Special Education Paraprofessional

Job Goal:

To assist the teacher with teaching related activities necessary for the efficient operation of the classroom. The Special Education Paraprofessional assists Special Education teachers in meeting the goals set forth for students in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The Special Education Paraprofessional may be required to move from one program area to another within the school day and/or from one school to another within the course of the school year. Special education paraprofessionals assigned to support an individual child must provide support to other students deemed necessary if needed.

Qualifications (minimum education licensure skills and/or experience):

• High School Diploma or its equivalent
• Must be Highly Qualified by means of:
  • Passing score on the Paraprofessional Exam OR
  • 48 semester credit hours with 6 hours in Math and 9 hours in English/Reading (3 of which must be in English Composition) OR
  • Associate of Arts Associate of Science or Associate of Applied Science degree from a state-approved or regionally accredited institution of higher education.
• Must possess effective written and oral self-expressive skills.
• Satisfactory completion of Red Cross First Aid Course including CPR within 60 days of employment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist the teacher with instructional-related activities and non-instructional assignments under the supervision of the teacher. (one-on-one or small group)
• Work directly with students under the direction of instructional and/or pupil appraisal staff including speech pathologists occupational therapists physical therapists assistive technology facilitators etc.
• Perform non-complex medical procedures as outlined in Louisiana R.S. 17:436 (INCLUDED WITH JOB DESCRIPTION) or any other provision of state or federal law.
• Assist and escort the student(s) to and from each destination and attend to the students personal hygiene and care needs.
  • When necessary feed toilet lift position and assist with transporting students upon proper instruction by parent teacher physical or occupational therapist or school nurse.
• Make accommodations/modifications for students under direction of supervising teacher(s).
• Guide independent study enrichment work and remedial work set up and assigned to by the teacher.
• Confer with the classroom teacher regarding major decisions relative to the students assignments or problems of a disciplinary nature.
• Assist the special education teacher specifically in activities related to the course of instruction; in planning grading students activities related to the course of instruction; in monitoring behaviors; in distributing and collecting instructional materials; and in maintaining neatness in the classroom.
• Assist the teaching staff with duties such as playground duty escorting students to and from the cafeteria gymnasium library vocational training area bathroom etc.
• Monitor student behavior and maintain documentation of care provided to the child.
• Maintain confidentiality of student information.
• Perform other job related duties as assigned.

Instructional support staff (i.e. instructional specialists paraprofessionals and coaches) shall be expected to perform the following duties along with the completion of corresponding documents forms and reports.

Self-Evaluation

• Complete a self-evaluation and document the results on appropriate written forms.

Professional Growth Plan

• Develop a Professional Growth Plan in collaboration with the evaluation.

Supervision

• Supervise students as needed when students are on campus.
• Supervise students prior to school and/or drop-off when assigned.
• Supervise students in the classroom if needed
• Supervise students as needed between classes during recess/intermission during lunch assemblies.
• Supervise students after school and/or pick-up when assigned.

Instructional Components

• Fulfill duties traditionally expected of those in the paraprofessional profession.
• Accept and discharge assignments.
• Practice and model punctuality.
• Collaborate with colleagues and departments.
• Adhere to federal state system and school policies and regulations.
• Conduct conferences as needed. Maintain positive and timely interaction with parents relative to the performance or conduct of students assigned to the counselor.
• Follow recommendations made by school administrators and district staff.
• Take part in the continuing in-service program of the schools.

School Support Activities

• Provide for the care and proper usage of school property. Maintain current inventory of items assigned to position.
• Attend meetings generally associated with the instruction of students.
• Attend faculty staff and department meetings.
• Attend ILT meeting if applicable.
• Attend training sessions.
• Attend IEP/IAP meetings upon request.
• Attend parent-teacher conferences upon request
• Attend back-to-school and open-house events.
• Attend graduation.
• Attend student discipline meetings/hearings upon request.
• Attend school board/committee meetings upon request.
• If requested be responsible for a reasonable amount of co-curricular and other duties beyond the regular school day as determined by the building principal.
• Attend/work concessions/gates at athletic events within school year.
• Attend all meetings and functions of those activities clubs or groups of which the employee is a sponsor/coach.

Physical Demands:

This position requires bending crouching pushing pulling and carrying in excess of fifty (50) pounds

for the purpose of handling and assisting students.

Terms of Employment: 9 month

Evaluation: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Boards policy on Evaluation of Professional Personnel (Bulletin 130).

Note: This job description is subject to change at any time. While this job description reflects delegation of essential duties and responsibilities it does not exclude or restrict managements right to assign or reassign tasks duties or responsibilities to this job at any time.

LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 17:436

• 436. Performing noncomplex health procedures; definitions; conditions; restrictions; safety equipment

materials and supplies

1. As used in this Section the term noncomplex health procedure shall mean a task which is

safely performed according to exact directions with no need to alter the standard procedure and which

yields predictable results. It shall include the following:

(1) Modified activities of daily living which require special instruction such as toileting/diapering

bowel/bladder training toilet training oral/dental hygiene lifting/positioning and oral feeding.

(2) Health maintenance procedures such as postural drainage percussion tracheostomy

suctioning and gastrostomy feeding and monitoring of these procedures.

(3) Screenings such as growth vital signs hearing vision and scoliosis.

1. No city or parish school board shall require any employee other than a registered nurse licensed

medical physician or an appropriate licensed health professional to perform noncomplex health

procedures until all the following conditions have been met:

(1) A registered nurse or a licensed medical physician and when appropriate another licensed

health professional employed by a city or parish school board has assessed the health status of the specific child in his specific educational setting and has determined that according to the legal standards of the respective licensed health professional performing such procedure the procedure can be safely performed the results are predictable and the procedure can be delegated to someone other than a licensed health professional following documented training.

(2) The registered nurse or the licensed medical physician and when appropriate another licensed

health professional shall train in his or her area of expertise at least two such employees to perform

noncomplex health procedures on the specific child in his educational setting. The employees shall be

given not less than four hours of training in the area of noncomplex health procedures.

(3)(a) Following the training provided for in Paragraph (2) no noncomplex health procedure

except screenings and activities of daily living such as toileting/diapering toilet training oral/dental

hygiene oral feeding lifting and positioning may be performed unless prescribed in writing by a

physician licensed to practice medicine in the state of Louisiana or an adjacent state.

(b) The employee other than the registered nurse licensed medical physician or appropriate

licensed health professional shall be required to complete under the direct supervision or coordination of a registered nurse a minimum of three satisfactory demonstrations. Upon satisfactory completion of these noncomplex health procedures the registered nurse licensed medical physician or appropriate licensed health professional and the trainee shall sign a standard form indicating that the trainee has attained the prescribed level of competency. A copy of this form shall be kept on file by the school system.

(4) Individuals who are required to perform noncomplex health procedures and have been trained

according to the provisions of this Section may not decline to perform such service at the time indicated

except as exempted for reasons as noted by the licensed medical physician or registered nurse. The

reasons for such exemption shall be documented and certified by the licensed medical physician or a

registered nurse within seventy-two hours.

(5) Any employee shall have the right to request that another school board employee be present

while he or she is performing noncomplex health procedures for a student to serve as a witness to the

procedure. After making such a request the employee shall not be required to perform noncomplex health procedures without such a witness.

1. For the purposes of this Section employee means any appropriate member of the education staff.
2. Each city and parish school board shall provide the necessary safety equipment materials and supplies to each employee who performs noncomplex health procedures as provided in this Section. Such

safety equipment materials and supplies shall include but shall not be limited to gloves anti-bacterial

soaps and wipes paper towels and masks.

1. Notwithstanding any provision of law or any rule regulation or policy to the contrary no employee other than a registered nurse licensed medical physician an appropriate licensed health

professional or hired and trained unlicensed nursing personnel or unlicensed assistive personnel as

defined by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing shall be required to perform a tracheostomy suctioning

procedure on any child in an educational setting. However nothing in this Section shall prohibit an

employee who volunteers to perform such procedure and who complies with the training and

demonstration requirements as provided in Paragraphs (B)(2) and (3) of this Section from being allowed

to perform such procedure on a child in an educational setting.

1. For purposes of this Section appropriate licensed health professional shall include a licensed

practical nurse.

Acts 1991 No. 760 1 eff. July 19 1991; Acts 1992 No. 469 1; Acts 1995 No. 752 1; Acts1997 No. 804 1; Acts 2008 No. 802 1; Acts 2009 No. 414 1.

Required Experience:

Unclear Seniority