Bureau of Special Education Paraprofessional Credential of Competency: Entry Level Training Series

To complete each session watch the video presentation and complete the review questions. The review questions will be made available once you have watched the full video presentation. The review questions are in multiple-choice format and you will receive immediate feedback.

Core Competency Area 1: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice

This session focuses on the knowledge areas of paraprofessionals' learning and ethical practice with their instructional team, fellow educators, and students. The knowledge areas addressed are: Standard K1.1: Principles, standards, and policies that guide ethical practice. Standard K1.2: Personal and cultural biases and differences and how they may influence one’s practice. Standard K1.3: Professional growth opportunities for continued learning. Additional skills will be addressed to support participants' knowledge of compliance, confidentiality, and understanding of their role in ethical considerations. This training will provide participants with information on this knowledge area and allow them to achieve this standard on the Competency Checklist. (2 hours)

Core Competency Area 1: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice

Core Competency Area 2: Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences

This session focuses on the knowledge areas of paraprofessionals' as they learn about students’ unique needs and the impacts on individual students. The knowledge areas addressed are: Standard K2.1: Cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and language development which impact milestones of students with disabilities compared to typically developing peers. Standard K2.2: Educational challenges manifested as a result of varying disabilities. Standard K2.3: Effect of disabilities on students, families, and society through the lifespan. Standard K2.4: Family systems and their influence on the educational process. Standard K2.5: Common concerns of families of students with disabilities. Standard K2.6: Effects of cultural and linguistic diversity on the educational process and relationships between school, home, and community. Standard K2.7: Characteristics and implications of one’s own culture and use of language, including verbal and nonverbal communication, and how this may differ across cultures. Standard K2.8: Effect of speech and language development on academic and nonacademic learning of students with disabilities. Standard K2.9: Non-verbal modes of communication used by students with disabilities including augmentative and alternative communication. Additional skills will be addressed to support participants' knowledge of supporting students’ equity, independence, self-advocacy, and positive identity and recognizing students’ differences. This training will provide participants with information on this knowledge area and allow them to achieve this standard on the Competency Checklist. (4 hours)

Core Competency Area 2: Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences

Core Competency Area 3: Special Education Services and Supports in the Learning Environment

This session focuses on the knowledge areas of paraprofessionals' as they learn about federal guidelines to support students across special educational services. The knowledge areas addressed are: Standard K3.1: Purposes of supports, services and specially designed instruction which provide access to general education curriculum. Standard K3.2: General knowledge of categories from federal law for students with disabilities. Standard K3.3: General knowledge of principles of inclusive practices for students with disabilities. Standard K3.4: Individual learner characteristics as the primary basis for instructional programming and decision making, rather than disability categories or educational placement. Standard K3.5: District/agency policies and procedures for protecting the safety, health, and well-being of learners and school personnel. Standard K3.6: Rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities and the personnel who serve them. Standard K3.7: Effects of paraeducator’s proximity and fading of paraeducator support on student engagement, learning and independence. Additional skills will be addressed to support participants' knowledge of equitable inclusion and learning environments for all students. This training will provide participants with information on this knowledge area and allow them to achieve this standard on the Competency Checklist. (2 hours)

Core Competency Area 3: Special Education Services and Supports in the Learning Environment

Core Competency Area 4: Assessment

This session focuses on the knowledge areas of paraprofessionals' as they learn about assessments and the link to students' individualized instructional planning. The knowledge areas addressed are: Standard K4.1: Rationale and methods for formative and summative assessment. Standard K4.2: Link between assessment and instruction. Standard K4.3: Accommodations on student IEP and procedures for proctoring accommodated tests. Additional skills will be addressed to support participants' knowledge of recording data through objective and accurate processes. This training will provide participants with information on this knowledge area and allow them to achieve this standard on the Competency Checklist. (3 hours)

Core Competency Area 4: Assessment

Core Competency Area 5: Instructional Supports and Strategies

This session focuses on the knowledge areas of paraprofessionals' as they learn instructional practices to facilitate students learning connected to individual needs and IEPs. The knowledge areas addressed are: Standard K5.1: Concepts of differentiated instruction, accommodations, modifications, High Leverage. Practices, specially designed instruction. Standard K5.2: Instructional strategies and instructional technology to support the individual student's learning. Additional skills will be addressed to support participants' knowledge of institutional proficiency of academic guidance in classrooms to support students. This training will provide participants with information on this knowledge area and allow them to achieve this standard on the Competency Checklist. (5 hours)

Core Competency Area 5: Instructional Supports and Strategies

Core Competency Area 6: Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Supports

This session focuses on the knowledge areas of paraprofessionals' as they understand state and local policies for the implementation of positive behavioral supports and interventions to support students. The knowledge areas addressed are: Standard K6.1: Basic principles of positive behavior supports to promote social, emotional, and educational well-being of students with disabilities. Standard K6.2: Communicative purpose of behaviors. Standard K6.3: Legal and ethical practices for the use of behavioral interventions. Standard K6.4: State and district policies and procedural safeguards regarding appropriate use of behavioral supports with students with disabilities. Standard K6.5: Importance of the paraeducator serving as a positive model for students with disabilities. Additional skills will be addressed to support participants' knowledge of the functions of behaviors. This training will provide participants with information on this knowledge area and allow them to achieve this standard on the Competency Checklist. (2 hours)

Core Competency Area 6: Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Supports

Core Competency Area 7: Collaboration with Team Members

This session focuses on the knowledge areas of paraprofessionals' as they collaborate with team members across the instructional education partners guiding through proactive opportunities. The knowledge areas addressed are: Standard K7.1: Purpose of effective teamwork to improve student outcomes. Standard K7.2: Communication styles and strategies for problem-solving and decision making. Additional skills will be addressed to support participants' knowledge of professional relationships and communication through effective meetings across their instructional teams while attending conferences and other opportunities. This training will provide participants with information on this knowledge area and allow them to achieve this standard on the Competency Checklist. (2 hours)

Core Competency Area 7: Collaboration with Team Members