Education: Inst. Paraprofessional in Math

The need for more highly trained Instructional Assistants (now referred to as Instructional Paraprofessionals) has expanded as a result of requirements imposed by recent changes in federal and state law. The No Child Left Behind legislation requires educational paraprofessionals to be “highly qualified.” This means that Instructional Paraprofessionals now must have either completed at least 48 credits of college work or have achieved its equivalent (as determined by a score of 455 or higher on the ParaPro Assessment). As an option, students may choose to focus their study in specific areas. Students may earn an Instructional Paraprofessional Certificate in Language Arts, Mathematics or Science by completing a sequence of twenty-four (24) credits related to their area of specialty. This credential would provide half of the needed credits to be “highly qualified” for employment as an Instructional Paraprofessional. This certificate can then be supplemented by completing twenty-four (24) additional college credits to meet employment requirements or may serve as a basis for an Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree.