Extended school year (ESY) is a summer program available for students with disabilities who meet specific qualifying criteria. Teachers are often hesitant to accept the position of the ESY teacher due to the ambiguities and demands of the position. The purpose of this article is to briefly share the impetus and focus of ESY and give special…

Under the supervision of a licensed early intervention provider, paraprofessionals play an indispensable role in implementation of home and community-based services to infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families in Colorado. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 requires that…

This article describes a comprehensive, credentialed training program for family child-care providers that is family-centered, community-based, and focuses on developmentally appropriate practices for all children, including those with disabilities. The development of and rationale for this program are discussed, and a description of field test…

This report describes an outreach program that provides service coordination and home-based early intervention for disabled infants and toddlers on the Navajo and Hopi reservations in Arizona. Developed by the Institute for Human Development (IHD), the outreach program uses paraprofessional instructional aides that are based in six northern…

Alternatives for Paraprofessional Training (APT), a 3-year project, addressed the need for training paraprofessionals working with young handicapped children in rural and urban areas of Texas. Objectives of the project were: to identify competencies needed by paraprofessionals in working with young, handicapped children; to identify the needs of…

This chapter from a North Dakota guide for early childhood special education personnel focuses on program planning for young children with special needs. Following an introduction, the first section presents the North Dakota program guidelines, including eligibility of students, an explanation of the approval of services process, a description of…

The Paraprofessional Outreach Program shows parents more effective ways of managing behaviors and teaching new skills to their disabled children. The program uses as paraprofessionals other parents of developmentally delayed children living at home. A 10-day training process for parent trainees focuses on such topics as goals of community…

This annual performance report describes activities of Colorado's statewide system of early intervention services and supports in compliance with Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) from July 1, 1998 through September 30, 1999. The report discusses: (1) interagency agreements; (2) agencies involved in the provision of…

The paper provides guidelines for establishing and operating teacher aide programs in special education. Chapter I considers legal aspects of using paraprofessionals with emphasis on the stance of the Nebraska Professional Practices Commission. A second chapter outlines the roles and duties of teachers and aides, offers sample job descriptions for…

The document contains the 3-year evaluation summary for the Kansas Statewide Network for Special Education Paraprofessional Training. The program's purpose is fourfold: (1) to develop an increasing awareness of the professionalism of the paraprofessional in the total educational system; (2) to present an overview of P.L. 94-142 (the Education for…

This paper describes a collaborative project of Polk County (Florida) public schools and the University of South Florida, which prepares paraprofessionals to become special education teachers. Successful implementation of the project has required overcoming histories of mistrust, establishing an agenda that addresses mutual needs, clarifying roles…

Designed for use by vocational teachers, school administrators, and paraprofessionals, this handbook contains guidelines for conducting and evaluating programs to train and utilize paraprofessionals to help special needs vocational education students. It consists of four main sections. Section 1 describes such aspects of establishing a…

An evaluation was conducted of a Michigan pilot project that sought to expand the activities of aides concerning promotion of least restrictive environment for students with disabilities. The evaluation consisted of a historical summary of the project, on-site observations, and analysis of follow-up evaluation instruments submitted by 49 general…

The state-funded Quality Improvement Program Plan (QUIPP) for Special Educators provided professional development training to New York City special education teachers and paraprofessionals to improve the quality of instruction for students with mildly to moderately handicapping conditions. The program was designed to be participant-driven and…

Intended as a reference guide for early childhood special education personnel in North Dakota, this guide addresses required and recommended practices related to the delivery of services to children with disabilities, ages 3 through 5, and their families. The guide was developed by 50 specialists including parents and reflects all segments of the…