Career Ladder Articles

These articles outline several professional development models designed to:

  • prepare paraeducators for their roles and responsibilities,
  • provide opportunities for advancement, and
  • encourage and assist with entry into the professional ranks based on the career choices of individuals.

These documents Include programs created through collaborative efforts among provider agencies, community colleges, teacher education and other professional preparation programs. They were done to facilitate career advancement as well as models developed by local school districts to increase the productivity of paraeducator employees. They are also representative of educational opportunities to prepare paraeducators to work in different disciplines and program areas. Finally, they provide examples of training models that are being used to meet the needs of paraeducators who live and work in urban, rural and suburban areas across the country.

These monographs were developed through the recourses of two grants from the Division of Personnel Preparation, Office of Special Education Programs of the United States department of Education. The first is a project of national significance (H029K970088-98) Teacher and Paraeducator Teams: Strategies for Building Them. The second is another project of national significance (H029K0136) A Core Curriculum & Training Program to Prepare Paraeducators to Work with Learners who have Limited English Proficiency. The content in these monographs does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Department and no official endorsement should be inferred. The editor of these articles was Andrew Humm.