About the Program
Instructional Aides/Teacher Aides/Paraprofessionals become ParaEducators: Guidelines from the "No Child Left Behind" Act of 2002 reveal that paraprofessionals under the Title 1-A programs must have higher educational certification in the form of: a) 2 years of higher education, or b) an associate's degree, or c) formal state or local assessment (focus on instructing, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness as appropriate). Paraprofessionals hired before 01-08-2002 must meet these requirements by May 2006. Exceptions to the paraprofessional requirements: a) those who are bilingual and provide services to enhance the participation of children in Title 1 programs by acting as a translator, or b) those whose duties consist solely of conducting parental involvement activities consistent with Section 1118 (TEA/NCLB). Qualification requirements for paraprofessionals hired after May 30, 2006 include 2 years of higher education or an associate's degree. These courses are approved for Continuing Professional Education by the State Board for Educator Certification, provider #500551.
Update for ParaEducator Participants - February 14, 2008
A ParaEducator Certificate is issued for participants with a high school education who successfully complete the rigorous training needed for school district hiring purposes. Due to the “No Child Left Behind” 2002 legislation, school districts may only hire aides for Title One schools who are “highly qualified.” This qualification is met by either an Associate’s degree or two years of higher education OR a formal local assessment (focus on instructing, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness as appropriate). Participants must be able to independently complete all requirements. If there is a question regarding participant readiness, please consult the Director, Sharon Duncan, at 512.223.7650 before registration.
A Professional Development Certificate is available for students wanting professional development only, without “highly qualified” status. If participants need assistance to complete professional development, arrangements must be made for accommodations before the class begins. Contact the Office for Students with Disabilities for forms and information at http://www.austincc.edu/support/osd/index.php and contact Sharon Duncan before registration.
Prerequisites
You must have a high school diploma or GED. To earn the Para Educator Certificate, you must independently complete all requirements.
Length
ACC offers 3-day Professional Development sessions for teacher aides for 21 hours (9:00-5:00) plus an additional session of 7 hours of Special Education Training for a total of 28 hours. You may take the 3-day session, the Special Education session, or the 4-day session. ParaEducator Institutes are held in February (Saturdays only), June (during the work week), and October (Saturdays only). Additional online courses will become available during the 2008 year.
Course Schedule
EDTC 1094 ParaEducator Institute (21 hours/$210)
Provides general preparation for teacher aides. Day 1 covers Working Together Successfully; Day 2 covers Learning Styles and the Instructional Process; and Day 3 covers Reading, Writing, and Math. Assessments are performance-based and take place throughout the course. Prerequisite: high school diploma or GED. Students must attend all sessions and pass assessments for the ParaEducator Certificate.
92845 101 Oct 4 - Oct 18 S 9-5 HBC 410
EDTC 1094 Special Education ParaEducator Institute (7 hours/$55)
Provides preparation for special education teacher aides. This course covers Special Education topics such as IDEA, FAPE, physically impaired students, crisis intervention, and LRE. Assessments are performance-based and take place throughout the course. Prerequisite: high school diploma or GED. Sack lunch requested.
92846 102 Oct 25 S 9-5 HBC 301
Fees
Cost is $210 for the 3 days and $265 for the full 4 days.
Registration Information
Payment is due at the time of registration. Please make payment with cash, check, or credit card at any of the ACC Campus Cashier offices within 24 hours after registering for courses. We currently accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. Payment must be received within 24 hours to avoid being dropped from class.
Automated telephone registration: (512) 407-3087 or toll-free (866) 878-7889.
Online registration: www.austincc.edu/ce/register
Mail-in payments will be accepted with completed registration form in the form of check or money order.
For more information, contact (512) 223-7649 or tchrcert@austincc.edu.