Para Quality:
Not So Simple Anymore

A local and district work to get paraeducators 'highly qualified' under federal law.

As a paraeducator in a challenging high school special ed class, Lynn Williams knows she's more than an "aide." Not only does she help English/world history teacher Richard Smith reinforce key classroom concepts, she's his "eyes and ears" in a job that calls for patience, understanding, and skills not measured by a paper-and-pencil test.

"I'm a confidant, a mentor, and a parent rolled into one," says this five-year paraeducator in the Redlands Unified School District, east of Los Angeles.

So how does a para like Williams know "officially" that she is qualified to assist in a Title I classroom under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the so-called No Child Left Behind law? The law says that by January 2006 Title I paras hired before January 2, 2002, must either hold an associate's degree, complete two years of college, or pass a "rigorous" state or local assessment that demonstrates their ability to assist in the instruction of reading, writing, and math.

Unfortunately, the federal government has failed to insist that states provide all three of these options, or that states cover any related out-of-pocket costs for paras trying to meet the demands of the law. This, predicts Pennsylvania ESP activist Pat Tozer, could spell bad news down the road.

"When the 2006 deadline is past, and 'unqualified' paras don't have jobs," says Tozer, also a member of the NEA Board of Directors, "districts and states may blame it on a 'federal regulation' that supercedes both state law and bargained contracts."

Paras and their local affiliates "need to make sure their members aren't in danger if states or districts aren't doing their job," she adds. "We must continue to be vigilant."

Fortunately, there are locals to turn to for inspiration. In Redlands, for example, the 600-member Redlands Education Support Professionals Association (RESPA) uses its strong working relationship with administrators to advocate for humane implementation of the law.

In June 2003, the parties signed an agreement that spells out ESEA's three options for para certification and commits the district to developing an assessment using "all available information" to "comply in good faith" with the law.

Getting Title I paras ESEA-qualified now has become a labor-management priority.

With RESPA's support, the district adopted a written para assessment (similar to the ETS ParaPro exam) used by a consortium of Southern California districts. And the district is sponsoring workshops to prepare paras for the quarterly test, which focuses on math, reading, language arts, and classroom management skills.

For paras who prefer the higher ed option, RESPA and the district negotiated "professional growth" stipends for pursuit of an associate's degree, up to $1,563 a year.

Quite simply, "We're very vocal on professional development opportunities for our members," says RESPA President Paula Monroe, a high school secretary on union leave.

So determined is this NEA local affiliate to make paras ESEA- qualified that it has begun organizing its own test prep workshops, supplementing those of the district. It all started when Lynn Williams, who is also RESPA director at-large for paras, recruited math teacher Chris Borkgren to donate time and space after hours at Redlands East Valley High School to sharpen paras' math skills.

Her goal now is to line up more teachers in more schools to help prepare all 148 of the district's paras for the test. "It's in their best interest to help us," Williams stresses.

"The 'highly qualified' para issue will become a teachers' issue if we start losing paras in 2006," says Paula Monroe, who is also an NEA Board member from California. "That loss will impact workload and educational quality."

No para should feel "left behind" by ESEA, Williams concludes. "Don't wait for someone to give you information," she advises other paras. "Contact your Association and your school board for information and ask your district this: I have to become 'highly qualified' under the law. What are you going to do to help me?"

—Dave Winans

For more on paras and ESEA.