River Bend Education District
(September 2016)
Paraprofessional Service Guide
and IEP development.
There are only 3 ways to describe special education paraprofessional services on an IEP:
1:1 Paraprofessional
This describes paraprofessional services assigned to ONE specific student. This may involve more than one paraprofessional throughout the course of the day, meaning it does not have to be the same person with that child for the entire day. It could be for a 30 minute time block or for an entire day, depending on the unique needs of the student(s).
On IEP: in the Child Specific Paraprofessional Support section – Check YES!
Select 1:1 paraprofessional from the drop down menu.
Enter minutes of service, start date and a statement of student’s need for and the specific responsibilities of the paraprofessional (think of it as a job description for the para when working with that particular student.)
Paraprofessional
This describes paraprofessional services that are given to more than one student at a time in the regular education setting. Again, the minutes for this service may involve more than one paraprofessional throughout the course of the day.
On IEP: in the Child Specific Paraprofessional Support section – Check NO!
Select paraprofessional from the drop down menu.
Enter minutes of service, start date and a statement of student’s need for and the specific responsibilities of the paraprofessional (think of it as a job description for the para when working with that particular student.)
Explain this service in the MODIFICATIONS/ACCOMODATIONS section in the IEP.
Program Paraprofessional
These services are the paraprofessional services that are offered in the special education classroom and are available to all of the students in that particular classroom.
On IEP: in the Child Specific Paraprofessional Support section – Check NO!
Enter explanation of paraprofessional responsibilities in the Accommodations, modifications and supports section of the IEP: “While in the resource room, student will have access to a program paraprofessional. The paraprofessional will…. Start the description of what the para will be doing with that particular student while in the resource room.”]
Explain this service in the MODIFICATIONS/ACCOMODATIONS section in the IEP.
Clarification concerns ‘Personal Care Attendant’, ‘Job Coach’ and ‘Sign Language Interpreter’:
Personal Care Attendant
This service is rarely used and if you believe you have this case, please contact River Bend to help you determine if in fact the service is being provided by a PCA or a paraprofessional.
Job Coach
These services are provided by a paraprofessional employed by the district that is going into different environments with the student where a transition service in being delivered. An example would be a paraprofessional who goes with a student to the place of employment as a support for the student.
On IEP: in the Child Specific Paraprofessional Support section – Check YES!
Select Job Coach from the drop down menu.
Enter minutes of service, start date and a statement of student’s need for and the specific responsibilities of the paraprofessional (think of it as a job description for the paraprofessional when working with that particular student.)
If you have multiple student utilizing one paraprofessional for a transition service, then you would mark NO in the child specific box. Under accommodations explain that a job coach is available for that student: “While in work environment, student will have access to a job coach. The job coach will…. Start the description of what the job coach will be doing with that particular student….”]
Sign Language Interpreter
These services are provided by a professional trained in sign language interpreting and are needed to help the student have access to the general education curriculum.
On IEP: in the Child Specific Paraprofessional Support section – Check YES!
Select Sign Language Interpreter from the drop down menu.
Enter minutes of service, start date and a statement of student’s need for and the specific responsibilities of the paraprofessional (think of it as a job description for the interpreter when working with that particular student.)
REMEMBER to NEVER use “as needed” “may use” “when the student feels like it” or any language that would indicate that the plan is not clearly developed, unless you have CLEARLY explained the circumstances around when it would be used.
If you have a student that needs paraprofessional support on the bus, please indicate that in the SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION section of the IEP. It does not need to go into the Child Specific Paraprofessional section.