Currently, I am working on the new requirements for paraeducators. The law becomes effective September 1, 2018, making the minimum employment requirements for paraeducators:
(1) Be at least eighteen years of age and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent; and
(2)(a) Have received a passing grade on the education testing service paraeducator assessment; or
(b) Hold an associate of arts degree; or
(c) Have earned seventy-two quarter credits or forty-eight semester credits at an institution of higher education; or
(d) Have completed a registered apprenticeship program.
Prior to this change, the requirements were only for paraeducators working in a Title school. Because we do have classified employees move to different buildings the decision was made by Deb Kernen to have all employees hired as an instructional paraeducator meet the requirement. This decision will make meeting the requirement much easier for the district now.
There are currently fifteen (15) employees who need to be qualified. Some of them have enough credits to meet the requirement so I will work to get the needed documentation. If an employee needs to take the test it will be proctored in the district office and study guides are available to help them prepare.
There are other requirements in the law including required training and a certification process that are coming but don’t have full details yet.
This month I also attended a training for bargaining that I found insightful. What I learned will help inform my interactions moving forward in being involved in bargaining.