired links below to view paraeducator trainings available through the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Puget Sound Education Service District (PSESD), Bates Technical College (BTC), and Green River Community College (GRCC).

OSPI- Website

Paraeducator.com- Website

Puget Sound Education Service District-Website

Bates Technical College- Website

Bates’ Paraeducator Training courses are offered through video-based distance learning. You never have to come to campus for classes. Earn college credit at home. Schedule coursework around your job and family.
For information on how to enroll (click here) . Tuition includes everything you need to complete the course.

Green River Community College-Website

For more information call the ECE office at ext. 2729 or Project TEACH at ext. 4360. Not all courses transfer into teacher certification programs. Consult with your advisor. Para-educator classes are offered both face-to-face and online. Green River has a new two year degree for paraeducators.

WA State ESL Classes and Endorsement
School of Teaching ESL in cooperation with Seattle University College of Education offers online classes leading to a Washington State Supporting Endorsement in English as a Second Language at off-campus tuition rates. These online classes also lead to TESOL Certification for overseas teaching.

Courses taught online are:

* TESOL Theory and Application (EPDES 930)
* Teaching Grammar to ESOL Students (EPDES 932)
* Materials Selection and Development TESOL (EPDES 933)
* Developing ESOL Literacy (EPDES 934)
* Cultural Variables in TESOL (EPDES 935)
* Teaching Content to ESOL Students (EPDES 936)
* Linguistics for ESOL Teachers (EPDES 937)
* Testing and Evaluating ESOL Students (EPDES 938)
* Student-Centered Learning in TESOL (EPDES 939)
* Self Analysis and Improvement in TESOL (EPDES 940)
* Computer Enhanced Language Teaching (EPDES 945)
* Professional Leadership - TESOL (EPDES 946)

For more information on these on-line courses or to visit the School of Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) website, (click here), or email STESLinfo@seattleu.edu .