Ensuring TAs effective partners on instructional team

1
RI Department of Education Teacher Assistant (TA)
Infrastructure

• Ensuring TAs effective partners on instructional
  team recognized as valued professional
  colleagues to ensure high levels of learning
  performance for ALL students.
• Forging partnerships with TAs, unions,
  administrators, higher education, teachers, TA
  training programs, families other key
  stakeholders
• Establishing effective attainable TA policy
  professional development infrastructure

2
RIDE Leadership Structure

• Office of Teacher Certification
• Office of Special Populations
• Title I
• RI Technical Assistance Project (RITAP) at RI
  College

3
RIDE Study of Local TA Practice

• Report of findings on About Us webpage of TA
  website
• Respondents - TA Contacts
• All districts collaboratives responded
• TA Contacts Listing on TA websiteNetworking
  webpage

4
RIDE Study Type of TAs

• 3031 Instructional TAs (89)
• - 68 serve children with disabilities
• - Rest in gen. education, Title I or other
• 294 Non-Instructional TAs (9)
• 73 Other Paraprofessionals, e.g., job coach,
  therapy assistant, nursing assistant (2)
• 3398 Total TA

5
Instructional TA Qualifications

• 433 (14) 2 years (48 credit hours) or more
  college
• 461 (15) Associate degree or higher
• 827 (27) Passed ParaPro Assessment
• 1315 (43) Need to meet qualifications by 2006
• - 782 (59) TAs in districts that offer ParaPro
  training Internet-Based ParaPro test.
• - 533 (41) remaining TAs can access ParaPro
  training through another district or
  collaborative.

6
Local Policy Practice

• 67 - guidelines for deciding when TA needed for
  child or class
• 85 - TA job descriptions
• 38 - routine process for orientating TAs in new
  assignments
• 41 - training/strategies to help teachers work
  with TAs
• 44 - support instructional teams including
  planning time
• 59 - evaluate TAs in a way that supports
  professional growth
• 82 - PD for TAs
• 56 - requirements and/or incentives for TA PD
• 85 - TAs participate in PD with teachers
• 64 - support TAs preparing for ParaPro
• 51 - support TAs taking ParaPro
• 11 - some type of career ladder for TAs

7
RIDE Infrastructure Components

• Correspond to menu items at www.ritap.org/ta
• About Us
• Legal Requirements
• ParaPro Assessment
• Training Opportunities
• Resources
• Networking

8
www.ritap.org/ta
9
Legal Requirements

• All Instructional Teacher Assistants
• Good Character
• High School Diploma or General Equivalency
• TA Training Program (If Hired After January 1,
  1999)
• One of 3 following requirements for new hires
  after 1/8/2002 by 1/8/2006 for those hired
  prior to 1/8/2002
• 2 years higher education (48 hours)
• Associates Degree or higher
• Assessment (ParaPro is State Assessment)

10
Legal Requirements

• Non-Instructional Teacher Assistants
• Good Character
• High School Diploma or General Equivalency
• TA Training Program (If Hired After January 1,
  1999)
• Proficiency in English language other than
  English if serving as translator for ESL students
• Other Paraprofessionals as recognized by RIDE,
  e.g., therapy assistants

11
Legal Requirements

• State Standards for Training Program Approval
• Professionalism in Communication Collaboration
• Instructional Opportunities
• Learning Environment re Behavior
• Health, Safety Emergency Procedures

12
Legal Requirements

• State Guidelines
• English As A Second Language
• Speech/Language
• Behavior
• Instructional Teams, Supervision Performance
  Evaluation

13
Legal Requirements

• TA Website Resources
• RI Standards
• RI Guidelines
• QA
• Linkage to federal guidance regulations for
  Title I/NCLB

14
ParaPro Assessment

• RIDE Passing Score - 461
• ParaPro Fact Sheet
• ParaPro Awareness Training Module
• Assessment Training Availability
• Linkage to ETS/ParaPro website

15
Training Opportunities

• Pre-Employment Training Programs
• Regional TA Networks
• Training Series on Speech/Language
• Training Series on Behavior
• Training for Teachers on Effective TA Use
• Training for Higher Education Programs on
  Effective TA Use

16
Pre-Service Training Opportunities

• Other Training Opportunities
• Career Advancement
• - CCRI Supports for TAs Pursuing Associate
  Degrees
• - TA Career Advancement Opportunities in Special
  Education at RIC

17
Resources

• TA Newsletter
• Annotated Bibliography of Resources On Loan
• Worksheets for Teams
• ESL Module
• Handbook for Substitutes Teaming

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Effective TA Use Module
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Networking

• TA Contacts
• Links to Websites

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RIDE Teacher Assistant Infrastructure

• Contact Us