Training Series
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 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 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 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 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 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 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)
