The more than 2,750 paraprofessionals who help teachers in Colorado’s poorest schools have until June to become “highly qualified” under federal law, and as many as half are scrambling to get training to keep their jobs.
Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, paraprofessionals who work with low-income students will need the equivalent of a two-year college education to work in Title 1 classrooms, those that receive federal funds to serve poor students.
Paraprofessionals, who were not previously required to have professional training, now find themselves racing against the deadline to earn an associate’s degree, acquire college credit hours or pass a state-approved test in reading, writing and math.
“It’s like going from zero to 60 in three seconds,” said Nancy French, a University of Colorado research professor and executive director of the Denver-based Para Center.
In Colorado, the requirement affects only the 2,751 paraprofessionals supported by Title 1 money, which is designated for disadvantaged children. Of those, slightly more than half, or 1,426 paras, were not highly qualified as of December 2004, according to the latest figures available from the state education department. That’s a fraction of the 14,785 paraprofessionals in Colorado schools.
The response among paraprofessionals has been mixed. While some say acquiring additional education can foster a sense of confidence, others say it unfairly burdens people who are poorly paid.
Peggy Wiese, a paraprofessional at Ellis Elementary School in Denver for 24 years, has fed and diapered special-education students and helped 4-year-olds learn to read.
When she learned two years ago that her high school diploma would no longer be enough, Wiese took and passed a state-approved test in math, reading and writing, but she thinks the requirement is more political than useful in the classroom.
But Bushrod White, a federal programs coordinator for the Colorado Department of Education, noted that Congress created the requirement because schools were relying on paraprofessionals to fill teachers’ roles.
Paraprofessionals’ work includes tutoring, organizing paperwork and translating under a teacher’s supervision.
Donna Scherer is one of the few paraprofessionals at Ellis who is not highly qualified. She plans to take the test so she can keep her job.
But she also feels offended, particularly because she has taken seminars on classroom management and literacy that don’t count toward her being highly qualified.
“It’s kind of insulting,” said Scherer, who has a high school diploma and beauty-school training.
In addition, the fact that becoming highly qualified doesn’t rate a raise is the most common complaint heard by Deborah Jones, president of the Boulder Valley para-educators union, which represents more than 500 paraprofessionals in the Boulder Valley School District.
None of the districts contacted by The Denver Post planned to increase their pay for highly qualified paraprofessionals.
But the districts are working to help aides meet the standard, including helping to pay for additional education.
In Denver, paras are offered tutoring. The Jefferson County and Adams 12 Five Star districts have teamed up with community colleges.
In Harrison 2 School District in Colorado Springs, a retired teacher has been tutoring paras in math. And some paraprofessionals are combining credit earned in district training with credit earned at Pikes Peak Community College.
Still, some educators fear many paraprofessionals will simply resign as the deadline nears or lose their jobs if they cannot pass the test.
“Some others are going to know the handwriting is on the wall and they can’t pass the test, and they’ll move on,” said Laurence Sargent, assistant superintendent in Harrison 2.
In Aurora, all paraprofessionals – not just those in Title 1 classrooms – must be highly qualified by the deadline, said Kari Allen, director of human resources for Aurora Public Schools.
So far, 517 of the district’s paraprofessionals are highly qualified and the remaining 29 are expected to acquire that status by December, Allen said. Seven didn’t finish the requirements and resigned.
Theresa Owens, a paraprofessional at Laredo Elementary School in Aurora, said she and her colleagues were alarmed at first, but after a year of training with the district, Owens became highly qualified.
“I have confidence,” she said. “I didn’t feel like it was a waste of time.”
Staff writer Karen Rouse can be reached at 303-820-1684 or krouse@denverpost.com.
