This brief paper summarizes recommended practices that teachers and administrators serving in supervisory roles can take to ensure the effectiveness of paraeducators working with students who have disabilities. Recommended practices are grouped into four general areas: (1) assign appropriate responsibilities and tasks (preferably by the…

This document offers three articles reporting research and practice on the use of paraeducators to provide support to students with disabilities and their teachers. Emphasis is on research funded by the Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs. The first article notes the increasing use of paraeducators to provide…

This digest examines the qualities that make paraeducators good candidates for teaching, particularly in diverse, urban schools. It discusses the critical aspects of programs that prepare paraeducators as classroom teachers. Paraeducators and other education support personnel (ESP) already have classroom experience, are more likely to live in the…

Today's teachers shortage is most severe in urban districts, which struggle to recruit and retain new teachers and face persistent gaps between white, middle class teachers and diverse students. Teachers' lack of cultural and linguistic familiarity in such situations can be damaging to the goal of ensuring that all children achieve to their…

This digest is concerned with the need to develop standards and infrastructure for improving the employment, placement, preparation, and supervision of paraeducators in inclusive general and special education classrooms, Title I, multilingual/English as a Second Language, and early childhood programs. It discusses teacher responsibilities for…

Paraeducators are school employees whose responsibilities are either instructional in nature or who deliver other services to students. Large numbers of paraeducators have expressed a desire to become professional teachers. Because many paraeducators, perhaps the majority, are from minority groups, they would expand the pool of potential teachers…