Policy, Preparation, and Practice . . . Oh My! Current Policy Regarding the Paraprofessional Role and Preparation for Working With Students With Disabilities

Over the past two decades, the paraprofessional role has expanded to include a variety of support roles in both general and special education. Although the most recent 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) addressed the necessity of paraprofessional preparati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of disability policy studies Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 164 - 172
Main Authors Massafra, Aimee, Gershwin, Tracy, Gosselin, Katrine
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.12.2020
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
Subjects
Paraprofessionals
Special education
Students
Students with disabilities
Supervision
Training
standards and preparation
paraprofessionals
educational policy
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Summary:Over the past two decades, the paraprofessional role has expanded to include a variety of support roles in both general and special education. Although the most recent 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) addressed the necessity of paraprofessional preparation, training, and supervision, the field of education continues to struggle with incorporating these necessary components. In this article, we summarize current policies and standards, both state and federal, for training paraprofessionals in special education. Next, we provide possible recommendations for policy, practice, and future research to ensure the preparation of paraprofessionals and ultimately, the success of students who have disabilities.
ISSN:1044-2073
1538-4802
DOI:10.1177/1044207320920004