The Economic Policy Institute has long documented the expanding pay penalty faced by teachers in the K-12 system thanks to decades of underinvestment in public education. But teachers are not the only ones who have been undervalued: Many other school staff--who are essential for providing high-quality, safe, and nurturing learning…

This conceptual article focuses on how a National Professional Development grant through the Office of English Language Acquisition in the U.S. Department of Education supported multilingual paraprofessionals' equitable access to and participation in high-quality, ongoing professional development aimed at supporting young multilingual learners,…

Paraprofessionals are often tasked with implementing behavior management strategies to support the complex needs of students with disruptive behavior disorders. This study examined reported use and effectiveness of common classroom behavior strategies from 86 paraprofessionals working in 36 elementary schools using a mixed method design. Data were…

Behavior skills training (BST) with ongoing coaching is an effective form of professional development that creates sustained educator practice change and improves student outcomes. We provide a model for how BST can be used to improve the implementation of evidence-based practices with both teachers and paraprofessionals, the latter of whom often…

This paper draws on my experience working as a special needs support staff member in a special school in the UK for young people with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) issues. The purpose of this paper is to share my understanding of practices that enable staff in an SEMH school to attend to the needs of their students. Although I have…

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to explore current paraprofessional training programs offered to support paraprofessionals working with students with disabilities (SWDs), including both pre-service and in-service training. Specifically, this study evaluated training offered by local school districts within Southern…

This paper outlines how four community colleges, and a large public university, collaborated to support over 80 paraprofessionals who sought to finish their bachelor's degree and earn licensure. Funding from a statewide "Grow Your Own" initiative allowed the teacher educators at the community colleges and university to put in place…

Limited research has been conducted on coaching of paraprofessionals who serve students with disruptive behaviors. This study builds upon a randomized controlled trial investigating the intervention effects of the Behavior Support Coaching for Paraprofessionals model by examining the specific behavior concerns, coaching goals, and interventions…

Limited research has been conducted on coaching of paraprofessionals who serve students with disruptive behaviors. This study builds upon a randomized controlled trial investigating the intervention effects of the Behavior Support Coaching for Paraprofessionals model by examining the specific behavior concerns, coaching goals, and interventions…

Due to shifts in society's attitudes toward special education and changes in U.S. federal policies, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and No Child Left Behind, more students with disabilities (SWDs) are beginning kindergarten in general education classrooms. As a result, schools and districts across the United States have…

This mixed method research was to develop and validate an instrument to measure paraeducator self-efficacy for paraeducators who work with students with disabilities. This research study's framework was DeVellis' (2017) scale instrument development process conducted in three phases: item development, scale development, and scale evaluation. The…

Guided by normalization process theory, our qualitative case study explored classified staff members' perceptions of their role in the implementation of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in schools within a large urban US school district. Analysis reveals that classified staff members' gleaned knowledge of positive…

In this three-study dissertation, I present an in-depth examination of patterns in the paraeducator workforce across two states: Indiana and Washington. In each study, I leverage longitudinal administrative data to answer questions about the distribution, turnover, and impact of paraeducators in the workforce using both descriptive and causal…

Background/Context: Staff turnover is a critical issue for practitioners and policymakers alike. Especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, significant attention has been dedicated to developing policy interventions to address high staff shortages. Intervention around staffing instability may be particularly pertinent for special…

Limited research has examined the qualities of paraprofessional and teacher relationships in schools. Teachers' and paraprofessionals' ability to communicate and collaborate are important for guiding supports for their students. The present study examined characteristics affecting the professional relationship of paraprofessional and teacher pairs…